What type of property are you interested in?
Question 1 of 3
Turkey grants citizenship to the investor and his family for their contribution to the country's economy. Furthermore, living in Turkey is not required. You can invest in real estate, government bonds or investment fund shares. In addition, you can establish a business in Turkey or open a bank deposit.
The minimum investment amount is 500,000 $; this threshold is reduced to 400,000 $ only in the case of buying real estate. After 3 years, investment property can be sold, while citizenship is retained.
Turkish authorities process the citizenship application from 6 to 9 months. The application is considered by the Ministry of Interior and completed with the president’s permission.
Inna Shchukina, Real Estate Expert
The Turkish citizenship by investment programme was updated on 18 September 2018. Acquisition of a real property in different locations in Turkey and at different moments starting from this date may be the grounds to obtain Turkish citizenship. It is important that the total price of several real properties should exceed $400,000 and all the transactions should meet the terms and conditions of the programme.
The real property acquired before 2018 can be sold to purchase the new property eligible for the programme.
One and the same real property may not be used twice for the purposes of the Turkish citizenship programme
Inna Shchukina, Real Estate Expert
Compliance in Turkey is rather uncomplicated. The investor does not have to prove origin of funds or steady income. However, Turkey’s Ministry of Internal Affairs checks if the applicant is subject to criminal prosecution.
Before starting the procedure, Tranio recommends discussing your application with a competent lawyer who will check the chances of obtaining a favourable decision from the Turkish authorities
It is the cadastral value that must exceed 400,000 $. In Istanbul primary properties, the cadastral value is almost always equal to the actual price. Resale and primary properties in other regions often have a cadastral value much lower than the real price.
Inna Shchukina, Real Estate Expert
We will help you choose a property that meets the requirements of the programme as well as the investor’s goals.
You only need an international passport to purchase real estate. There are several ways make a payment: by SWIFT transfer from a client's account in an unsanctioned Russian bank, from a Turkish bank account or from a brokerage account. Starting from 1 February 2023, the ability to use banks’ secure payment systems, such as a letter of credit, has been added, which is activated only after the seller fulfils obligations.
You will need photographs; apostilled originals and notarised copies of the translation of the passports of the main applicant and his family members; state duty payment receipts; and a certificate of conformity of real estate issued by the Cadastral Office. As a rule, this certificate is prepared along with the deal at the same time. Additional documents may be required.
A residence permit (ikamet) is a mandatory intermediate step. It serves as a basis for staying in Turkey for the whole duration of the citizenship procedure. A residence permit based on real estate property can take from 2 weeks to 3 months to issue, depending on the workload of the Migration Department of Turkey. You can apply for a residence permit immediately after receiving a certificate of ownership for the property.
The application is submitted to the General Directorate of Civil Registration and Citizenship Affairs. It is checked by the Ministry of Interior and the National Police. The final approval is made when the application is sent to the President’s Office. You will need to submit biometrics at any Turkish migration centre or at the Turkish consulate in your country. The whole process from application to approval lasts from 6 to 9 months.
Turkish passport can only be received in person in Turkey or at the Turkish consulate in your country.
It is possible to pay for the purchase of real estate from Russia. All transaction options are discussed individually and within the legal framework.
If the investor owns property in Turkey, then it will be possible to obtain a long-term visa. However, property owners rarely apply for a visa, preferring to immediately apply for a Turkish residence permit instead. To do this, the investor must provide a certificate of ownership (TAPU). In this case, the value of purchased property must exceed 200,000 $.
Spouse, children under 18 years of age and parents can also obtain resident status. A residence permit based on real estate is issued for 1–2 years and can be extended.
Once the cumulative duration of stay in Turkey under a short‑term residence permit is eight years, the applicant may seek long-term residence permit or permanent residence. Permanent residence is granted permanently and is in fact termless.
The status is cancelled of its foreign holder stays outside Turkey continuously for more than one year. The exceptions are stays for health, education and compulsory public service purposes.
We have been selling real estate since 2010. We have employees who have been living in Turkey for a long time and who know the local property market well. They will meet you, accompany you to viewings or organise them online, give advice and help you choose the right property: for rental income, for relocating or for a lucrative resale in the future; they can also tell you how to profitably rent out your property. Additionally, they can advise you on how to have a good time between viewings and what is the best place to go shopping. If you are planning to move to Turkey, they will share their experience with you.
Reliable citizenship lawyers will not only help you correctly submit documents, but they will also reduce the risk of additional documents requests and refusals.