FAQ about Turkish Citizenship by Real Estate Investment in Turkey

Foreigners can obtain Turkish citizenship by buying real estate whose total worth is more than 250,000 USD or equivalent.

How does the Turkish citizenship application process work?

  1. You can buy one or more real estate to achieve the 250,000 USD requirement.
  2. You can buy any kind of real estate (house, apartment, office, store or land) in any province of Turkey.
  3. You should get an official appraisal for each property.
  4. Each of the property should be bought after September 19, 2018. For the property bought before this time, 1,000,000 USD limit applies.
  5. You should sign a statement that you won’t sell the property for 3 years at the Property Registry Office.

Will my family get Turkish Citizenship?
Yes. You, your spouse (wife or husband) and dependents (your children under the age of 18, on the application date) can get citizenship. Turkish law does not recognize same-sex marriages, polygamy and other types of partnerships. So a spouse should be a person of opposite sex and the couple should be legally married. If a male applicant has multiple wives, only one of them is eligible for Turkish citizenship.

Q: If the property I buy is not worth 250,000 USD, can I buy several properties to fulfill the 250,000 USD limit.

You can buy several properties which have a total value of at least 250.000 USD.  The values declared at the sale at Property Registry Office and appraisal values should be consistent with that value. If the transaction is made in Turkish lira or other currency, daily currency rate of the Turkish Central Bank at the date of title transfer will be used to calculate the USD value of the property or properties.

 

How long does it take to become a Turkish citizen?

After the property is bought and the application is filed, it takes between 3 to 6 months to get the citizenship and Turkish passport. Government is eager to reduce time.

May I buy commercial properties with rental income and get Turkish Citizenship by investment?
Yes, any property you buy is counted. You can rent the properties to someone else. The only restriction is you cannot sell for three years.

It seems complicated to apply and get Turkish Citizenship. Can I get assistance for this process?
Ateskan Law Office offers all kinds of services which guide you through the process. We work with real estate agents from all provinces of Turkey to find the best residential or commercial property as per request.

I do not have time to come to Turkey. How can I get Turkish Citizenship?
A: If you give us power of attorney, we can follow up with the complete process. (Buy the real estate for you, get the appraisal report, transfer the title to your name, give the statement at Property Registry Office, and file all documents for your application.)

How many people may apply for Turkish citizenship on one Title Deed?
Only one person can apply for Turkish citizenship, his/her spouse and dependents are also eligible with this application.

I bought property in Turkey previously. May I apply for citizenship now?
Title deed applications at Property Register Office after 20.09.2018 may obtain Turkish citizenship by a real estate investment of 250,000 USD. Before this date, the minimum value was 1,000,000 USD.

Which nationalities may apply for Turkish passport?
All foreigners who are allowed to buy property in Turkey by Turkish law, may apply for Turkish citizenship by investment.

Will my mother and father obtain citizenship in Turkey with my application? What about my children above 18 years old?
No.

I have a disabled child above 18 years old? What about him/her?
If your child is incapable of taking care of him/herself, they can become Turkish citizens with their parents’ application provided that their situation is documented by health reports.

Do I get a Residence Permit when I file the citizenship application?
Residence permit (no:6458/31-J) is granted to you, your spouse and your dependents.

Is it possible to have dual nationality in Turkey?
Yes, Turkey allows dual nationality, as long as your original country allows it. If you are a citizen of a country which does not allow dual citizenship, you need to forfeit your original citizenship. But if your original country allows dual citizenship, you can have dual citizenship.

What is the catch in this program?

Although you paid more than 250,000 USD, the appraisal value may turn out to be less than this value. The ministry is hesitant about the true value of the property to prevent from price fraud. The applicant should buy the property after getting the appraisal report. Appraisals may give a value less than 10% of the market value and this is acceptable. If the deviation between the sale price and the appraisal value is more than 10%, you may be paying more than it is worth.

We also provide our clients with real estate consultancy services. We prepare reports about past and future (expected) appreciation rates in the area, expected rent or income from the property and rent/sale price ratio.

 

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