Turkish Citizenship by Investment: A Current Guide for 2026

In 2026, a real estate investment may serve as a basis for obtaining Turkish citizenship, provided that the applicable statutory requirements are met.

Principal Investment Threshold $400 000. Simply purchasing real estate for this amount is not enough: the property, payment procedure, investment documentation and three-year non-disposal commitment must all comply with the applicable requirements.

Yes, provided that all investment program requirements are met.

However, a purchase price of $400,000 alone does not guarantee citizenship. The property's legal status, title history, compliance with the program requirements, payment procedure and other statutory conditions must be verified.

Investment property must generally be retained for the prescribed three-year period.

Once this obligation has been duly fulfilled, the property may generally be sold without loss of citizenship merely because it is sold. The law also provides other grounds for termination or revocation of citizenship.

The standard five-year residence requirement applicable to ordinary naturalization does not apply to citizenship by investment.

However, the applicant must satisfy all investment program requirements and undergo the administrative checks required by law.

Under the investment program, citizenship may extend to the principal applicant's spouse and children under 18 years of age.

For each family member, documents confirming identity, family relationships and compliance with the applicable requirements must be prepared.

A Döviz Alım Belgesi is a document related to the prescribed procedure for selling foreign currency through the authorized banking system when a foreign national purchases real estate.

For a real estate investment made for citizenship purposes, the applicable foreign-exchange procedure and documentary requirements must be followed.

No. Not every property worth $400,000 automatically qualifies for the investment program.

Before purchasing, the property's legal status, title transfer history, restrictions and encumbrances, property documents and compliance of the specific property with the program requirements must be verified.

In many cases, individual steps in the purchase and administrative process may be carried out by a representative under a duly executed power of attorney.

Whether the entire process can be handled remotely depends on the structure of the transaction and the registration procedures required.

In addition to real estate, the law provides several investment routes.

These include bank deposits, certain government bonds and investment funds, the individual pension system, capital investment, and the creation of at least 50 jobs.

A $500,000 investment threshold applies to several financial routes.

Turkey is a treaty country under the E-2 agreement with the United States. Therefore, Turkish citizens may apply for E-2 Treaty Investor Visa subject to the separate requirements of U.S. law.

Turkish citizenship alone does not guarantee issuance of an E-2 visa.

A fixed processing time cannot be guaranteed in advance.

The duration depends on the investment route, completeness of the documents, the applicant's circumstances, required checks and the workload of the relevant government authorities.

Yes. Legal due diligence should be carried out before transferring a substantial amount of money or signing binding documents.

This helps establish in advance whether the property meets the program requirements, verify its TAPU history, identify encumbrances, and properly structure the contractual and banking procedures.