Turkish Citizenship by Investment
Turkey
Citizenship
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See if you're a match →Turkish citizenship by investment is for applicants and qualifying family members who make an accepted investment, most commonly real estate or another official investment route. It generally requires source-of-funds evidence, compliant holding periods, due diligence, and government approval.
- Type
- Citizenship by investment
- Investment fit
- Investors and qualifying family members
- Core requirements
- Investment funds, due diligence, and approval documents
- What to know
- Approval can depend on official judgment or program space
Summary
Türkiye (Turkey) runs a flexible citizenship by investment (CBI) program. Since 2017, foreign nationals who make a qualifying investment — most commonly $400,000+ in Turkish real estate — can apply for Turkish citizenship without a residence period or language test. The family (spouse and minor children under 18) is included in the single application.
The program was introduced under Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 and its implementing regulation. The real-estate threshold was raised from $250,000 to $400,000 effective June 13, 2022, and several other qualifying routes sit at the $500,000 level. Turkey permits dual citizenship, so Americans keep their U.S. passport.
Eligibility
You qualify if you meet one of the investment anchors and clear background checks. The qualifying investments are:
Real estate — $400,000+
- Purchase property worth at least $400,000 (appraised value confirmed by a licensed Turkish appraiser).
- The purchase contract must include a commitment that the property will not be resold for at least three years, annotated on the title deed (tapu).
- Multiple properties can be combined to reach the threshold.
Bank deposit — $500,000
- Deposit $500,000+ in a Turkish bank.
- Funds must remain on deposit for at least three years.
- Deposit must be in a Turkish-licensed bank and reported to the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK).
Turkish government bonds — $500,000
- Purchase $500,000+ in Turkish government debt instruments and hold for at least three years.
Capital investment — $500,000
- Invest $500,000+ in fixed capital in a Turkish business.
- Confirmed by the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
Job creation
- Create at least 50 jobs for Turkish citizens, confirmed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
Real estate investment fund shares — $500,000
- Buy $500,000+ in shares of a qualifying Turkish real-estate or venture-capital investment fund and hold them for three years.
Personal requirements
- Clean criminal record from every country of residence.
- Valid passport and identity documents for all applicants.
- Spouse and children under 18 are included; parents and adult children are not.
What This Route Allows
If approved, this route can lead to citizenship in Türkiye (Turkey). Citizenship is the national status itself, not a residence permit: you can document the citizenship, apply for citizen identity or passport documents, and live in Türkiye (Turkey) without a separate immigration permit.
What This Route Is Not
This is not automatic citizenship. Naturalization, registration, and restoration routes usually require an application, supporting documents, and a decision by the relevant authority.
Next Steps
- Pick your investment anchor. Real estate at $400,000 is by far the most common route — the other anchors exist but are rarely used.
- Retain a Turkish immigration lawyer and licensed real-estate appraiser. The appraiser's report (SPK-licensed) is the document that proves you hit the $400,000 threshold in USD.
- Open a Turkish bank account and obtain a tax number. Required to close any real-estate transaction and wire investment funds.
- Close the investment and annotate the title deed. The tapu must carry the "will not sell for 3 years" annotation for real-estate applicants.
- File for a Short-Term Residence Permit under the investor category. This is the first residence permit, issued while the CBI file is processed.
- File the citizenship application. Submitted via the Presidency of Migration Management and the Directorate General of Population and Citizenship Affairs.
- Receive Turkish ID (Kimlik) and passport. After approval, you collect your Turkish ID card with its 11-digit Kimlik Numarası and apply for the Turkish passport.
Sources
- Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi) — Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 and implementing regulations.
- Invest in Türkiye — Citizenship by Investment — official investor-facing program page.
- Directorate General of Population and Citizenship Affairs — Kimlik number issuance and citizenship registry.
- Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs — consular services and passport issuance.