Turkish Citizenship | The completed guide

In this article, the editorial team at Ramzy Real Estate will provide you with a detailed report on obtaining Turkish citizenship, where many important aspects related to it will be addressed and a lot of information related will be highlighted, such as ways to obtain it, its features and the reasons why foreign investors chose it without other nationalities around the world.

We hope that you will find answers to your various questions and inquiries.

The Importance of Turkish Citizenship:

At the outset, it is necessary to point out a very important thing, which is that Turkish citizenship is one of the strongest nationalities that exist in the world, and this can be confirmed when you see the many numbers heading and looking for ways to obtain it. Accordingly, it is expected that the Turkish state will become an advanced rank at the global level in the near future and will surpass many important countries globally, especially the European Union.

Turkish citizens get a lot of important status when they visit and go to any other country around the world, where they can start investment business, buy real estate, take tourist tours and many other facilities that the governments of those countries are keen to provide to the holder of that nationality.

How do you obtain Turkish citizenship?

We have many methods through which to obtain Turkish citizenship, and this is one of its most important features and superiority over other nationalities, Therefore various foreigners can obtain it, so it is necessary to find an appropriate way to apply for it.

Through the following paragraphs, you can see all the ways and methods of applying for that nationality in details:

First: Citizenship through real estate investment:

One of the most popular ways to obtain Turkish citizenship is real estate investment, as it is the fastest way, as it only takes a short period of three months to a maximum of six months. This varies from person to person according to each individual's file, as well as the safest method.

But how to apply for Turkish citizenship through real estate investment?

There are many conditions that must be met, the most important of which is that the price of the property is not less than 400 thousand US dollars, with the need to commit not to sell it before the lapse of at least three years. Are these just the conditions that must be met with the right property to apply for citizenship? Certainly not, but they are the basic conditions that must be met with the other conditions stipulated by the law issued by the Turkish government, which are:

-That the property has not been used earlier in order to obtain citizenship.

-The property must be purchased from a foreign citizen, a Turkish construction company, or any Turkish seller.

-Payment must be made by bank transfer to the seller's account.

-The necessity of extracting a real estate appraisal document.

(In this regard, it is necessary to point out something very important and necessary, which is that in the past, the real estate appraisal document was intended only for foreigners wishing to obtain Turkish citizenship, but with the increasing demand for buying real estate in Turkey and for fear of the Turkish government that one of the real estate buyers may be a victim of real estate fraud , it decided the necessity of extracting it by everyone who wants to buy a property in Turkey in order to ensure that they are not a victim of any deception).

The question that arises here is, if any of the previous conditions are violated, will the property remain suitable for obtaining Turkish citizenship? Certainly not, because if any of these conditions is tampered with, it will become impossible to apply for Turkish citizenship through real estate investment, so it is necessary to pay attention to every step you take and focus with each one.

Second: Citizenship by Financial Investment:

Many investors around the world choose to obtain Turkish citizenship through commercial or financial investment, which is a golden opportunity to hit two goals in one throw. The first is to start a profitable investment in a stable and integrated country such as the Turkish state, and the second is to obtain Turkish citizenship, but what are the conditions that must be met so that the foreigner can obtain citizenship in this way? Only the value of the investment must be no less than 500 thousand US dollars for a period of no less than three years. This investment can be in the form of buying shares, bonds or other investment ideas.

Third: By bank deposit:

One of the most common ways to apply for Turkish citizenship is to deposit an amount of money in one of the banks in Turkey, provided that the amount is not less than 500 thousand US dollars, with a pledge not to withdraw any part of it before the lapse of three years.

Fourth: Marriage to a Turkish citizen:

Turkish citizenship can be obtained through marriage to a Turkish citizen, but as stipulated in the Turkish constitution, it cannot be submitted until at least three years have passed since the date of marriage, in order to ensure that the main purpose of the marriage is to make a family as well as until it is ascertained that the foreigner does not pose any danger to public security in Turkey.

Fifth: Employing 50 Turkish people:

You can establish a business without looking at its content in order to obtain Turkish citizenship, but at least 50 Turkish people must be employed in it.

