Türkiye’s Citizenship by Investment Programme gives foreign investors an opportunity to apply for Turkish citizenship through an approved investment. Property remains the best-known option, but it is not the only one. Applicants may also qualify through a bank deposit, fixed capital investment, government bonds, approved investment funds, the private pension system or job creation.

The programme can cover the main investor’s spouse and eligible children without requiring a separate qualifying investment for each family member. There is also no lengthy residence period or Turkish-language test under this route.

That does not mean citizenship is automatic. The investment must meet the official rules, the supporting documents must be complete, and every applicant must pass the required government and security checks.

This guide explains the available investment routes, how the application moves through the system and the issues investors should consider before committing their money.

Why Investors Consider Turkish Citizenship

Türkiye appeals to investors for different reasons. Some want a second home and a long-term base for their family. Others are interested in property, business opportunities or improved access to regional markets.

Turkish citizenship may provide:

The right to live, work and study in Türkiye
The ability to establish and operate a business
Citizenship eligibility for the investor’s spouse and qualifying children
Access to public and private education and healthcare
The right to own eligible property in Türkiye
A Turkish identity card and passport following approval
The possibility of retaining another nationality where the other country permits dual citizenship
No general minimum-stay requirement before applying through the investment route
No standard Turkish-language examination for investment applicants

Citizenship is a permanent legal status rather than a temporary immigration permission. However, applicants should still consider the tax, financial and legal consequences before deciding whether it is the right option for their family.

Investment Routes Available in 2026

An applicant needs to satisfy one approved investment condition. The best route will depend on the investor’s financial plans, appetite for risk and preferred level of involvement.

1. Citizenship Through Property Investment

The property route is the most widely used option. To qualify, an investor must acquire eligible Turkish real estate with a recognised value of at least USD 400,000, or the permitted equivalent in another currency.

One property may be enough, although more than one property can sometimes be used to reach the required total. Each property and transaction must satisfy the relevant citizenship rules.

The investor must agree not to sell the qualifying property for at least three years. This restriction is recorded at the Land Registry.

What needs to be checked?

Property advertised as “citizenship eligible” should not be accepted on the seller’s word alone. Eligibility needs to be confirmed independently before a binding agreement is signed or a substantial payment is made.

A proper review should normally cover:

The registered owner of the property
Existing mortgages, charges, debts or court restrictions
The seller’s eligibility under the programme
The property’s previous ownership and transaction history
Planning permission and construction approval
Habitation or occupancy documentation, where applicable
The officially recognised valuation
The proposed payment method
Taxes, registration expenses and ongoing ownership costs
The required three-year restriction

The amount written in a sales brochure is not necessarily the value the authorities will accept. The official valuation, title-deed records and documented bank payments must support the application.

Investors should also consider the property on its own commercial merits. Expected rental income, maintenance costs, location and resale demand remain important even when citizenship is the main reason for purchasing.

2. Citizenship Through a Bank Deposit

An investor may qualify by depositing at least USD 500,000, or the permitted foreign-currency equivalent, with a bank operating in Türkiye.

The qualifying funds must remain under the required restriction for at least three years. The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency verifies whether the arrangement meets the citizenship conditions.

This route may appeal to investors who do not want to purchase or manage property. It may also provide interest income, depending on the bank and account arrangement.

Before proceeding, the investor should review:

The bank’s account-opening requirements
The currency in which the funds will be held
Interest rates and account charges
Currency-conversion risks
Early-withdrawal restrictions
Source-of-funds requirements
Whether the proposed account structure is acceptable for citizenship

Moving, withdrawing or restructuring the qualifying deposit during the restriction period may affect eligibility. Any change should therefore be reviewed before instructions are given to the bank.

3. Fixed Capital Investment

A foreign investor may also qualify by making a fixed capital investment of at least USD 500,000, or its permitted equivalent, in Türkiye.

