Turkish Citizenship
▬ by real estate investment ▬
Become a full Turkish Citizen and obtain a Turkish passport by investing $250,000 in Turkish property. Here is your complete guide to the requirements and process.Secure your future
Pera Property‘s experienced team of experts and legal team have studied the process in detail. We now offer a fully packaged service including all aspects of the process, and ancillary processes required to obtain citizenship. Our after sales service continues with full management of the investments as per the investor’s requirements.
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Citizenship Benefits
Fast-track citizenship
Passport granted in 2-3 months.
Affordable second passport
Your alternative citizenship from just $250,000.
Visa-free travel worldwide
Access to 113 countries, including EU & UK
No residence requirements
No physical residency required with an option to obtain Turkish citizenship remotely.
Entire family are eligible
Including spouse and children up to 18 years of age
Investment required only after approval
Complete investments after receiving citizenship application approval
Short investment period
3 years if you invest in property
Attractive tax regime
No tax on capital gain after five years
Visa-free travel
to 72 countries worldwide
Conditions to be met
Value
The assets must exceed $250,000.
Title
The assets must have its individual legal title.
Multiple Property
The assets can be one or more property and need not be within the same complex
Valuation
The assets value must be confirmed by a surveyor registered with the authorities (SPK).
Legal charge
The property (ies) cannot be sold for at least three years - a charge is applied to the title(s).
Enjoy a hassle free process with Pera Property
We obtain a tax number and open a bank account.
Arrange for an official survey confirming the property valuation.
Apply a condition on the title to prevent resale within 3 years.
Apply for temporary residency with the immigration bureau.
Apply for citizenship.
- Identify and purchase the property;
- Pay for the property – you have up to 14 days to make your payment;
- Notarise the contract if applicable – 3-4 days;
- Prepare and notarise PoA – one day;
- Expertise report – up to three working days;
- Register the title – up to 20 working days depending on the workload at the office due to covid. In most cases it is within one week;
- Register the charge. To prevent resale within 3 years. 10 working days, but usually done within a week;
- Confirmation of the investment report. This is a report from the land registry to your solicitor to confirm your investment. Can take up to 20 working days in the extreme. Usually should take no more than one week.
- Application for residency. Only the investor can apply for residency. Our solicitor gets the residency approved on the same day.
- Application for citizenship. Once all the above is completed, the application is made – one day.
Documents
Required For the Process
A normal passport or a travel document.
If married. If divorced – divorce certificate. If never married, confirmation of single status.
If these are not available, an affidavit from the consulate confirming place and date of birth.
Passports and birth certicates
A temporary ID number issued by any Turkish tax office
Each asset must be independently valued by an SPK authorised surveyor
Along with a completed 3 year charge.
Once the assets have been purchased and legal charge applied, the registry office will write to your solicitor confirming the investment.
The following must be authenticated: Birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, or certificate of single status. Contact us to find out how.
Benefits of Turkish citizenship
Turkish citizenship grants access to 113 countries.
New citizens are not required to live in the country.
New citizens are not required to take any language test.
The applicants partner is eligible and any children under the age of 18.
The Schengen visa is relatively easy to apply for with a Turkish passport.
UK access is available via the Ankara agreement which ends in 2021.
A full package
Pera Property provides full guidance and assistance throughout the process, and we have teamed up with on of Istanbul’s most experienced legal partnerships. Experience is the key to ensuring a smooth process, and Pera Property has completed over 100 citizenship applications.
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Q: What is the surveyor’s role and what is an appraisal report?
The surveyor provides a report which must match or exceed the purchase price of the property. This is to ensure that the buyer and seller are carrying out a transaction in good faith. The ministry of urbanisation then verifies this report and confirms the value and purchase price. The way valuations are done changed in October 2021, read our article on how this affects the citizenship price.
Q: Do I need to be in Turkey for the process?
We recommend that you visit at least once to inspect the property, make a selection, and sign contracts. During this visit, you can provide Pera Property with a specific power of attorney to ensure we can take of the process for you. The process can be long winded and involve a lot of leg work at offices, hence we recommend this is left to professionals like us. Note the immigration office can only be attended by the applicant, or the applicant’s solicitor. The solicitor must be registered with the Turkish bar association.
Q: I bought a property in Turkey before the change in law, does it qualify?
Property transactions can now be backdated to 2017 provided all relevant payment receipts can be provided from the developer’s bank account.
Q: Does the property have to be residential or does commercial qualify?
Commercial property can be used as part of the application process.
Q: How long does this process take?
The granting of the citizenship takes between four and six weeks once all documents have been submitted to the authorities
Q: Can I buy multiple properties or is it just one?
Multiple properties can be purchased provided the total exceeds $250,000.
Q: What conditions apply to the exchange rate between Dollars and Lira?
This has recently changed (June 2021). The official exchange rate now used is the Turkish central bank rate published at 4pm one day before the funds are credited to the seller’s account. The date of the exchange of ownership (Tapu) is no longer used.
Q: As a new citizen can I work in Turkey or open a business?
Yes. As part of the application, you also are required to take a residence permit, which gives you the immediate right of employment in Turkey.
Q: I bought property on instalments but did not register the title until after the new law, does it qualify?
It can qualify subject to the ministry approval, and assuming you can provide all the backdated receipts for every single payment. The exchange rate used will be one day before the funds are credited to the seller’s account.
Q: Is a criminal check required?
The ministry reserves the right to carry out a security check to ensure the applicant poses no threat to the Turkish public or national security.
Q: Will I or my children have to complete military service in Turkey?
Children under 18 will need to complete military service in Turkey as a Turkish national. However as a dual national, they qualify for exception, and can pay a fee instead of the military service. The fee in 2020 is 2,000 Euros.
Q: Can I buy property with rental guarantee?
Pera Property strongly recommends not buying property with rental guarantees. Rental guarantees are usually built in to the price of the property and hence there is a strong risk that the appraisal report will not match up with the price paid.
Q: Can my parents obtain citizenship through my purchase?
No, they must make their own individual purchase.
Q: My child is over 18, can they take citizenship through my purchase?
No, they must make their own individual purchase.
Q: Do I need to learn the language or take any test/interview?
No.
Q: I have a Travel document but no passport, can I qualify?
Yes.
Q: I have a friend in Turkey, can he/she do the process for me?
Provided your friend is a qualified lawyer and registered with the Turkish Bar association, he/she can indeed complete the process for you. The Turkish immigration department only allows official business to be conducted by the applicant, or by an appointed lawyer who is registered with the Turkish Bar association.
Q: What’s the detail behind the Ankara agreement with the UK?
Turkish citizens have access to a business visa to the UK, which was agreement decades ago under an EU agreement known as the Ankara agreement. This means Turkish citizens can apply for a UK business visa, provided they can prove that they have the funds to set up a business in the UK. As a UK based company, Pera Property can provide detailed advice on this process.
Q: Does Turkey allow for dual nationality?
Yes, new citizens do not need to give up their nationality, provided the original country also allows for dual nationality.
