Turkish citizenship through investment: Review of programs

Main Conditions for Acquiring Turkish Citizenship Through Investment

• Making the investments specified in the regulation and obtaining a Certificate of Compliance.
• Obtaining a short-term residence permit (under Article 31/j) designated for citizenship through investment.
• Submitting a citizenship application to the relevant authority.

Types of Investments Provided by Law

1. Capital Investment

Individuals who have invested at least $500,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency in fixed capital, as confirmed by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, may acquire Turkish citizenship through investment.

Key details:

• The investment may be made by fully acquiring a non-public company or participating in its capital.
• The minimum investment amount must be $500,000, and the investment must not be transferred to another person for at least 3 years from the date of issuance of the Certificate of Compliance.
• The investment must be related to the company's operations; real estate and vehicles unrelated to business activities are not considered.

2. Real Estate Purchase or Sales Commitment Agreement (Satış Vaadi Sözleşmesi)

Another method provided by law is purchasing real estate.

This method is the most popular and relatively simple. A person who purchases a property with a cadastral value of at least $400,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency and registers a 3-year non-sale restriction in the Land Registry is eligible for Turkish citizenship.

Key aspects:

• Property purchase is not mandatory; citizenship can also be obtained through a Sales Commitment Agreement (Satış Vaadi Sözleşmesi), provided the property has a registered ownership status (Kat irtifakı or Kat mülkiyeti – preliminary or full ownership registration).
• As of June 12, 2022, the minimum investment amount for real estate is $400,000 based on cadastral value.
• This requirement can be fulfilled by purchasing one or multiple properties for the specified amount.

Ministry of Environment and Urbanization Requirements for Real Estate:

• The property must not have been previously used for citizenship by investment.
• The property must not be purchased directly from a foreign individual. If a foreigner was previously listed as the owner, the property must have been owned by a Turkish citizen for at least 3 years before being sold to the investor.
• The payment must be made through a bank. When transferring funds to the seller, payment details must be accurate and complete. The receipt must indicate that the transfer was intended for citizenship acquisition.
• Before or after transferring the funds, a Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate must be obtained, mentioning Article 20 of the Citizenship Law (TVK) or Article 13 of the General Circular on Capital Movements. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the Ministry rejecting the Certificate of Compliance.

3. Job Creation

Individuals who establish a business and employ at least 50 people, as approved by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, are eligible for Turkish citizenship.

4. Bank Deposit

Another popular and secure method is depositing funds in a Turkish bank.
Individuals who deposit at least $500,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency into a Turkish bank account and keep it for 3 years, with approval from the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK), can acquire Turkish citizenship through investment.

5. Investment in Government Debt Securities

Individuals who purchase government debt securities worth at least $500,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency and hold them for 3 years are eligible for Turkish citizenship.

6. Investment in the Private Pension System (BES)

Another way to obtain Turkish citizenship is through investment in the Private Pension System (BES).
Individuals who invest at least $500,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency and keep their investment for 3 years also qualify for Turkish citizenship.

For more details on investment programs and other legal requirements specified in the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law, please contact our immigration lawyers.