This route may suit someone who plans to establish, purchase or expand a genuine Turkish business. The Ministry of Industry and Technology is responsible for determining whether the investment satisfies the relevant conditions.

Simply registering a company is not enough. The authorities may examine the commercial purpose of the investment, the movement of capital and the company’s actual activities.

Supporting evidence may include:

Company registration documents
Shareholding and ownership records
Capital-transfer documents
Financial statements
Invoices and expenditure records
Evidence of acquired assets
A business plan
Proof of active commercial operations

Because the structure of every business investment is different, legal, corporate and tax advice should be coordinated from the beginning.

4. Government Bonds

Citizenship may be available to an investor who purchases at least USD 500,000 in qualifying Turkish government bonds.

The bonds must normally be held for at least three years. The Ministry of Treasury and Finance must confirm that the investment and the holding restriction meet the programme requirements.

Government bonds may suit investors who prefer a financial asset to property or business ownership. However, they are not free from risk.

Important considerations include:

The currency of the bonds
Interest rates
Maturity dates
Market-price movements
Liquidity
Custody arrangements
Tax treatment
The effect of selling before the restriction expires

The citizenship requirement and the investment strategy should be assessed separately. An asset may satisfy the immigration rules without necessarily matching the investor’s wider financial objectives.

5. Real Estate and Venture Capital Investment Funds

Another option is to invest at least USD 500,000 in qualifying:

Real estate investment fund shares; or
Venture capital investment fund shares.

The shares must generally remain invested for at least three years. The Capital Markets Board of Türkiye must verify that the investment meets the citizenship conditions.

This route provides exposure to professionally managed investments, but performance cannot be guaranteed. Before investing, the applicant should understand:

The fund’s investment strategy
Management and performance fees
Liquidity and redemption conditions
Currency exposure
Concentration of risk
Historical performance
Regulatory status
The effect of the mandatory holding period

Independent financial advice is particularly important because legal eligibility does not indicate whether a fund is commercially suitable for a particular investor.

6. Private Pension System

An applicant may qualify by contributing at least USD 500,000, or its accepted equivalent, to eligible funds within Türkiye’s private pension system.

The contribution must remain in the system for at least three years and comply with the rules set by the relevant insurance and private pension authority.

This option may be useful for investors already considering long-term financial or retirement planning. The applicant should still examine fees, investment choices, market risk, currency exposure and withdrawal conditions before proceeding.

7. Job Creation

An investor can also qualify by creating employment for at least 50 people in Türkiye.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security must confirm that the employment requirement has been met. The company must be genuinely operating and the employees must be properly registered.

Evidence is likely to include:

Company and tax registrations
Social security records
Employment contracts
Payroll information
Workplace licences
Proof of commercial activity
Records showing that the required number of jobs has been created and maintained

This route is usually better suited to investors with an existing commercial plan for Türkiye. Creating a company solely on paper will not meet the programme’s substance and employment requirements.

How the Citizenship Process Works

The authority responsible for confirming the investment varies from one route to another. Once the investment is in place, however, the overall citizenship procedure generally follows the same three stages.

Stage 1: Certificate of Eligibility

The first step is to prove that the investment satisfies the programme requirements.

The file is submitted to the public authority responsible for that investment category. For example, a property transaction is reviewed through the relevant land-registry and government channels, while a bank deposit requires confirmation from the banking regulator.

The authority examines the investment documents and determines whether the required value, structure and holding condition have been met.

If everything is in order, a Certificate of Eligibility is issued or the investment is formally confirmed as eligible.

This stage is important because completing an investment does not automatically make it suitable for citizenship. It must be completed in the form required by the programme.

Stage 2: Investor Residence Permit

After the investment has been confirmed, the main investor applies for the appropriate short-term residence permit under the investor category.

The residence permit is a procedural part of the citizenship application. Applicants are not normally expected to live in Türkiye for several years before moving to the next stage.

