Turkish Citizenship by Investment

At a glance

At a Glance: Turkish Citizenship by Investment

Turkish citizenship by investment is a legal route to Turkish nationality for foreign investors who make a qualifying investment — most commonly real estate — and meet the requirements set by Turkish law

The program

What Is Turkish Citizenship by Investment?

Turkish citizenship by investment is a form of exceptional citizenship granted to foreign nationals who make a qualifying investment in Turkey. It is awarded by decision of the Turkish authorities — not a residence-based naturalisation, and not an automatic entitlement.

Because it is an exceptional route, it sits apart from citizenship earned through years of residence or acquired through marriage. Several official bodies take part in the process: the Presidency of Migration Management handles the application, the Land Registry Directorate records qualifying property, and the Capital Markets Board oversees the financial routes — with the final grant made by Presidential decree. As a discretionary route, each application is assessed on its own merits and passes through eligibility and security review.

Official bodies referenced in this program

Presidency of Migration ManagementLand Registry DirectorateCapital Markets Board

The route is designed for non-Turkish investors who want a second citizenship — often for global mobility, family planning, or diversifying where they hold assets. It tends to suit internationally minded families and entrepreneurs who prefer to pair an investment in Turkey with a long-term connection to the country.

This is the investment route to Turkish citizenship. Acquiring nationality by descent or by marriage follows different rules (see our FAQs) — and no route means simply “buying a passport”: every application is subject to eligibility and security review.

Prefer to see the sequence involved? See how the process works step by step.

Turkish citizenship legislation can change; the legal details in this guide are indicative and should be confirmed with an advisor.

Program & governing framework at a glance

Attribute	Plain-language description
Program type	Exceptional citizenship — not residence-based
Legal basis	Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, Article 12
Deciding authority	Granted by Presidential decree
Administering bodies	Presidency of Migration Management; Land Registry Directorate; Capital Markets Board (route-dependent)
Qualifying basis	One of several approved investment routes (see Investment Routes)
Who it’s for	Non-Turkish investors seeking a second citizenship

Eligibility

Who Is Eligible?

Turkish citizenship by investment is generally open to non-Turkish nationals who are of legal age, have no legal impediment to applying, and make a qualifying investment through one of the approved routes (the required amount is confirmed on application — see Investment Routes). A limited set of nationalities may be treated differently under current rules; an advisor confirms whether this applies to you.

Eligibility is not approval. Meeting these conditions lets you apply — the final decision rests with the Turkish authorities.

Foreign buyers can generally acquire property in Turkey, subject to limited restrictions such as military zones and reciprocity rules; to count toward citizenship, the property must be eligible under the qualifying route.

Depending on the current rules, part of the process may require your physical presence in Turkey for biometrics. An advisor confirms which steps can be handled by power of attorney.

Eligibility covers who can apply — the documents, permits and full conditions are a separate step: see the full Turkish citizenship requirements.

Who can be included in one application

Applicant	Included?	Key condition
Main applicant	Yes	Foreign national, of legal age — the investor of record
Spouse	Yes	Valid, subsisting marriage — marriage documents required
Minor children	Yes	Under the qualifying age — exact age limit on application
Older / dependent children	Case by case	Must meet a dependency criterion — not automatic
Parents / other relatives	Generally not	— Confirm with an advisor
Existing / dual citizens	Yes	Dual citizenship generally permitted — see dual-citizenship notes below

A single application can typically cover the main applicant, their spouse and minor children. Dependency and age rules apply and are confirmed case by case — no family member is added automatically.

Check your eligibility

Full name

Phone

+44

Email

Nationality

United Kingdom

Property type

Not sure yet

Family size

Just me

Interest route

Real estate

Message

I have read the personal data notice and agree to be contacted about my enquiry. Privacy PolicyCheck your eligibility

Indicative only — an advisor confirms your eligibility. By submitting, you agree to be contacted by Investo Global about your enquiry.

Investment routes

Investment Routes

Real estate is not the only way to qualify. Turkish law currently recognises several qualifying investment routes, and you can meet the programme through any one of them — real estate, a Turkish bank deposit, government bonds, investment fund shares, or job creation. Each route carries its own minimum investment, its own holding period and its own asset type, so the right choice depends on whether your priority is holding a tangible asset, keeping capital liquid, or diversifying.

The qualifying routes at a glance

Minimum investment amounts and holding periods are set by the regulation in force and are confirmed with an advisor on application.

Across every route, the qualifying investment must be kept for a minimum holding period set by Turkish Citizenship Law — commonly cited as three years — which an advisor confirms before you commit. For real estate this is recorded as a no-sale annotation on the title deed; for deposits, bonds and fund shares the capital is committed for the same period.

Real estate

The qualifying value is set by an independent SPK (Capital Markets Board) valuation report rather than the sale price alone. The property must be purchased from a Turkish seller, a Certificate of Conformity is issued for the transaction, and more than one unit can be combined to reach the threshold. The full title-transfer, valuation and eligibility mechanics are covered on our dedicated guide to citizenship through real estate.

Investo Global’s citizenship-eligible residences are currently all located in Istanbul, with prices shown on application.

Request a citizenship-eligible property shortlistHow the real-estate route works →

Citizenship-candidate residences
Istanbul — current collection, prices on application
See the collection and how the route works →

Bank deposit

Prefer not to buy property? A qualifying deposit placed in an approved Turkish bank is one of the alternative routes. It is certified by the regulator and committed for the required period, with no property to purchase or manage.

Government bonds, investment fund shares and job creation

These follow the same principle: a qualifying amount is placed in the instrument — or the required number of jobs is created — and confirmed by the relevant authority.

