Turkish Citizenship by Investment: How the Process Works

Turkish citizenship by investment, in Turkish yatırım yoluyla vatandaşlık and in English searches often the Turkey golden visa, lets a foreigner become a Turkish citizen after making a qualifying investment in the country. Legally it is a form of exceptional citizenship under the Turkish Citizenship Law, granted by a decision of the President rather than after years of residence. This guide explains how the process usually runs, from the choice of investment to the Turkish identity card, for investors and families who want to understand it before committing money. It contains no amounts on purpose: the minimum figures and holding conditions are set by regulation, have been changed several times, and are confirmed by a lawyer when a case starts.

1. Pick the investmentProperty, deposit, shares and others
2. Property route checksWhat decides a property-based file
3. The processConformity certificate, residence permit, application
4. Family membersWho is included
5. After citizenshipRegister entry and identity documents

What this route is, and what it is not

The investment route is separate from the ordinary ways of becoming Turkish, such as naturalisation after lawful residence or through marriage to a Turkish citizen, which are covered under Turkish citizenship application. It does not require the investor to live in Turkey before or after the decision. It is also different from a residence permit: an investor may simply want the right to live in Turkey, and owning a home can support a short-term permit without any citizenship plan.

Turkey generally accepts that its citizens hold another nationality, but the investor's home country may not, and some countries end citizenship when another is taken. That question is answered at home, before the Turkish file is opened.

The kinds of qualifying investment

The regulation lists several forms of investment, each certified by a different public body:

• buying real estate and keeping it for a set period, with a no-sale annotation on the title deed;
• a fixed capital investment in Turkey, for example through a company, where setting up a business is part of the plan;
• a deposit kept in Turkish banks for a set period;
• government bonds or other public debt instruments held for a set period;
• shares in real estate investment funds or venture capital funds;
• creating jobs in Turkey for a number of employees.

Real estate is by far the most common choice, and most of the problems in practice arise there. Because the final decision is discretionary, a file that meets every listed condition can still be turned down on security grounds, and the reasons given may be brief.

The property route: points that decide the file

A purchase made for citizenship follows the normal route of a property purchase in Turkey, with extra conditions on top:

• the price is paid through a bank, in a way that shows foreign currency was brought in and converted, and the bank's documents are kept;
• a valuation report from a licensed appraiser supports the value, and the value recognised for citizenship depends on it;
• a no-sale annotation (satılmaz şerhi) is placed on the tapu for the holding period;
• the history of the property matters, since a home already used for another citizenship file, or a sale between related parties, may not count;
• the rules on combining several properties and on buying off-plan have their own conditions, which have been revised.

The transfer itself happens at the land registry, as described under property title transfer. Authorities have reportedly tightened their review of inflated valuations and of sales arranged only to reach the minimum, so the paperwork is examined closely.

The process step by step

1. Preparation. The investor obtains a Turkish tax number and opens a bank account; many appoint a lawyer by a power of attorney so that most steps run without them in Turkey.
2. The investment. The property is bought, the deposit made or the shares acquired, with the documents each authority expects.
3. Certificate of conformity. The public body responsible for that form of investment, such as the land registry for property or the banking authority for deposits, confirms that it meets the conditions.
4. Residence permit. The investor and the family members apply for a residence permit on the basis of the investment.
5. Citizenship application. The file goes to the civil registration and citizenship authority (Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık İşleri), through the office that deals with investors.
6. Background and security checks. The authorities review the applicant's history and the source of the funds.
7. Decision. Citizenship is granted by presidential decision, after which the new citizens are entered in the population register and can apply for an identity card and a Turkish passport.

Documents usually gathered along the way:

• passports of everyone included
• birth certificates, and a marriage certificate for a spouse
• an apostille and a sworn Turkish translation for each foreign document
• the tapu, the valuation report and the bank records of the payment
• the certificate of conformity
• the residence permit cards
• photographs and the fee receipts

Family members

In most cases the application can cover the investor's husband or wife and their children under age, with no separate investment. Adult children and parents are generally outside it and look at other routes. A marriage or a birth that was never registered where it took place delays the file, as does any difference in the spelling of names between documents, so these are put right early. Children born after citizenship is granted acquire Turkish citizenship through their parent under the ordinary rules. Each family member receives an identity card and a passport of their own once registered.

After citizenship

The investment has to stay in place for the holding period. Selling the property or withdrawing the deposit early does not undo the citizenship automatically, but citizenship obtained on false statements or documents can be withdrawn. Becoming a Turkish citizen does not, by itself, make someone resident in Turkey for tax; that depends on where the person actually lives. Male applicants sometimes ask about military service, and a lawyer explains how the rules treat people who become citizens later in life. Owners of Turkish property also often choose to write a will that covers it, since Turkish law governs the inheritance of real estate in Turkey.

Where a lawyer usually helps

A lawyer who handles the Turkish golden visa typically checks the property's title and history, follows the valuation and the currency documents, obtains the certificate of conformity and prepares the residence and citizenship files. Lawyers on this site who work in English are based in Istanbul, where most investors buy, and in Antalya, Ankara and Bodrum. A refusal of the certificate or of the citizenship itself can be taken to the administrative courts, within strict time limits. Related services are listed under Immigration.

Questions and answers

How long does Turkish citizenship by investment take?

It depends on the investment, the speed of the valuation and the certificate, the family documents and the security checks. No timetable can be promised, because the final step is a decision of the state.

Do I have to live in Turkey to get citizenship by investment?

No. The route has no residence requirement, although a residence permit based on the investment is part of the process.

Can my family get Turkish citizenship with my investment?

The spouse and minor children usually can, in the same application. Adult children and parents generally need a route of their own.

Can I sell the property after getting Turkish citizenship?

The no-sale annotation stays on the tapu until the holding period ends. After that the property can be sold like any other.

Does Turkey allow dual citizenship?

Turkey generally does. Whether the investor keeps the original nationality depends on the law of the home country.

Is the Turkish golden visa the same as citizenship by investment?

In everyday use, yes. Turkey has no programme officially called a golden visa; the phrase usually means the investment route to citizenship, sometimes residence through property.