The residence-permit file must still be prepared correctly. An error or inconsistency at this point can delay the citizenship application.

Stage 3: Citizenship Application

Once the investment and residence-permit requirements have been completed, the citizenship file is submitted to the competent Population and Citizenship Directorate.

The authorities then review the applicant’s identity, family information and supporting records. Background, archive, national-security and public-order checks are also carried out.

In general, the process includes:

Submission of the citizenship application and family documents
Initial review by the relevant directorate
Verification of the investment and residence-permit records
Background and security investigations
Referral through the official approval process
Final decision by the competent authority
Registration of citizenship following approval

The applicant can apply for a Turkish identity card and passport after citizenship has been approved and recorded.

Documents Commonly Requested

There is no single document list that fits every applicant. Requirements may vary according to nationality, country of residence, marital history, family circumstances and investment route.

Commonly requested documents include:

Valid passports
Notarised passport translations, where necessary
Birth certificates
Marriage certificate
Divorce documents, where applicable
Death certificate of a former spouse, where applicable
Birth certificates for children
Custody or parental-consent documents, where required
Biometric photographs
Proof of residential address
Police-clearance records, if requested
Power of attorney
Residence-permit documents
Certificate of Eligibility
Evidence of the qualifying investment
Bank-transfer receipts and payment records
Source-of-funds documents
Completed application forms and declarations

Documents issued outside Türkiye may need to be apostilled or legalised. They may also require a certified Turkish translation and notarisation.

Names, dates and places of birth should appear consistently across the entire file. Even a small difference in spelling can lead to questions, particularly where documents have been translated from different languages or alphabets.

Including Family Members

The investment application may generally include the main investor’s:

Spouse
Minor children
Other eligible dependent children, where the rules and evidence allow

A separate qualifying investment is not normally required for every included family member.

Adult children who do not meet the dependency conditions will usually need their own legal route and qualifying investment. Parents, siblings and other extended relatives cannot generally be added to the main investor’s application.

All included family members must provide the required civil-status documents and pass the applicable checks.

Complex situations involving divorce, adoption, sole custody, shared custody or children from an earlier marriage should be reviewed early. These cases often require additional consent or court documents.

How Long Does the Process Take?

A well-prepared application may often be completed within several months. A reasonable general estimate is around three to six months after submission of the citizenship file, although the authorities do not guarantee a fixed completion date.

The overall timeframe may be longer because the investment and documentation stages take place before the final citizenship application is submitted.

Possible causes of delay include:

Missing or incorrectly legalised documents
Differences between civil records
Property or valuation problems
Unclear payment evidence
Source-of-funds questions
Additional security screening
Requests for further information
High government processing volumes

Applicants should be cautious of anyone promising approval by a guaranteed date.

The Three-Year Holding Requirement

Most property and financial routes require the investment to be kept for at least three years.

During that period, the investor should not sell, withdraw, transfer or materially change the qualifying investment without receiving advice first. An early sale or withdrawal may place the application—or citizenship already granted through that investment—at risk.

The three-year period does not mean every related contract or financial product automatically ends on the same date. The legal restriction, bank arrangement and investment terms should all be checked before an exit is made.

Once the required period has been completed and the official restriction has been released, the investor may generally consider selling or withdrawing the investment. Tax and market consequences should still be reviewed before doing so.

Source of Funds

Investors should be prepared to explain where the investment money came from and how it reached Türkiye.

Depending on the circumstances, acceptable evidence may include:

Employment income
Business profits
Company dividends
Sale of a property or business
Investment proceeds
Inheritance
A documented family gift
Bank statements
Tax returns
Audited company accounts
Shareholding records
Sale contracts
Loan agreements

The financial history should make sense when viewed as a whole. Unexplained cash deposits, payments by unrelated third parties or transactions that do not match the investor’s declared income may lead to further questions.

It is usually easier to prepare the source-of-funds file before moving the investment capital rather than attempting to reconstruct the evidence afterwards.