Sixth: Through adoption:

Any foreign citizen who has not yet reached the legal age can obtain Turkish citizenship when he is adopted by a Turkish family but he must not pose any danger to public security in Turkey and will be granted it immediately.

Seventh: When proving the origins:

One of the ways that allows a foreigner to apply for this nationality is to prove belonging to the Turkish state and the extension of the roots of one of the family members to it, and this must be proven through papers, evidence and proofs.

Eighth: Exceptional Nationality:

Many people around the world can obtain exceptional citizenship, and this is in certain cases, including:

-if the foreigner has made a scientific achievement for the Turkish state that has benefited and distinguished it, or if the foreigner is a celebrity, important person, athlete or other categories.

Turkish government facilities when applying for citizenship:

The Turkish government did not hesitate to provide a lot of facilities for those wishing to obtain Turkish citizenship because of its absolute belief that this brings them a lot of benefit and positivity. Through the following paragraph, you can see the most important facilities it provided:

1 - In late 2018, the Turkish government issued many amendments to the law on obtaining Turkish citizenship through real estate investment and reduced the value of the required property from one million US dollars to 250 thousand dollars only, but in April of this year 2022 AD, the Turkish government issued a new amendment in this regard. Raising the value of the real estate investment suitable for applying for citizenship from 250 thousand to 400 thousand dollars.

2 - Those who wanted to obtain citizenship through financial investment had to meet the condition that the amount of money invested was not less than 2 million US dollars, but after the amendments issued in this regard, the minimum amount became only five hundred thousand dollars.

3 - For those wishing to obtain Turkish citizenship through bank deposit, the amount must not be less than 3 million US dollars, while today it is sufficient to be only 500,000 dollars.

4 - The law on obtaining that citizenship was also amended by employing Turkish people and reducing the required number from one hundred people to only fifty.

(All of these facilities contributed to making the demand increase for obtaining Turkish citizenship, through which a lot of gains and benefits can be achieved).

Did the last amendment affect the demand for citizenship?

You might think that the recent decision issued by the Turkish government to raise the value of real estate investment suitable for obtaining Turkish citizenship affected the decisions of investors and foreigners to apply for it, but the reality is the opposite, as according to many statistics issued by the Turkish Statistics Authority, the volume of real estate sales in order to obtain Turkish citizenship is on a clear rise and increase, more than 40% of those who come to buy real estate in Turkey intend to apply for it out of a desire to benefit from its countless advantages.

Why is real estate investing the best way to obtain citizenship?

There must be main reasons that made real estate investment the best way to apply for citizenship without other available methods, namely:

-that the property can be used for housing and stability, or the property can be rented during the three years during which the foreigner is prohibited from selling the property and after the end of the specified years, he can sell it if he wants to, and then take advantage of the price difference that will result between the buying and selling stages.

What you do not know about the real estate markets is that the real estate markets are rapidly changing and it is impossible for prices to remain constant for a long period of time, and they often take the upward path.

Therefore, the foreigner will not only have obtained Turkish citizenship, but also entered the real estate investment world in Turkey and benefited from many of the profits and returns that are produced thanks to the huge development experienced by the real estate sector in Turkey on the one hand, and the development and prosperity of its infrastructure on the other hand, and the busy tourism seasons witnessed round the year.

Documents required to obtain citizenship:

Through the following points, you can see the most important documents and papers that must be prepared in order to obtain Turkish citizenship through real estate investment:

-The property title deed, which contains all the information related to the property, such as its location within the city, its internal details, and others. In the title deed, a lot of the buyer's personal information is mentioned.

-The buyer's passport and its translation into Turkish and attested by the notary public.

-Earthquake insurance policy that can be extracted from any insurance company in Turkey.

-The real estate appraisal report that determines the value of the property as mentioned above and is extracted by a specialized company licensed by the Turkish government and is obtained within only three days and the period may reach a week in some cases as maximum and is valid for only three months.

-Personal photos of the buyer that must be recent.

-The buyer must be accompanied by a sworn translator.

