Short answer

Turkish citizenship by investment is available to foreigners who buy property worth at least USD 400,000 and keep it for three years, or make another qualifying investment such as USD 500,000 in a bank deposit or 50 jobs. Once the investment is certified, you obtain an investor residence permit and apply; citizenship is granted by Presidential decision.

In this article
  1. Which investments qualify for Turkish citizenship?
  2. How does the property route work?
  3. What does the property route cost?
  4. What are the steps to apply?
  5. Who is included, and can you keep your nationality?

Turkish citizenship by investment lets a foreign investor, together with their spouse and children, become citizens of Türkiye (Turkey) without the usual five-year residence period. The legal basis is Article 12 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 and Article 20 of its implementing Regulation. As of 29.09.2026, the Regulation text on the official legislation portal was last amended on 12.12.2023.

This guide explains the qualifying investments, the property route in detail, the application steps and common mistakes. For residence and citizenship topics, see the citizenship and immigration law overview.

Which investments qualify for Turkish citizenship?

Qualifying investments under Regulation Art. 20/2 (as of 29.09.2026)
InvestmentMinimumConditionCertified by
Real estateUSD 400,000No sale for three years, annotated on the title deedMinistry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change
Fixed capital investmentUSD 500,000Investment made in TürkiyeMinistry of Industry and Technology
Bank depositUSD 500,000Held for three yearsBanking Regulation and Supervision Agency
Government debt instrumentsUSD 500,000Held for three yearsMinistry of Treasury and Finance
Real estate or venture capital fund unitsUSD 500,000Held for three yearsCapital Markets Board
Private pension systemUSD 500,000Kept in the system for three yearsInsurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency
Employment50 employeesJobs createdMinistry of Labour and Social Security

For the property, deposit, bond, fund and pension routes, you must first sell the foreign currency to a bank operating in Türkiye, which sells it on to the Central Bank (Regulation, Art. 20/10). Values are converted at the Central Bank's effective selling rate or cross rate on the date of determination, and you may switch between investment types to complete the three-year period.

How does the property route work?

  • Type of property: a unit in a condominium, or land with a building on it. Since 12.12.2023, agricultural land and plots without a building no longer qualify.
  • Several properties: you may combine more than one property to reach USD 400,000. According to TKGM guidance, shares in jointly owned property acquired after 01.02.2023 are not accepted.
  • Off-plan purchases: for a unit with a construction servitude or condominium already established, a promise-to-sell contract made before a notary qualifies if the full price is paid in advance and a three-year non-transfer undertaking is annotated on the title register.
  • Price check: the price declared in the official deed and the bank transfers must each reach USD 400,000, and both are confirmed by an amount determination certificate (Tutar Tespit Belgesi, TTB) based on a report by a licensed valuer and issued through Web Tapu (TKGM Circular No. 2024/4).
  • Three-year hold: an annotation that the property will not be sold for three years is entered on the title deed.

What does the property route cost?

  • Title deed fee: 2% of the declared price for the buyer (the seller pays a separate 2%), as of 29.09.2026.
  • Valuation: the licensed valuer's fee for the report on which the TTB is based.
  • Currency conversion: the bank's conversion margin when the foreign currency is sold for Turkish lira.
  • Translation and legalisation: sworn translations, notarisation and apostilles for family documents.
  • Residence permit and citizenship fees: the residence permit card and fee, and the citizenship service fee paid to the tax office.
  • Running costs: annual property tax, earthquake insurance and, in a complex, site fees during the three-year hold.

What are the steps to apply?

Citizenship through property purchase

  1. Choose and check the property

    Verify the title record, the building's permits and the seller's authority before paying anything.

  2. Order the valuation for citizenship

    Request the valuation report and TTB through Web Tapu, choosing the citizenship purpose.

  3. Transfer and convert the funds

    Send the price from abroad and sell the currency to a Turkish bank; the bank sends the foreign exchange purchase certificate to the land registry.

  4. Complete the title transfer

    Sign the official deed; the three-year no-sale annotation is entered on the title deed.

  5. Obtain the investment certificate

    The land registry forwards the file; the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre issues the real estate investment certificate (Taşınmaz Yatırımı Tespit Belgesi) and notifies the migration and civil registry authorities.

  6. Get the investor residence permit

    Apply to the provincial migration office for a residence permit under Law No. 6458, Art. 31/1(j). The Citizenship Law links this route to holders of that permit (Art. 12/1(b)), and it can be issued for up to five years.

  7. Apply for citizenship

    File the application with the Provincial Directorate of Civil Registration and Citizenship. After security checks, citizenship is granted by Presidential decision.

Personal documents for the citizenship file (Regulation, Art. 20/3)

  • Application form and passportPassport proves your nationality
  • Civil status documentsMarriage, divorce or spouse's death certificate, as applicable
  • Birth certificate or civil registry extractAlso for your spouse and children, to prove family ties
  • Receipt for the service feePaid to the tax office

Foreign documents generally need an apostille or consular legalisation and a certified Turkish translation.

Who is included, and can you keep your nationality?

The investor's foreign spouse and the minor or dependent children of the investor and the spouse can obtain citizenship with the investor (Citizenship Law, Art. 12/1(b)). Applications are refused if the applicant poses a risk to national security or public order (Art. 12/2).

Turkish law recognises multiple citizenship (Art. 3 and 44), so Türkiye does not ask you to give up your current nationality. Whether you may keep it depends on your home country's law.

Avoid paying in cash or through third parties, declaring a price that does not match the transfers, buying property that no longer qualifies and submitting untranslated foreign documents; each of these can delay or block the application. For your specific situation, individual legal advice is recommended.

Frequently asked questions

How much do you need to invest for Turkish citizenship?

As of 29.09.2026, the property route requires at least USD 400,000 in real estate held for three years. The financial routes, namely a bank deposit, government bonds, fund units, the private pension system or a fixed capital investment, require at least USD 500,000. Alternatively, you can create jobs for 50 people. The amounts come from Article 20 of the Regulation.

Can I sell the property after getting Turkish citizenship?

Not during the three-year period. A no-sale annotation is registered on the title deed for three years, and the land registry will not transfer the property until it expires. After three years, you may sell it like any other owner; your citizenship is not affected by a sale made after the period ends.

Is my family included in Turkish citizenship by investment?

Yes. Article 12 of the Citizenship Law covers the investor's foreign spouse and the minor or dependent children of the investor and the spouse. Adult children who are not dependent must qualify on their own. Each family member must pass the security checks, and their civil status documents must be apostilled and translated.

Can I buy several properties to reach USD 400,000?

Yes. There is no limit on the number of properties, as long as their total meets the threshold and each is a qualifying condominium unit or plot with a building. Shares in jointly owned property acquired after 01.02.2023, agricultural land and bare plots do not count. Each purchase must be confirmed by the amount determination certificate.

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

No minimum period of residence applies to this route, unlike ordinary naturalisation. However, the Citizenship Law makes this route available to holders of an investor residence permit under Article 31/1(j) of Law No. 6458, so you must obtain that permit. Much of the work can be handled by a representative with a power of attorney, and security checks apply in all cases.

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