Turkish Passports: Conditions of the ‘Citizenship by Investment’ Programme

You can obtain Turkish citizenship in a variety of ways. For traditional naturalisation, for example, you need to reside legally in the country for at least five years. We will also explain how much money is needed to obtain a Turkish passport.

• Benefits of Turkish Citizenship
• Types of passports in Turkey
• Non-investment Citizenship (Naturalisation)
• Citizenship by Investment
• Citizenship for Investments in Turkish Real Estate
• Documents and Fees
• Expense Summary
• Can an Investor Be Denied Citizenship?

Benefits of Turkish Citizenship

According to the quarterly Henley Passport Index, the Turkish passport is one of the top 50 in the world in terms of the number of countries its holder can visit visa-free or under simplified conditions. This was 114 countries in 2023. For comparison, the leader of the ranking, the Singaporean passport, allows unhindered entry to 193 countries while passports from Germany, Italy, and Spain grant access to 190 states. 

A less obvious advantage is the opportunity for simplified acquisition of a five-year United States E-2 business visa.

Furthermore, Turkey positions itself as a prime candidate for joining the European Union and the Schengen Area, which holds the promise of visa-free travel across the borders of 28 European countries.

In addition to visa-related benefits, a Turkish passport permits its holder to reside freely in the country of five-star resorts, purchase any real estate, engage in business, and work.

Turkey allows dual citizenship, so there is no need to renounce your original passport.

Types of Passports in Turkey

Within Turkey, citizens confirm their identity with an ID card called a ‘kimlik.’ There are several types of passports for international travel, each distinguished by a different colour.

Regular passport (red) is a standard document for those who do not fall into any special category. Investors and naturalised Turkish citizens typically receive this type of passport.

Special passport (green) grants the right to visa-free and simplified entry to an even greater number of countries than the regular passport. Government employees, scientists, and certain other categories of citizens receive such a passport.

Diplomatic passport (black) is reserved for members of the National Assembly and government, the Constitutional Court, as well as regional leaders, former heads of state, and diplomats.

Service passport (grey) is issued to those who do not meet the criteria for a special or diplomatic passport but travel abroad for government affairs. Distinguished athletes and key personnel of international organisations whose work involves frequent international travel may also receive this type of passport.

Close relatives of passport holders of all types, except the regular (red) passport, are eligible for a special passport.

Non-investment Citizenship (Naturalisation)

You do not have to go through the process of obtaining permanent residency to obtain Turkish citizenship based on residency. To qualify, you must reside in Turkey for five years and not leave the country for more than six months during this time.

Applicants for Turkish citizenship through naturalisation must demonstrate their ties to the country and integration into society. They should have a clear criminal record, no serious illnesses, and they must have the financial means to support themselves and their dependents, along with a stable source of income at the time of application.

In addition, applicants for Turkish citizenship go through an interview process to demonstrate their language proficiency.

Citizenship by Investment

The programme, which allows obtaining citizenship and residency in Turkey through investment, was launched in 2017. Through this programme, funds are raised for the local economy, the number of companies in free economic zones is increasing, and the real estate sector is experiencing continuous growth.

The minimum investment amount to obtain Turkish citizenship is $400,000. This amount is sufficient only for investments in real estate, and it is the most popular way to obtain citizenship. There are other options, but an investment of at least $500,000 is required:

• A company (either an existing one or your own) that creates 50 jobs.
• Government bonds.
• An investment or venture capital fund.
• A deposit in a Turkish bank account.

Applicants for Turkish citizenship based on investment can include close family members such as spouses, children, and adult children with disabilities in their application.

Parents and adult children of the applicant, if they do not have their own sources of income, can obtain residency in Turkey. This document costs $5000 per person. If such relatives can support themselves, they must apply for residency and citizenship separately as individual applicants.

Investors have advantages over those who obtain a passport through naturalisation:

• They are exempt from language and Turkish history exams.
• They do not have to reside in the country for five years with a residence permit.
• They can obtain a passport remotely (at the embassy) without visiting the country at all.

You can obtain this document within six months, but you are required to keep the original investment within Turkey for at least three years.

Citizenship for Investment in Turkish Real Estate

The Turkish real estate market is considered the largest in Asia. Investments here are not only a means to obtaining citizenship, but are an asset. The property market in Turkey is experiencing average annual price growth of around 20 percent. However, in 2022, due to hyperinflation, property prices doubled.

If a one-bedroom flat in small towns costs around $50,000, and a villa is approximately $100,000, then with $400,000, you can purchase several affordable flats in Kemer, an 80-square-metre two-bedroom flat in Istanbul, a 170-square-metre three-bedroom flat in Antalya, or a 200 square-metre villa in Alanya. You can check property prices in Turkey and browse real estate options on the Housearch website.

The rental yield on Turkish property in some cities can reach up to 12% during the tourist season. The real estate of central areas of Istanbul, Antalya, and Alanya reaches these figures. Turkey has numerous property management agencies that can take care of all the hassles associated with renting out flats or houses for investors.

It is important to remember when purchasing property that the investment amount is based on the cadastral value, not the market value. Therefore, investors should carefully check all the documents for the property before buying.

You can invest in both residential and commercial real estate, as well as in land. Two important rules to keep in mind are:

• You can use the property for obtaining citizenship only once. If a house or flat has already been registered for this purpose, citizenship will be denied.
• You cannot sell the property purchased for obtaining citizenship for three years. Only after this period can you sell it without losing your passport.

Documents and Fees

The documents and fees required for an investor applying for citizenship are almost the same as those for standard naturalisation (with the addition of investment-related documents):

• Application form;
• Proof of identity: passport or ID card;
• Residence permit (obtained before applying for citizenship);
• Documents confirming investments;
• Fee payment receipt;
• Two biometric photographs;
• Health certificate confirming the absence of dangerous diseases;
• Certificate from the police confirming a clear criminal record;
• Proof of legal income;
• Documents regarding civil status and children (for investors with a family).

If previous passports expire in less than six months, you must pay an additional fee. All foreign documents must be translated and notarised and apostilles may be required.

The amount of government fees for obtaining a passport has increased recently. As of 2023, it is 15,500 TRY ($574) for each document.

Processing an investor's application usually takes from three to six months from the date of submission. Some sources mention a timeframe of no more than four months.

Expense Summary

Here is a table of expenses for an investor applying for Turkish citizenship in 2023.

Can an Investor Be Denied Citizenship?

Yes, if an investor fails to meet any of the conditions of the programme, they will be denied a passport. Also, those with a criminal record, serious illnesses, or those who cannot prove the legality of their income will not be able to obtain citizenship even through investment.

In a Nutshell

The quickest and most popular way to become a citizen of Turkey is through investment. To obtain a passport, a foreigner can invest $400,000 in real estate, $500,000 in businesses, funds, or government bonds, or deposit the latter amount in a local bank. Investors do not need to visit the country in person or take language and history exams. Family members can also obtain citizenship alongside the investor.

Cover photo: sulox32 (Pixabay)