Stages of Turkish Citizenship and How to Obtain It Through Real Estate Ownership
In order to encourage cultural exchange with the citizens of other countries and facilitate the lives of foreigners in Turkey, the government has opened the door for applying to obtain Turkish citizenship through various methods, each with its own conditions and requirements. Due to the significant interest among foreigners in obtaining Turkish citizenship, we have decided in this article to introduce you with the stages of obtaining Turkish citizenship, its conditions, and its benefits.
Features of Turkish Citizenship
A holder of Turkish citizenship becomes a Turkish citizen who enjoys the rights of Turkish citizens and performs their duties. Among the prominent advantages of obtaining citizenship are:
- Holders of Turkish citizenship have the right to participate in elections and vote in national decisions.
- The Turkish passport allows you to enter more than 70 countries without a visa and more than 40 other countries with a visa issued at the airport upon arrival.
- Holders of Turkish citizenship have the right to permanent residency in Turkey without the need to renew their residency
- Access to free education in government schools.
- Enjoying healthcare rights in government hospitals.
- Owning property in Turkey without conditions.
- Automatic transmission of citizenship to children under 18 and newborns.
- Eligibility for employment in government-related positions.
- Participation in government programs and projects.
- Full social security insurance rights for Turkish citizens.
Ways to Obtain Turkish Citizenship
According to Turkish law, Turkish citizenship can be granted to foreigners through several methods, including:
- Investment in Turkey
- Bank deposit
- Work residency
- Assets
- Marriage to a Turkish citizen
- Adoption
Below, we will explain in detail the steps and required documents for each method separately.
Investing in Turkey
There are various investment methods to obtain citizenship, including:
- Purchasing government bonds worth a minimum of $500,000 and holding them for at least 3 years.
- Investing $500,000 in fixed assets under the supervision of the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
- Establishing a company that provides at least 50 jobs for Turkish citizens.
- Owning real estate valued at $400,000.
Real Estate Ownership
According to recent amendments to the citizenship obtaining law through real estate ownership, foreigners can obtain citizenship by fulfilling the following conditions:
- Owning real estate with a value not less than $400,000.
- Paying the property value in Turkish lira equivalent to $400,000 after selling foreign currency.
- The owner of the purchased property must be of Turkish origin.
- The real estate should not be agricultural land or under construction but rather stagnant for more than 5 years.
- The buyer must be from nationalities eligible for real estate ownership in Turkey. It’s worth mentioning that nationalities prohibited from property ownership in Turkey include (Syria, Armenia, Cuba, Cyprus, and North Korea).
- Not selling the property for 3 years with the option to rent it.
- The total area of real estate owned by the foreigner should not exceed 30 hectares.
- The property area should not exceed 10% of the administrative region’s area.
- The property should not be close to military zones.
Documents required to obtain Turkish citizenship through real estate ownership:
- Real Estate Title Deed Document
- Purchase contract authenticated by the notary (notary public).
- Property evaluation report.
- Receipt of the property value payment in foreign currency to the Central Bank of Turkey and its exchange into Turkish currency.
- A document complying with the conditions of Turkish citizenship obtained from the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and Climate Change.
- Valid passport.
- Passport photos of the buyer and their family (spouse and children under 18) duly translated and authenticated.
- Marriage contract of the buyer and a family statement authenticated from both the home country and Turkey.
- Personal photos of the buyer and family members included in the citizenship.
- Consent of the wife and children to grant them citizenship.
- Tax identification number.
- Receipt of payment for exceptional residence permit fees.
- Copy of the exceptional residence permit.
Some real estate offices in Turkey offer legal assistance services related to obtaining Turkish citizenship through real estate ownership through real estate consultants, all you need to do is request a property that complies with the conditions of Turkish citizenship.
Bank deposit
Turkish citizenship can also be obtained by depositing at least $500,000 in any Turkish bank, provided that the amount is not withdrawn for a period of 3 years.
The required documents for obtaining Turkish citizenship through bank deposit
- Documents for opening a bank account in Turkey.
- A letter from the bank indicating the investor’s deposit of $500,000.
- A letter from the bank confirming the reservation of the amount for a period of 3 years.
- A document compliant with Turkish citizenship obtained from the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency in Turkey (BDKK).
- No criminal record, translated and authenticated from both the home country and Turkey.
- Valid passport.
- Passport photos of the buyer and their family (spouse and children under 18) duly translated and authenticated.
- Marriage contract of the buyer and a family statement authenticated from both the home country and Turkey.
- Personal photos of the buyer and family members included in the citizenship.
- Consent of the wife and children to grant them citizenship.
- Tax identification number.
- Receipt of payment for exceptional residence permit fees.
- Copy of the exceptional residence permit.
Work Residency
A foreigner holding a work residence permit can apply for Turkish citizenship under the following conditions:
- Residing in Turkey for a period of not less than 5 years, with the same time spent on obtaining the initial work residence permit.
- Regularly renewing the work residence permit.
- The travel period outside Turkey should not exceed 180 days per year.
The required documents for obtaining Turkish citizenship through a work residence permit
- Valid work permit.
- Fill out the application form to obtain Turkish citizenship through work residency.
