Turkish Citizenship by Investment 2026: Thresholds, Requirements, and Commitment Period
Eligible Investment Routes
| Route | Minimum Amount | Commitment Period |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate (Most Commonly Used) | $400,000 | 3 Years |
| Bank Deposit in an Approved Turkish Bank | $500,000 | 3 Years |
| Investment in a Company or Bonds or Job Creation | $500,000 | 3 Years |
The Rule That Disqualifies Most Applications: The Appraised Value, Not the Amount Paid
Eligibility is not calculated based on the amount you paid in the contract, but on the value stated in the valuation report issued by a company licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK). Therefore, paying $400,000 does not guarantee anything if the official valuation comes in lower.
It is possible to combine more than one property registered in your personal name to reach the threshold, so a single property at this value is not required.
The Three-Year Requirement and How It Is Documented
The investment must be maintained for a full three years, and a commitment not to sell is recorded on the title deed (Tapu) itself — meaning that the restriction is officially registered and is not merely a written commitment. The same principle applies to the bank deposit, which must remain untouched throughout the period.
What Does the Applicant Receive?
- There is no requirement to actually reside in Turkey during or after the processing period.
- The usual period for obtaining a Turkish passport is around 10 to 12 months.
- It includes the spouse and children under 18 years of age.
- A Turkish passport allows visa-free travel to more than 120 countries.
The Difference Between Residence and Citizenship by Investment
Confusing the two is common and costly:
- $200,000 property → grants you a renewable short-term residence permit as long as you remain the owner, but does not grant citizenship.
- $400,000 property → opens the citizenship route subject to the three-year requirement.
Details of the fees, valuation, and purchase procedures are available in the guide to buying property in Turkey.
Certificate of Conformity (Uygunluk Belgesi): The Document That Governs the Entire Application
A citizenship application cannot be submitted at all before obtaining the Certificate of Conformity. It is the official document confirming that your investment meets the program requirements, and it is issued by a different authority depending on the type of investment:
| Investment Type | Issuing Authority of the Certificate |
|---|---|
| Real Estate | Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change |
| Bank Deposit | Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) |
| Capital Investment | Ministry of Industry and Technology |
The issuance of the certificate usually takes two to four weeks. It serves as the gateway: any flaw in the chain preceding it — an insufficient valuation, an undocumented bank transfer, or an unregistered restriction — prevents its issuance and consequently halts the entire application before it even begins.
Application Steps in Order
- Choose an investment route and complete it in accordance with the legal requirements.
- Obtain the Certificate of Conformity from the competent authority according to the type of investment.
- Obtain a residence permit in Turkey (a procedural step within the process).
- Submit the citizenship application to the Presidency of Migration Management, together with the spouse.
- Complete fingerprinting and in-person verification — this step cannot be completed remotely.
How Long Does It Actually Take?
- From application to approval of citizenship: approximately 3 to 6 months, subject to scrutiny and review.
- Until receiving the passport: approximately 10 to 12 months in total.
- Real estate applications are usually faster, while bank deposit and fund investment routes require additional verification that may extend the processing time.
Required Documents
The Governing Rule: Every foreign document must be translated into Turkish and notarized by a notary public, and in most cases requires an apostille or consular legalization. Neglecting this point is one of the most common reasons applications are delayed.
- Completed and signed application form.
- Valid passport — copies of all pages, translated and notarized if they are not in Turkish.
- Birth certificate with an apostille or legalization and official translation.
- Biometric photographs meeting the approved Turkish specifications.
- Marriage certificate or civil status document — required to include the spouse.
- Birth certificates of the minor children included in the application.
- Criminal record certificates from both the country of nationality and the country of residence, with an apostille.
For the real estate route specifically, the following are also required: title deed (Tapu), valuation report, bank transfer receipts, and the three-year commitment not to sell recorded on the title deed itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I Lose My Original Citizenship?
Turkey allows dual citizenship, but the key consideration is the law of your country of origin: some Arab countries do not recognize dual citizenship or require prior permission. Check your country’s laws before applying.
Can I Sell the Property After Obtaining Citizenship?
Not before the three-year period has elapsed, because the restriction on sale is registered on the title deed itself. An early sale may expose the granted citizenship to review.
Are Children Over 18 Included?
No, the program only includes children under the age of 18, and anyone older than that must follow an independent route.
Warning: This is general informational content reflecting the rules announced at the time of the update and is not legal or investment advice. The General Directorate of Migration Management and the Turkish Directorate General of Population and Citizenship Affairs are the final authorities, and Turkey’s financial thresholds have changed more than once in recent years. Verify the requirements before making any financial commitment.
This article is part of the comprehensive Turkey guide for Arabs.
This post is also available in:
العربية
