Introduction

With the Presidential Decision No. 106 published in the Official Gazette dated 19 September 2018, amendments were made to the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law. Within this scope, the minimum monetary thresholds required for investments made by foreigners in order to acquire Turkish citizenship were reduced, thereby facilitating citizenship applications.

Most recently, with the amendment introduced by Presidential Decision No. 418 published in the Official Gazette dated 7 December 2018, foreigners were granted the opportunity to apply for Turkish citizenship not only by purchasing real estate with a minimum value of USD 250,000, but also by purchasing real estate in construction projects where condominium ownership or construction servitude has been established through a real estate sales promise agreement executed before a notary public.

1. Does this regulation introduced by the Presidential Decision apply to all foreign nationals?

Yes. The regulation applies to all foreign nationals, and no country has been excluded from its scope.

2. Who may benefit from this regulation and what are the requirements?

Foreign nationals holding a residence permit, foreign nationals holding a Turquoise Card, as well as their foreign spouses and their minor foreign children or their spouse’s minor foreign children may benefit from this regulation.

There are various conditions for acquiring Turkish citizenship through investment, which are explained in detail below.

3. Is it possible to acquire Turkish citizenship through a capital investment?

Yes.

A foreign national may acquire Turkish citizenship if it is determined by the Ministry of Industry and Technology that such person has made a fixed capital investment of at least:

• USD 500,000, or

• the equivalent amount in foreign currency, or

• the equivalent amount in Turkish Lira.

4. Is it possible to acquire Turkish citizenship by purchasing real estate?

Yes.

A foreign national may acquire Turkish citizenship if it is determined by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change that such person:

• Has purchased real estate with a minimum value of USD 250,000 (or equivalent foreign currency/Turkish Lira), provided that an annotation preventing the sale of the property for three years is registered in the land registry; or

• Has purchased a property in a construction project where condominium ownership or construction servitude has been established, with a minimum amount of USD 250,000 (or equivalent foreign currency/Turkish Lira) paid in advance, and where a notarized real estate sales promise agreement has been registered in the land registry together with an undertaking that the transfer and cancellation of such annotation will not be requested for three years.

5. Is it possible to acquire Turkish citizenship by creating employment opportunities?

Yes.

A foreign national may acquire Turkish citizenship if it is determined by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services that such person has created employment opportunities for at least 50 individuals.

6. Is it possible to acquire Turkish citizenship by depositing funds in banks operating in Türkiye?

Yes.

A foreign national may acquire Turkish citizenship if it is determined by the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) that such person has deposited at least:

• USD 500,000, or

• the equivalent amount in foreign currency, or

• the equivalent amount in Turkish Lira

in banks operating in Türkiye, provided that the deposit is maintained for at least three years.

7. Is it possible to acquire Turkish citizenship by purchasing government bonds?

Yes.

A foreign national may acquire Turkish citizenship if it is determined by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance that such person has purchased government debt instruments worth at least:

• USD 500,000, or

• the equivalent amount in foreign currency, or

• the equivalent amount in Turkish Lira,

provided that such instruments are held for at least three years.

8. Is it possible to acquire Turkish citizenship by investing in real estate investment funds or venture capital investment funds?

Yes.

A foreign national may acquire Turkish citizenship if it is determined by the Capital Markets Board of Türkiye (CMB) that such person has purchased participation shares in:

• a real estate investment fund, or

• a venture capital investment fund,

with a minimum value of:

• USD 500,000, or

• the equivalent amount in foreign currency, or

• the equivalent amount in Turkish Lira,

provided that such shares are held for at least three years.