What are the advantages of obtaining Turkish citizenship?

There is a wide range of privileges that can be obtained through Turkish citizenship, which will be discussed in details through the following paragraphs:

1 - Granted to all family members:

One of the first advantages that can be obtained through this nationality is that all family members can apply for it, the father, the wife and children, but this is according to specific conditions: that the children must be under the legal age, and if they are over the age of 18, they will then have to apply for one of the multiple residence permits, such as a tourist or a student, each according to his condition.

As for the wife, if the investor is married to more than one woman, only one can apply for it and after permission is taken from the second. In this context, it should be noted that if one of the children has special needs, he can apply for citizenship even if he is over the legal age.

2- Work in various fields:

The holder of Turkish citizenship will be like any Turkish citizen who has the same rights and has all the duties that the Turkish citizen and among the many rights that he obtains is the possibility of working in both the public and private sectors, so there is no problem if he decides to work in one of the government jobs and do not forget that he can work in professions that a foreigner is prohibited from working in, such as veterinary medicine, customs clearance, law and many other professions.

3- Participation in elections:

A foreigner who has obtained Turkish citizenship will be able to participate in the political life in Turkey, to decide the fate of the country, to run for and vote in elections and other actions that citizens of the Turkish state do without any restrictions or controls.

4- Retaining the native nationality:

Turkish law does not require a person who obtains Turkish citizenship to renounce the native nationality he holds, but he can retain both nationalities and then benefit from all the advantages offered by both.

5-School enrollment:

The holder of that nationality can enroll in the levels of Turkish public and private schools and public and private universities quite easily, and this is a golden opportunity in itself. Turkey is famous for the high quality of education it offers, as it has the most important and experienced teaching staff, in addition to that, it works to constantly update its curricula to keep pace with the most important international curricula.

And do not forget that it has a developed infrastructure in its universities that helps the student to organize and establish his scientific research with complete ease and without any complexity, and add to your information that the educational systems in Turkey strongly support the issue of practical application and training with receiving theoretical sciences in order to refine the student’s experience and skills until he graduates with knowledge of all sciences in his specialty.

6- Medical services:

The Turkish government did not hesitate to make all its efforts to develop the health and medical infrastructure in it, which made it a destination for many foreigners around the world in order to receive treatment and get the appropriate solution to their health problems, as it is famous for many cosmetic operations.

Today, Turkey has a group of government and private hospitals, medical and health centers, private clinics, dispensaries, and others that provide services to Turkish citizens for free. If they choose government institutions, and if they choose private hospitals and centers, they can receive high discounts.

One of the most famous hospitals to be built in Turkey is (Başakşehir Medical City), which is considered an upscale and modern leap in the world of medicine and health in Turkey. It is equivalent in importance to eight hospitals at the same time and a challenge to the Corona crisis, which was opened in the midst of the crisis and the spread of the epidemic to be a weapon to control it.

7-Political stability:

The Turkish state is characterized as one of the most stable countries on the political level. It has many distinguished relations with the most important countries in the world, especially the European Union countries, and with many Arab countries. Recently, it is working to strengthen its relations with the most important Arab Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which started pumping millions of US dollars into Turkey, that will have a great impact on various sectors of life in Turkey without exception.

Did you know that this stability was a major reason for the great demand from foreign investors around the world in light of the bad conditions experienced by the whole world, especially the countries of the Middle East.

8- An important recreational environment:

Turkey has not been left aside but distinguished by it. For example, although it is a wonderful center for real estate investment, this does not negate that it is one of the most important tourism and entertainment destinations in the world. It has many historical destinations that deserve to be visited, such as castles, forts, palaces, tall towers and museums. And others, in addition to having interesting natural places such as mountains, seas, rivers, lakes, plains, forests, parks, forests and others.

Tourism in Turkey is not limited to archaeological, historical or natural sites only, but it is also for lovers of modern tourism, such as visiting malls and markets and obtaining international goods, products and brands at reasonable prices, not to mention restaurants, cafes and others.