Deposit, bond and fund amounts are usually set in Turkish lira, so the qualifying figure can move with exchange rates

This page summarises all the routes; the complete real-estate process lives on our dedicated real-estate citizenship page. Not sure which route fits? Talk to an advisor

Step by step

Step-by-Step: The Application Process

The Turkish citizenship by investment process follows a clear, ordered sequence — from choosing your route to receiving your passport. This is a hub-level overview of how the stages connect; for the full procedure, read our detailed step-by-step guide. The exact steps depend on your investment route and are set by Turkish law and the relevant authorities. Investo Global guides you across every step, end-to-end.

1. 
   01

   Consultation & route selection

   We confirm your eligibility and help you choose a qualifying route. A single application can typically cover your spouse and minor children

2. 
   02

   Investment & valuation

   You complete your qualifying investment; for real estate this includes the title-deed transfer and an official valuation report. Other routes differ — see Investment Routes.

3. 
   03

   Certificate of Conformity

   The authorised Land Registry and Cadastre regional directorate determines that your investment qualifies — today the determination certificate (Taşınmaz Yatırım Tespit Belgesi) — and notifies the citizenship and residence authorities. It is a prerequisite before the citizenship application is filed.

4. 
   04

   Short-term residence permit

   A residence permit is obtained as part of the pathway

5. 
   05

   Citizenship application filed

   Submitted to the Presidency of Migration Management / the relevant provincial directorate, with your prepared documents (apostille and certified translation may apply — see the full requirements).

6. 
   06

   Security review → decision → passport

   On a positive decision, Turkish citizenship is granted and passports can be issued

Steps shown are indicative — confirm the current rules and binding procedure with an advisor.

Documents

Documents: The Three-File Overview

At a high level, the route uses a citizenship or VAT-4 personal file, an investment eligibility file and a residence or procedural file. The exact records depend on nationality, family structure and the selected investment route.

Read the complete Turkish citizenship requirements and documents guide, or have an advisor map the list to your case.

Costs & taxes

Costs, Government Fees & Taxes

Beyond the qualifying investment itself — the amount is confirmed on application — a citizenship application involves several other costs. An honest, itemised picture matters more than a single number, so it helps to separate one-time costs from costs you keep paying.

One-time costs include the title-deed transfer tax, property appraisal, notary and translation, apostille, DASK insurance, agency commission and legal fees, plus government fees for residence permits, the citizenship application and passport — each charged per family member. Recurring costs include the annual property tax, maintenance (aidat) and utilities.

On the tax side, foreign buyers most often ask about property tax in Turkey. A title-deed transfer tax applies once at acquisition on the assessed value — approximately ~4% — while a yearly property tax of an indicative ~0.1–0.3% applies each year you own the home. Rental income or a sale within five years can trigger further tax. Buying property or acquiring citizenship may also affect your tax-residency status — a personal matter to confirm with an advisor

One-time costs vs costs you keep paying.

Can the investment be paid in installments?

Partly, and the distinction matters. The amount that establishes the qualifying criterion has to be satisfied and evidenced before the application proceeds — a payment plan does not satisfy it on its own. Where the property you choose costs more than the qualifying figure, the portion above it can often be structured over time with the developer. So “citizenship in installments” is a misleading way to describe it: the qualifying amount is settled, and only the surplus is financed.

Treat any offer that promises citizenship while the qualifying amount itself is still being paid off as a reason to ask for the criterion and the responsible authority in writing before transferring anything.

Two different things

Residence permit vs. citizenship — which applies to you?

These are asked about together and are often confused, but they are separate statuses with separate consequences. A residence permit lets you live in Türkiye while remaining a national of your own country. Citizenship makes you Turkish, with a passport and the rights that follow.

The practical question is what you actually need. If the goal is to spend extended time in Türkiye — living here, running something here, being with family here — a permit may be the proportionate answer. If the goal is a second nationality and the mobility of a second passport, a permit does not deliver it.

Because permit categories, terms and any property-value conditions are set by legislation that is amended, we do not publish those figures here. An adviser confirms which status fits your position, and what it currently requires.

Citizenship requirements in detail → · How our legal team handles both →

Why Investo Global

Why Investo Global

You have read the routes, the timeline and the costs — the open question is who guides you through them. Investo Global is an investment consultancy, not a law firm. We coordinate your application from start to finish and work with licensed Turkish citizenship lawyers rather than acting as your legal counsel ourselves. Our approach is process, not promises: we tell you what we can coordinate, and what rests with the Turkish authorities.

What “guided end-to-end” covers

We help you shortlist a citizenship-eligible Istanbul residence, then coordinate the valuation, the Certificate of Conformity, the title transfer, your residence permit and the filing of your application. This is service coordination — not an outcome we control or promise.

Want the fuller picture? See our advisory services or read more about Investo Global.

Why clients work with us

Is this programme genuine? How to check for yourself

It is a fair question, and the right answer is not to take an agency’s word for it. The route exists in Turkish law and is published by the state: the civil-registry authority sets out how citizenship is acquired, and the official investment guide describes the property-and-citizenship criterion. Read both directly — NVI: acquisition of Turkish citizenship and Invest in Türkiye: acquiring property and citizenship.

What deserves scrutiny is the offer in front of you rather than the programme itself. Check that the criterion, the minimum amount, the responsible authority and the holding period in any proposal match those official sources. Three things should make you slow down: a guaranteed approval, a threshold materially below the published minimum, and pressure to transfer funds before the valuation and title position are confirmed. We do not claim a perfect approval record, and no honest adviser can — the decision rests with the Turkish authorities.

Written by Investo Global Citizenship Advisory Team — last updated July 2026