Tax and Financial Planning

Obtaining Turkish citizenship does not automatically make every applicant a Turkish tax resident.

Tax residence may depend on physical presence, permanent home, business interests, income and other personal circumstances. Citizenship, immigration residence and tax residence are separate matters.

Before investing, applicants may need advice on:

Turkish tax residence
Taxation of worldwide income
Double-taxation agreements
Property-purchase costs
Annual property tax
Rental-income tax
Capital gains
Inheritance and succession
Corporate taxation
Interest and investment income
Tax obligations in their present country of residence

Tax planning should be based on the investor’s complete international position rather than the citizenship application alone.

Mistakes That Can Put an Application at Risk

Buying Before Checking Eligibility

One of the most expensive mistakes is purchasing a property first and asking whether it qualifies afterwards. The property, seller, valuation and payment structure should all be checked before completion.

Depending on the Marketing Price

A high advertised price does not prove that the property meets the citizenship threshold. The accepted valuation and documented transaction value are what matter.

Making Poorly Documented Payments

Cash payments, unexplained transfers or money sent by unrelated parties can create problems. The payment trail should be clear and capable of verification.

Submitting Inconsistent Family Records

Different spellings, incomplete marital records or missing custody documents can delay the entire family application.

Treating the Investment as a Guaranteed Approval

Meeting an investment threshold provides a basis for applying. It does not remove background checks or the government’s authority to refuse an application.

Breaking the Holding Condition

Selling or withdrawing too early can have serious consequences. The investor should confirm that the legal restriction has ended before changing the investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to live in Türkiye before applying?

A lengthy period of prior residence is not generally required under the investment route. The prescribed investor residence-permit stage must still be completed.

Is knowledge of Turkish required?

There is currently no standard Turkish-language test for citizenship applicants using the approved investment route.

Can I keep my existing citizenship?

Türkiye permits dual citizenship. Whether an applicant can retain their original nationality depends on the law of that other country.

Can I purchase more than one property?

More than one eligible property may sometimes be used to reach the required amount. The transactions must comply with the relevant valuation, payment, seller and registration rules.

Can I rent out the qualifying property?

A qualifying property can generally be rented during the holding period, provided the lease does not conflict with the registered restriction or other programme conditions.

Is citizenship guaranteed once I invest?

No. The investment establishes eligibility to apply. Final approval remains subject to documentation, background checks, national-security considerations and government discretion.

Can the application be handled through a power of attorney?

Many parts of the investment and application process can be managed through an appropriately drafted power of attorney. The applicant may still need to participate personally in certain appointments or procedures.

What can I do with the investment after three years?

Once the mandatory period has ended and the restriction has been formally removed, the investor may generally sell or withdraw the investment. The relevant tax, contractual and financial consequences should be reviewed first.

How We Can Assist

A successful application involves more than completing forms. The investment, bank records, personal documents and government submissions need to work together as one consistent file.

Our support may include:

Initial eligibility review
Comparison of the available investment routes
Planning the application timeline
Property and title-deed due diligence
Review of investment and purchase agreements
Source-of-funds preparation
Coordination of compliant bank payments
Certificate of Eligibility procedures
Investor residence-permit assistance
Preparation of the citizenship application
Family-document review
Communication with the relevant authorities
Identity-card and passport support after approval
Guidance throughout the required holding period

Start With an Eligibility Assessment

The lowest investment threshold is not always the best option for every applicant. A suitable route should match the investor’s financial plans, family situation, preferred type of asset and long-term connection with Türkiye.

It is therefore sensible to obtain an initial assessment before purchasing property, opening an investment account or transferring substantial funds.

Contact our team to discuss your circumstances and receive a clear plan for your Turkish Citizenship by Investment application.

Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general information only. It is not legal, tax, financial or investment advice. Investment thresholds, documentary requirements and government procedures may change. Applicants should obtain current professional advice before making an investment or relying on any programme information.