- Obtaining a letter from the Immigration Directorate confirming not traveling outside Turkey for more than 180 days per year.
- A letter from the company where the foreigner works, confirming their commitment to their job.
- Valid passport.
- Translated and notarized copy of the passport.
- Passport-sized photos.
- Entry stamps to Turkey on the passport.
- Tax identification number.
- No criminal record.
- Residence permit.
Assets
Anyone who proves that their origins are Turkish or Ottoman can obtain Turkish citizenship, provided that the relationship is (grandfather, grandmother, uncle and aunt from the father’s side, uncle and aunt from the mother’s side) and that they submit legal proofs and official Turkish documents or official papers issued by the Ottoman Empire confirming this.
The required documents for obtaining Turkish citizenship through assets
- Official papers and proofs verifying the assets, authenticated by the notary.
- Foreigner’s passport.
- Translated and notarized copy of the passport.
- Passport-sized photos.
- Tax identification number.
- Residence permit.
- Submission of the file to the General Directorate of Civil Registration.
Marriage to a Turkish Citizen
Any foreigner who marries a Turkish woman, or vice versa, is entitled to obtain Turkish citizenship, provided that three years have passed since the marriage.
The required documents for obtaining Turkish citizenship through marriage are:
- Authenticated marriage contract from the notary.
- Turkish family book issued at least 3 years ago.
- Family residence permit obtained by the foreigner for the past 3 years based on their marriage to a Turkish female citizen, or vice versa.
- Passport-sized photos of the applicant.
- Tax identification number.
- Foreigner’s passport.
- Translated and notarized copy of the passport.
- Submission of the file to the General Directorate of Civil Registration.
Adoption
An adopted foreign child from a Turkish family can obtain Turkish citizenship provided that the adoptive parents are of Turkish origin and the child is under 18 years old.
The required documents for obtaining Turkish citizenship through adoption
- Turkish judge’s adoption decree.
- The foreign child’s passport and a copy of it.
- National identity cards of the Turkish adoptive parents.
- Passport-sized photos.
- Submission of an official application along with the mentioned documents to the General Directorate of Civil Registration.
It is also possible to obtain Turkish citizenship through a $500,000 investment in a project and ensuring employment for 50 Turkish workers for a period of 3 years.
Exceptional Citizenship
According to Article 12 of Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, foreigners may obtain Turkish citizenship based on the proposal of the Ministry and the decision of the Council of Ministers, regardless of the other conditions required for obtaining Turkish citizenship, provided that there is no obstacle related to national security and public order.
This feature can be utilized by those individuals whom the Turkish government anticipates could offer significant services to the country in scientific, technological, economic, social, sports, cultural, and artistic fields and who have submitted a proposal on their behalf by the relevant ministries.
In addition to foreigners who have a residence permit in accordance with subparagraph (j) of the first paragraph of Article 31 of the Foreigners and International Protection Law dated 4/4/2013.
Anyone who finds themselves in the previous qualifications can also submit a Dilekçe, which is a request for asylum or an objection submitted to the Immigration Department in Ankara, which carries out the necessary studies to then decide whether to approve or reject the citizenship request.
Stages of Turkish Citizenship
All citizenship files in Turkey go through seven stages, but the speed of passing these stages varies depending on the application method, whether through real estate ownership, marriage, or other means.
First Stage: Application Registration
In this stage, the application is registered during the initial interview at the Immigration Department, where it undergoes review and verification before being sent to the General Directorate of Civil Registration in Ankara.
Second Stage: Sending the File to the Relevant Directorate
The General Directorate of Civil Registration in Ankara receives the citizenship application file to conduct the necessary studies.
Third Stage: Initial File Verification
Upon arrival at the General Directorate of Civil Registration in Ankara, all documents in the file undergo initial verification and review before being sent to the relevant authorities for comprehensive research.
Fourth Stage: Comprehensive Research and Archiving
It is considered the most sensitive stage among the seven stages of citizenship, as an extensive search is conducted for the applicant and an investigation is conducted about them in the security, foreign, finance and intelligence directorates… If any party objects to the person concerned or any violation appears against them, the application may be frozen and rejected.
Fifth Stage: Sending the File to the Council of Ministers
In this stage, the applicant’s name is included in the list submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval.
Sixth Stage: Final Decision
At this stage, the signature of the application is awaited by the concerned authorities to grant the applicant citizenship status
Seventh and Final Stage: Reporting the Result
In this stage, the applicant is informed of the decision, whether accepted or rejected. If accepted, a congratulatory message is sent, indicating that the applicant has become a Turkish citizen with full citizenship rights, the individual is required to visit the Civil Registration Directorate to collect the citizenship decision and apply for the Turkish identity card from the relevant Civil Registration office.
It is worth mentioning that Turkish law allows dual citizenship, meaning individuals can keep their original citizenship if the country of origin permits it.
In conclusion, we hope that we have answered your questions about the ways to obtain Turkish citizenship, its stages, and its benefits. To join us on a field tour to explore the most luxurious investment opportunities in Yenişehir on the shores of the New Bosphorus, feel free to contact the specialized team at Sedad Real Estate Company.
Sources
Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey
