As Uzunpınar & Tüfek International Law Firm, we provide comprehensive and professional legal consultancy to domestic and foreign clients in the fields of acquiring Turkish citizenship through real estate investment, foreign investor citizenship applications, and acquisition of Turkish citizenship through exceptional procedures. For foreign investors who purchase real estate in Türkiye, one of the fastest and safest paths to citizenship is the system of applying for Turkish citizenship through real estate investment.

Turkish citizenship through real estate investment is regulated under Law No. 5901 on Turkish Citizenship and the relevant regulations, and grants foreign nationals who purchase real estate above a specified threshold the opportunity to acquire Turkish citizenship through an exceptional procedure. Under this system, no long-term residence requirement is sought; instead, the investment must be carried out in compliance with the legislation. However, in practice, errors made in title deed transactions, payment methods, valuation reports, and annotations may result in the rejection of the application or the subsequent revocation of citizenship.

For this reason, the steps for applying for citizenship through real estate investment must be subject to legal scrutiny from beginning to end, and each stage must be conducted in full compliance with the legislation.

Steps for Applying for Turkish Citizenship Through Real Estate Investment

1. Determination of a property eligible for citizenship

The first step is to identify a property that is eligible for Turkish citizenship. The property to be purchased must:

• Be in the nature of a residential unit or workplace
• Not have been previously used for a citizenship application
• Meet the minimum investment amount

Purchases made with ineligible properties may result in the direct rejection of the application.

2. Payment of the property price in compliance with the legislation
   

The property price must be paid officially, through a bank, into the seller’s account. Cash payments, payments made through third parties, or undocumented transfers are deemed invalid in citizenship applications. Payment receipts constitute core documents of the application file.

3. Obtaining a real estate valuation report

For the citizenship application, a real estate valuation report prepared by valuation companies licensed by the Capital Markets Board must be obtained. This report indicates the actual market value of the property on the purchase date, and the adequacy of the investment amount is assessed based on this report.

4. Title deed transfer and three-year non-sale annotation

During the title deed transfer, an annotation stating “cannot be sold for three years” must be entered into the land registry. Purchases made without this annotation are not considered valid for citizenship applications. This annotation remains binding even after citizenship is acquired.

5. Obtaining the certificate of conformity

After completion of the title deed and payment transactions, a certificate of conformity is obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. This document officially confirms that the real estate investment meets the citizenship requirements.

6. Application for a short-term residence permit

Prior to the citizenship application, a short-term residence permit must be obtained in the name of the foreign investor. This permit ensures lawful stay in Türkiye until the citizenship process is finalized.

7. Submission of the Turkish citizenship application

Following the issuance of the residence permit, an application for Turkish citizenship through an exceptional procedure is submitted. The application is processed before the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs, and the application file is subjected to numerous administrative and security reviews.

8. Security investigation and archive research

A security investigation and archive research are conducted for the applicant, as well as for the spouse and children under the age of 18. This stage constitutes one of the most critical phases of the process.

9. Presidential decision and acquisition of citizenship

If all reviews are concluded positively, the file is submitted for Presidential approval. Following approval, the foreign investor officially acquires Turkish citizenship, and identity card and passport procedures are completed.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

1. What is Turkish citizenship through real estate investment?

Turkish citizenship through real estate investment is a special system that enables foreigners who purchase real estate above the specified minimum amount to acquire Turkish citizenship through an exceptional procedure, without being subject to general conditions.

2. Can an application for citizenship be made by purchasing more than one property?

Yes. If the total value of multiple properties meets the required minimum amount, a citizenship application may be submitted. However, separate title deed annotations and valuation reports must be obtained for each property.

3. Is VAT exemption possible in the purchase of real estate?

Yes. Provided that the conditions are met, VAT exemption may be applied in the acquisition of real estate by foreigners. However, the conditions for VAT exemption and citizenship application are independent from one another and must be handled carefully together.

4. How long does the citizenship application take to be finalized?

In practice, citizenship applications through real estate investment are concluded within approximately 3 to 6 months. This period may be extended in case of missing documents or delays in security investigations.

5. Can family members also acquire citizenship?

Yes. The applicant’s spouse and children under the age of 18 may acquire Turkish citizenship as dependents of the main application. No additional investment requirement is sought for family members.

6. What happens if the purchased property is sold before three years elapse?

Selling the property before the completion of three years may result in the revocation of Turkish citizenship. Disposal of the property before this period entails serious legal consequences.

7. Can an application for citizenship through real estate investment be rejected?

Yes. Applications may be rejected due to missing documents, irregular payments, negative security investigations, or transactions contrary to the legislation. Judicial remedies are available against rejection decisions.

8. Is it mandatory to work with a lawyer in this process?

Although not mandatory, the process of acquiring Turkish citizenship through real estate investment requires knowledge of land registry law, tax law, foreigners law, and administrative law. Therefore, working with an experienced lawyer significantly reduces the risk of loss of rights.