Turkish Citizenship Revoked in 2026: Grounds and Options

Figures published by the Ministry of Interior (İçişleri Bakanlığı) and widely reported in September 2026 show that thousands of people who had obtained citizenship of Türkiye (Turkey) through investment have had their Turkish citizenship revoked or cancelled, most of them after investigations into fake property valuation reports. If you or your family became Turkish citizens by buying property, you will want to know the legal grounds, what the current valuation rules require and how a decision can be challenged.

This guide sets out the ministry's figures as the ministry stated them, the legal basis in the Turkish Citizenship Law (Türk Vatandaşlığı Kanunu, Law No. 5901), the documents worth keeping and the court route. For an overview of our work in this field, see the citizenship and immigration law page.

What did the Interior Ministry announce?

According to the ministry's press release (the ministry page carries the date 04.08.2026; the figures below were widely reported in the press on 21.09.2026), the investigations were carried out by the land registry authority (TKGM), the Tax Inspection Board and the police. The release gives these figures:

The ministry does not say which period the overall totals cover. It states that the operation concerned forgery attempts involving documents submitted before the application, and that criminal matters have been referred to the judicial authorities.

On what legal grounds can Turkish citizenship be revoked?

Investment citizenship is granted by Presidential decision under Law No. 5901 art. 12/1-b. The ministry relies on two provisions to undo such decisions:

• Cancellation (iptal), art. 31: the authority that granted citizenship cancels the decision if it resulted from the applicant's false statements or concealment of material facts on which the acquisition was based.
• Withdrawal (geri alma), art. 40: a decision on acquiring or losing citizenship is withdrawn if it later emerges that it was made although the legal conditions were not met, or that it was made twice.

Under art. 32, a cancellation takes effect from the date of the cancellation decision, not retroactively. Under art. 33, people whose citizenship is cancelled are treated as foreigners. If the decision states that their property in Türkiye must be liquidated, they have one year to do so, failing which the Treasury sells it and deposits the proceeds in their name. If they go to court, liquidation is postponed until the case ends (art. 33/2).

Art. 40 is worded objectively: it does not require fault by the applicant and sets no time limit. An investor who relied in good faith on a report arranged by a seller or agent can still raise good faith and general principles such as legal certainty in court, but how much weight these carry depends on the file.

How can a fake valuation report lead to cancellation?

For the property route, the purchase must reach USD 400,000, and TKGM confirms the value through an amount determination certificate (Tutar Tespit Belgesi, TTB) based on a valuation report. If the report overstated the value, or if the price declared and paid was artificial, the real estate investment certificate can be cancelled. With it goes the legal basis of the citizenship of the investor and of the family members included through the investor. Our guide to Turkish citizenship by investment explains the whole route.

What are the current valuation rules?

According to TKGM's Your Key Türkiye portal, which applies TKGM Circular No. 2024/4 (TKGM announced an amendment to that circular on 29.09.2026), the current rules are:

• The TTB is based on a report by a valuation firm authorised by the Capital Markets Board (Sermaye Piyasası Kurulu, SPK).
• The report is requested through Web Tapu / TADEBİS under the citizenship menu, and the TTB is sent electronically; a paper TTB is not accepted.
• No more than 12 months may pass between the TTB and the citizenship-related application. After that, a new valuation report is needed.
• From 28.09.2026, real estate investment trusts (gayrimenkul yatırım ortaklığı, GYO) selling to foreigners for citizenship must either submit a valuation report prepared under their own rules before the title transfer and published on the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP), or request a new report through Web Tapu / TADEBİS. Where a KAP report is used, the land registry refers the file to TKGM head office during the investment-certificate review and acts on its reply.

Which documents should investors keep?

How can you challenge the revocation of Turkish citizenship?

A cancellation or withdrawal is an administrative act, and it can be challenged before the administrative courts. Decisions on citizenship are notified to the person concerned (Law No. 5901 art. 41). Under Administrative Procedure Law No. 2577 (İYUK) art. 7, the time limit to sue is 60 days from written notification, unless a special law provides otherwise.

What happens to family members?

Art. 32 extends a cancellation under art. 31 to the spouse and children who acquired Turkish citizenship through the person concerned. Art. 40 contains no equivalent express rule, but the ministry's figures show that family members were affected in both groups, so each family member should check the decision concerning him or her. From the decision date they are treated as foreigners and need a valid residence permit to stay; anyone remaining without one risks the consequences described in our guide to Turkey visa overstay. Each family member can be a party to the court case.

Every file turns on its own documents and on how the investment was made, so individual legal advice is recommended before deciding how to respond.