Turkish citizenship by property investment

Turkey is one of the few countries where you can obtain citizenship by investing in property. The programme has been running since 2017, and since 2022 the minimum investment has been $400,000. Here is how the programme works, the conditions you need to meet, how long the process takes and what a Turkish passport offers.

Key programme conditions

• buying one or more properties with a combined value of at least $400,000;
• the value confirmed by a licensed valuation company’s report;
• payment through a Turkish bank, with foreign currency brought from abroad converted and documented by the bank;
• a commitment not to sell the property for three years, annotated on the title deed;
• the full amount paid before the title deed registration — developer instalments that are not yet fully paid do not qualify;
• a security check for the applicant and family members.

Which properties qualify

Apartments, villas, commercial units and land can qualify if the conditions are met. There are important restrictions, however: properties already used for a citizenship application are not accepted, and in some cases neither are properties previously owned by foreigners. The property must also match its valuation and have its paperwork in order. That is why we check eligibility before any deposit is paid. In our catalogue, such properties carry a “Citizenship eligible” badge.

Who receives citizenship

Together with the investor, the spouse and children under 18 receive Turkish citizenship. Adult children and parents are not included and must obtain status separately.

The stages

1. Choosing a property and legal checks — including a check of programme eligibility.
2. Valuation and payment — the valuation report and a bank transfer with currency conversion documents.
3. Title deed registration with the three-year no-sale annotation.
4. Certificate of conformity — confirming the investment meets the programme conditions.
5. Investment-based residence permit — issued on the basis of the certificate.
6. Citizenship application — filed with a complete set of documents, including apostilled and translated marriage and birth certificates.
7. Review and decision — once approved, applicants receive a Turkish ID card and passport.

How long it takes

Buying the property and preparing documents usually takes one to two months. The citizenship review takes several months; in practice the whole journey from purchase to passport most often takes between six months and a year. Timelines depend on how complete the documents are and on the authorities’ workload.

Costs beyond the property price

• title deed tax and the Land Registry fee;
• the valuation report;
• legal services, translations, apostilles and notarised powers of attorney;
• state fees for the residence permit and documents.

More on taxes and fees in “Costs and taxes when buying property in Turkey”.

What Turkish citizenship gives you

• the right to live, work and do business in Turkey without restrictions or permit renewals;
• a passport offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to many countries;
• access to public healthcare and education on the same terms as citizens;
• eligibility for the US E-2 investor visa, as Turkey has the relevant treaty with the United States;
• citizenship that passes to your children.

Turkey allows dual citizenship, but your home country may require notification or prohibit a second nationality — check this in advance. If you have sons, also clarify questions of military service.

Can I sell the property later?

Yes, but not until three years after registration — this commitment is recorded on the title deed. After that, the property can be sold and your citizenship remains.

Citizenship or residence permit?

If your goal is simply to live in Alanya, a property-based residence permit is enough: the threshold is lower and the procedure simpler. See “Turkish residence permit through property purchase”. Citizenship is chosen by those who value a second passport, freedom of travel and the permanent right to live in Turkey. For life on the coast, read “Living in Alanya”, and for an overview of the programmes see the Residence permit & citizenship page.

Citizenship programme conditions change from time to time. This article is for information only; before any purchase we check the current requirements and the property’s eligibility.