9 - Turkish passport:

One of the greatest advantages that can be obtained by obtaining Turkish citizenship is the Turkish passport, which is considered one of the most important and powerful passports in the world. This is according to what was stated by many global authorities specialized in evaluating international passports, and at the beginning of this year it was announced as 37th globally. Not long ago, it was ranked 50th. This, if indicated, indicates that it is making rapid leaps.

10 - Economic recovery:

As for the advantages that any individual can obtain through his presence in Turkey is to benefit from economic recovery and development, what you do not know is that the economy of the Turkish state is at the forefront of the world and has surpassed many important world economies such as Europe, due to two main reasons, the first is that Turkey has a young Turkish population that contributes to the increase in production, development and sophistication that Turkey is experiencing today, while the countries of Europe have an increasing the elder population, which was a negative matter that reflected on the various sectors of the country.

According to a European study issued by a Spanish magazine, the Turkish economy is expected to be ranked fifth in the world by 2030, and this is only an indication of the importance and prestige of the Turkish state.

11- Sophisticated Infrastructure:

The Turkish government is working to improve and develop the infrastructure and add more development projects that compete with the most important countries in the world in order to attract the largest possible number of foreign capital, especially those interested in real estate investment. .

Among the most important infrastructure projects in Turkey today:

-Istanbul's new airport, which is one of the largest air transport terminals in the world.

-Istanbul's new water canal, which is the project of the era.

-Eurasia tunnel that passes under the water.

-Çanakkale Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world.

- Başakşehir Medical City, which ranks third in the world.

12 - Facilitate the completion of transactions:

One of the most important benefits that can be obtained, thanks to Turkish citizenship, is to facilitate the completion of official and legal transactions, ease of buying real estate in Turkey, renewing a passport and many other things.

13 - An important strategic location:

The importance of the strategic location occupied by the Turkish state cannot be overlooked. It is in the middle of the three continents of the world, Europe, Asia and Africa. It also overlooks four seas: the Aegean Sea - the Black Sea - the Mediterranean Sea - the Marmara Sea. Add to your information that its extension on two continents at the same time made it distinguished and thus this helped it to be ranked fourth globally as the most important destination for buying real estate in the world.

(Note: The Bosphorus Strait separates the two sides of Istanbul, which is considered one of the most important water straits in the world, and which helped give Istanbul in particular and Turkey in general a high and distinct importance).

14 - Having a high life

If you are a fan of life in an atmosphere of luxury and sophistication, the Turkish state is one of the very appropriate options. In addition to excellence and luxury, real estate prices are cheap compared to real estate prices in countries similar to them in terms of importance and prestige in Europe, as well as the cost of living is very appropriate compared to other countries.

Turkey has all the service and entertainment facilities that a foreigner usually looks for.

15 - Benefiting from the retirement law:

The elderly after the age of 65 years can benefit from the retirement law that benefits Turkish citizens, which provides for the possibility of boarding public transportation for free or receiving free treatment and other privileges.

16 - Difficulties Imposed by Europe:

Certainly, obtaining the citizenship of one of the European countries is one of the common dreams of many foreigners around the world, investors and capital owners, but as a result of the many difficulties placed by their government, it has become very difficult to obtain it and the cost required for this is very huge, hence the choice to go to Turkey .

Conditions for applying for citizenship:

Although it is easy to obtain Turkish citizenship, there are many conditions that must be met in order for a foreigner to be eligible to apply for it, and through the following points you can view them in full:

-He must reside in Turkey at least for a period of no less than five continuous years, during which he does not leave Turkey except for certain cases, such as: performing military service or completing studies and others.

-Not to have any contagious disease or danger that negatively affects public health.

-He must not have a criminal record or be involved in a crime in order to maintain public security.

-To be of good morals and good reputation.

-To have a wide and comprehensive knowledge of the Turkish language to make him able to communicate with the people of Turkish society.

-He must have a stable source of income that suffices him and his dependents.

-To provide evidence confirming the sincerity of his intention to live and settle in Turkey, such as buying a property or establishing a business.

