Turkish citizenship through property: Invest in Türkiye explains the rules for a home worth at least USD 400,000 kept for three years

What the official rule says

Invest in Türkiye's guide 'Acquiring Property and Citizenship' says foreigners are granted the right to acquire Turkish citizenship through exceptional procedures upon the purchase of real estate worth USD 400,000 or more. The buyer states in the application that the property is bought for this purpose, the title deed records that purpose, and in the declarations section of the form the buyer declares that the property will not be sold for three years. The office's citizenship guide describes the same route as acquiring a property worth at least USD 400,000, or the equivalent in foreign currency or Turkish lira, with a title deed restriction on its resale for at least three years, attested by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization (the Investment Guide uses the ministry's current name, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change). Its legal basis is item (b) of the first paragraph of Article 12 of Law No. 5901.

The steps, in order

The citizenship guide sets out three steps. First, the buyer applies to the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre for a certificate of eligibility. Second, with that certificate and the other documents, the buyer obtains a residence permit under item (j) of Article 31 of Law No. 6458, applying to the provincial directorate of immigration administration. Third, the buyer applies to the provincial directorate of census and citizenship, which prepares the citizenship file and sends it to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs. An archive investigation then checks for any impediment on national security and public order grounds; if it is positive, the file goes through the Minister's office to the President's office, and citizenship is granted if the President decides so. The guide adds that monetary values are set at the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye's effective selling rate or cross rate on the date of determination.

Family, and the other investment routes

According to the citizenship guide, the foreigner's spouse, and the minor or dependent children of the foreigner or the spouse, may also acquire Turkish citizenship if they apply together with the foreigner. Property is the lowest of the investment thresholds on the official list: every other money route on the list starts at USD 500,000, including a fixed capital investment, a bank deposit kept for at least three years, government bonds held for at least three years, or real estate or venture capital investment fund shares held for at least three years; a further route is creating jobs for at least 50 people.

Where foreigners can buy

The same official guide says a foreign natural person, if granted permission, may acquire real estate anywhere in Türkiye where private property is allowed, up to 30 hectares, and that the countries whose nationals may buy are determined by the government. Total acquisitions by foreign individuals may not exceed 10% of a district's area open to private property, and foreigners may not buy in prohibited military or military security zones; special security zones need the governor's permission.

What Al Mithaq adds

Our Türkiye page shows four projects of new homes in Istanbul: Maslak Koru in Sarıyer by KİPTAŞ and Invest İnşaat, Hayat City Mahmutbey in Bağcılar by Özak GYO, Hayat Flora in Küçükçekmece by Özak GYO with Emlak Konut, and Avrupa Konutları Güneşli in Bağcılar by Artaş. Our team in Kuwait can tell you which homes reach the USD 400,000 value, send the payment plan and the deed details, and walk you through the steps with the developer before you reserve.

Sources

• Invest in Türkiye (Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Investment Office), Investment Guide, 'Acquiring Property and Citizenship'
• Invest in Türkiye, 'Foreign Citizens' Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship' guide (PDF; the guide states its information is up to date as of 1 January 2024; its property steps page still prints the older USD 250,000, while its criteria page and the Investment Guide give USD 400,000)
• Al Mithaq, Türkiye page: new homes in Istanbul