Turkish Citizenship

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BUYERS GUIDE

Turkish Citizenship

Acquisition of Turkish citizenship is regulated in two ways: at birth or by later acquisition. Turkey has not adopted the right to acquire citizenship based on the place of birth. Therefore, being born in Turkey will not provide you with any rights in terms of citizenship.

Acquisition of Citizenship at Birth;

Kinship determines citizenship at birth, considering an individual as a Turkish citizen if one or both parents possess Turkish citizenship. A Turkish child born to a Turkish mother or father automatically receives Turkish citizenship. However, adults born to Turkish citizen parents, unregistered with a civil registry office before turning 18, may become eligible for citizenship based on the Ministry’s decision following an investigation.

Later Acquisition

Meeting the specified criteria outlined in the Turkish Citizenship Law allows you to obtain Turkish citizenship at the discretion of the relevant authorities. However, compliance with the stated requirements does not guarantee an automatic entitlement to citizenship.

The following are the requirements for later acquisition:

You are eligible to apply for Turkish citizenship if you have continuously resided in Turkey for 5 years. However, additional prerequisites include proficiency in Turkish and possessing good moral character. Also not being diagnosed with a health condition that poses a threat to public health.
If you have been married to a Turkish citizen for a minimum of 3 years, you are also eligible to apply for Turkish citizenship.

Moreover, foreigners meeting specific investment criteria may qualify for citizenship.

Those confirmed by the Ministry of Industry and Technology to have invested a fixed capital of at least 500,000 USD.
Individuals confirmed by the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency to have deposited a minimum of 500,000 USD in a Turkish bank, provided the amount is maintained in the account for three years.
Foreigners confirmed by the Capital Markets Board to have purchased real estate or venture capital investment fund participation shares worth a minimum of 500,000 USD, with the condition that they are held for three years.
Those confirmed by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance to have acquired state borrowing instruments worth a minimum of 500,000 USD under the condition of holding them for three years are eligible for exceptional Turkish citizenship.

Additionally, foreigners who meet the following criteria are eligible for citizenship:

Confirmation by the Ministry of Family, Labour, and Social Services for creating employment for at least 50 people.
Confirmation by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanisation for the purchase of real estate worth a minimum of 400,000 USD.
Individuals who have committed to buying real estate equivalent to a minimum of 400,000 USD through a notarized sales contract, along with a three-year refusal of sale annotation added to the records of the title deed registry.

For further information about the citizenship application and how to apply, you can visit www.nvi.gov.tr or call the hotline at 199.

Turkish Citizenship Through Real Estate Acquisition

Changes to the Regulations Governing the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law now establish a pathway for foreigners to actively pursue Turkish citizenship through exceptional means. They can accomplish this by actively purchasing real estate valued at a minimum of 400,000 USD or its equivalent in Turkish Lira, with the land registry actively indicating an annotation stipulating that the property cannot be sold for a period of 3 years.

(For real estate transactions actively conducted between 12.01.2017 and 18.09.2018, the property must have been valued at a minimum of 1,000,000 USD.)

As of December 7, 2018, another active option is available to actively acquire citizenship through a notarized contract that actively commits to the sale of real estate worth at least 400,000 USD (or its equivalent in Turkish Lira) actively deposited in cash. This contract actively includes a commitment to no transfer or cancellation for 3 years, and the details are actively annotated in the land registry.

In both active scenarios (direct purchase or notarized contract), the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre will actively issue a “Certificate of Eligibility.” This certificate actively serves as a reliable document for citizenship applications.

Upon actively obtaining the Certificate of Eligibility, foreigners must initially actively apply for a residency permit at the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management and subsequently actively apply for citizenship at the Provincial Directorate of Civil Registration and Citizenship Affairs.

For further information, please contact one of our realtors or our lawyer.