Stages of obtaining citizenship:

If you want to obtain Turkish citizenship, there are many stages that you will go through to reach it, and through the following paragraph, here are the full details, which are seven stages:

1 - The papers and documents must be delivered in full to the concerned authority in the state in which the applicant resides.

2 - The papers will be sent to the Turkish capital, Ankara, for the file to be studied extensively.

3 - The applicant’s file is evaluated and studied in the Personal Status Directorate . If the papers are in order and there is no shortage or defect, the file will be sent to the fourth stage. If there is a problem or the file is rejected, the applicant will be summoned to the Directorate to sign the rejection of the application.

4 - The fourth stage is considered the most difficult stage ever, since through it the applicants' file is studied in detail and extensively, and the granting of Turkish citizenship may be refused without completing the rest of the procedures.

5 - The applicant’s file, along with a group of other applicants’ files, is submitted to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers for final approval.

6 - At this stage, the granting of citizenship is approved, and then all files are sent to the Personal Status Department.

7 - In the last stage, the applicant is summoned in order to complete the rest of the routine procedures and then receive the citizenship.

Cases of withdrawal of Turkish citizenship:

It is undeniable that the Turkish government has provided a lot of facilities for those wishing to obtain that citizenship, but on the other hand, there are many controls and restrictions that must be adhered to, and if any of them are violated, the citizenship will be withdrawn permanently. These are the most important cases:

First case:

Turkish citizenship is withdrawn from its holder if he is working voluntarily for another country which is an enmity to Turkey, or if they do not have common interests.

The second case:

If the foreigner works for a foreign country that there is an official state of war between it and Turkey, without permission from the official authorities in Turkey.

Third case:

If a Turkish citizen enlists to perform military service in a foreign country voluntarily and without informing the authorities.

Fourth case:

In the case that a foreigner commits any criminal offense stipulated by Turkish law, this individual must surrender himself to the relevant authorities.

(Note: Citizenship is not withdrawn immediately. Rather, the holder is given a three-month grace period, in the event that he does not retract the order he is doing, it will be withdrawn directly, and it should be noted the person from whom the citizenship is withdrawn, will absolutely not affect the status of his wife and children, meaning that the citizenship will remain in their possession).

The importance of the Turkish passport:

One of the main reasons that encourage foreigners to search for a way to obtain Turkish citizenship is the desire to obtain a Turkish passport, as this brings them many privileges and benefits, and through the following points they can be viewed in full:

-The passport can be obtained within a short period that does not exceed one month, where it is possible to apply for it immediately after receiving the citizenship.

-It is valid for a long period from the date of its issuance, up to ten years, and upon its expiration each time it can be renewed.

-It allows its holder to enter more than 61 countries around the world without the requirement of obtaining a visa.

-Its holder can enter about 45 countries around the world with an automatic visa that is automatically obtained upon arrival.

-Among the privileges granted to the Turkish passport holder are electronic visas from eight countries in the world.

The holder of this passport, if he is an investor, can link his business and investment projects located between the East and the West.

In the context of talking about the Turkish passport, it is necessary to talk about its four types, which are:

1 - Ordinary or red passport, and this is granted to various members of the Turkish people, including foreigners who have Turkish citizenship, and its holder enjoys the various advantages that a Turkish citizen obtains without any exception.

2 - The special passport, which is granted to Turkish employees and Turkish government employees in general, and to those who occupy important positions and are distinguished by the green color.

3 - Stamped or gray passport, and this is granted to Turkish state employees abroad, such as ambassadors, consuls, and others.

4 - Diplomatic or black passport and this is granted to presidents, ministers, the president's secretary and other important persons.

Documents required to obtain a Turkish passport:

See the most important documents that you must extract in order to obtain a Turkish passport:

-The personal identity card + personal photos of the applicant and it must be recent and not more than 6 months old.

-If you intend to renew the passport and not extract it for the first time, the old one must be brought.

-Residence deed or the address of the place where you reside.

-A receipt confirming that you have paid all of your fees.

-If the applicant for the passport is under the legal age, he must present the consent of his parents.

Stages of obtaining a Turkish passport:

If you wish to apply for a Turkish passport, you must follow the following steps:

-An appointment must be made by visiting the link that was specified by the Personal status department website in Turkey, or this can also be done by calling the number 199, and then all fees for obtaining this passport must be paid through the mail.

-One of the common questions about obtaining Turkish citizenship through real estate investment is if there is a possibility to apply for it if I own more than one property, is this permissible or is it required that the amount be a price for one property? Turkish law does not stipulate that it should be the price of one property, but you can own more than one property and apply for it, provided that its value is not less than 400 thousand US dollars.

The importance of buying real estate in Turkey:

In addition to the fact that Turkish citizenship is the primary purpose for buying real estate in Turkey, there are many reasons why foreigners rush to buy and own real estate in Turkey, and from the following you can view them in full:

First: Most of those interested in the real estate markets in the world want to go to Turkey in order to buy real estate because real estate prices in Turkey are very suitable compared to other countries around the world.

Second: With the impossibility of real estate ownership in the Middle East countries in the midst of the many conflicts and disputes that they are experiencing, Turkey has been developing and offering an alternative and important solution to it for the Arab Gulf investors in particular.

Third: The Turkish government has provided a lot of facilities for those wishing to buy real estate in Turkey. The matter is not complicated and there are no difficulties or obstacles.

Fourth: Exemption from the value-added tax for foreigners who own property in Turkey for the first time and many tax reductions.

Fifth: A real investment opportunity, especially during the tourist seasons, where the population density in Turkey is clearly rising, and millions of tourists from different countries of the world come to Turkey.

Advantages of real estate investment in Turkey:

We have a set of important reasons that can be obtained when investing in real estate in Turkey, the most important of which are:

1 - It is expected that real estate prices in Turkey will rise significantly during the coming period, and the reason for this is:

-The high population density that characterizes the Turkish state, it is one of the most crowded countries in the world.

-Busy tourist seasons hosted by Turkey annually.

-High costs of building materials.

-The fluctuation of the value of the Turkish lira against foreign currencies.

2 - The real estate market in Turkey witnesses many types of real estate that suit everyone and suit different budgets without exception.

3 - Real estate can be invested in Turkey in more than one way, most notably leasing it to get a fixed monthly return or reselling it in order to take advantage of the price difference that will result between the buying and selling stages.

4 - Real estate investment on a permanent basis is considered one of the most important types of investments in the world, and this is based on many previous experiences and because:

-Real estate does not lose its value.

-Real estate prices in Turkey are constantly rising.

-You cannot lose your capital with it, but it has very few risks.

-Real estate is not affected by economic or political crises, if they occur.

What if you decide to obtain Turkish citizenship through Ramzy Real Estate?

We offer our valued customers a lot of services that interest them when they are in the process of buying real estate in Turkey, and we provide them with a list of the most important real estate offers suitable for obtaining Turkish citizenship; the most distinguished in Turkey so that the selection is made according to the specifications and prices suitable for them with the help of us.

Our services are not limited to what has been mentioned only, but a lot of free services are provided before and after the sale. Our consultants are keen to listen to your requests well and answer your various questions so that we realize the extent of your need for such a service, especially if this is your first experience in the real estate market in Turkey.

For more information on the issue of Turkish citizenship, we advise you to follow our website on an ongoing basis, because we are keen to provide you with all new that interests you about it or about any other aspect of the Turkish real estate market.

Contact us now and get your ideal opportunity in real estate investment in Turkey.

Editing by Ramzy Real Estate Team ©

Important articles :

The stages of obtaining Turkish citizenship

Documents Required to Get Turkish Citizenship by Owning a Property

Learn about the rights you will have when you obtain Turkish citizenship

Find out how to apply for Turkish citizenship online

Getting Turkish citizenship through buying under-construction properties

Turkish citizenship by investment program

Beware of these cases that may lead to the withdrawal of Turkish citizenship

Obtaining Turkish citizenship through real estate investment

Government facilities for granting Turkish citizenship to foreigners

Projects suitable for Turkish citizenship in Istanbul

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FAQ about obtaining Turkish citizenship by buying property