Türkiye offers foreign investors the opportunity to apply for Turkish citizenship by purchasing qualifying real estate.
Under the current rules, a foreign investor may become eligible to apply by acquiring real estate worth at least USD 400,000 and undertaking not to sell the property for three years. However, purchasing a property above the required value does not automatically result in citizenship.
The legal status of the property, its valuation, ownership history, payment records and title deed procedures must all comply with the applicable requirements. A mistake made before or during the purchase may prevent the investment from being accepted for citizenship purposes.
This article provides a general overview of the Turkish citizenship by real estate investment process.
What Is Turkish Citizenship by Real Estate Investment?
Turkish citizenship by investment is a form of exceptional citizenship available to foreign nationals who satisfy one of the investment conditions set out under Turkish law.
For real estate investors, the main requirement is the purchase of qualifying property with a minimum investment value of USD 400,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency.
The title deed must include a restriction stating that the property will not be sold for three years. Certain notarised property sale promise agreements may also qualify, provided that the statutory conditions are satisfied.
The investment creates a right to apply. It does not guarantee that citizenship will be granted, since the applicant and the transaction remain subject to administrative and security review.
Can More Than One Property Be Used?
It may be possible to reach the required investment threshold by purchasing more than one property.
Where multiple properties are used, their qualifying investment values are considered together. Each property must satisfy the applicable legal and administrative requirements, and the relevant title deed transactions must be structured consistently with the citizenship application. The current TKGM system evaluates the investment through the Amount Determination Certificate, known in Turkish as the Tutar Tespit Belgesi or TTB.
Combining several properties can make the transaction more complex. The valuation, payment and title deed records for all properties must support the same application.
Does Every Property Qualify?
No. A property does not qualify merely because its advertised or agreed sale price exceeds USD 400,000.
The following matters may affect whether a property can be used:
- Its legal classification and title deed status
- Whether condominium ownership or construction servitude has been established
- Existing mortgages, attachments and annotations
- The identity of the seller
- The property’s previous ownership and transfer history
- Whether the property has previously been used for a citizenship application
- The officially determined investment value
- The consistency of the sale price and banking records
The current land registry guidelines contain detailed restrictions concerning previous owners, transfers involving foreign nationals, related parties and properties previously used for citizenship purposes.
For this reason, the property should be reviewed for both ordinary real estate risks and citizenship eligibility before the buyer signs a binding agreement or transfers the purchase price.
Step-by-Step Turkish Citizenship Process
Step 1: Preliminary Legal Review
The process should begin before the purchase.
The investor’s nationality and legal capacity to acquire real estate in Türkiye should first be confirmed. The selected property must then be examined through the Land Registry, municipality and other relevant records.
A legal review generally considers ownership, mortgages, attachments, restrictions, zoning status, construction permits and the seller’s authority to complete the transaction.
For citizenship purposes, the review should also examine the previous ownership history and whether the property is legally capable of supporting an investment application.
This stage is particularly important because certain problems cannot easily be corrected after the sale has been completed.
Step 2: Property Valuation
A citizenship investment cannot be based solely on the price agreed between the buyer and seller.
The property must undergo the valuation and investment-value confirmation process required by the Land Registry. Under the current system, the amount accepted for citizenship purposes is confirmed through a Tutar Tespit Belgesi—TTB. Citizenship-related transactions have been assessed under this system since December 2024.
The valuation application must be made for the correct purpose. A standard commercial valuation or the amount declared by the parties may not be sufficient for the citizenship procedure.
If the officially accepted value is below the statutory threshold, declaring a higher sale price at the Land Registry will not necessarily cure the problem.
Step 3: Banking and Payment Arrangements
The payment stage is one of the most technically sensitive parts of the process.
The purchase price must be transferred through official banking channels, and the foreign currency conversion procedure must comply with the requirements applicable to citizenship investments.
The relevant banking documents must clearly correspond with:
- The investor
- The seller
- The property
- The amount paid
- The citizenship investment transaction
A missing reference, an incorrectly structured transfer or an inconsistency between the payment documents and the title deed transaction may affect the eligibility of the investment.
The payment structure should therefore be planned before any funds are transferred. Attempts to correct incomplete or inconsistent banking records after the transaction may be unsuccessful.
Step 4: Title Deed Transfer and Three-Year Restriction
Once the property and payment documents are ready, the sale is completed before the competent Land Registry Directorate.
The investor must declare that the property is being purchased for Turkish citizenship purposes. A restriction is then entered in the title deed records stating that the property will not be sold for three years.
The restriction must be established in the correct form. Purchasing a property without the required annotation does not automatically satisfy the citizenship investment condition.
Where a notarised property sale promise agreement is used instead of an immediate title deed transfer, separate requirements apply to the agreement, payment and land registry annotation.
Step 5: Obtaining the Property Investment Determination Certificate
After the title deed procedure, the transaction is reviewed by the competent regional land registry authority.
If the property, investment value, payment records and title deed restriction comply with the applicable requirements, a Property Investment Determination Certificate, commonly referred to as a certificate of conformity, is issued.
This document confirms that the real estate investment has been accepted for the relevant citizenship procedure. It does not, by itself, mean that Turkish citizenship has already been acquired.
In practice, the certificate is transmitted to the relevant migration and citizenship authorities and may also be delivered to the applicant through the contact details provided during the transaction. The practical sequence may vary depending on the competent authority and the individual file.
Step 6: Investor Residence Permit
Following the investment confirmation, the applicant generally proceeds with a short-term residence permit application under Article 31/1-j of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection.
The residence permit application requires both general residence documents and investment-specific documents. The official list for investors includes the certificate of conformity and a criminal record document, together with the standard short-term residence permit documents.
The exact list may vary depending on the applicant’s nationality, family status and personal circumstances. Foreign documents may also require legalisation, apostille certification and notarised Turkish translation.
Obtaining this residence permit is a procedural stage connected with the citizenship application. It does not require the investor to reside in Türkiye for a particular number of years before applying under this investment route.
Step 7: Citizenship Application
After the relevant investment and residence procedures have been completed, the citizenship application is submitted to the competent Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship.
The application file generally includes:
- The exceptional citizenship application form, known as VAT-4
- Passport and identification documents
- Birth and civil-status documents
- Marriage, divorce or death records where applicable
- Documents demonstrating family relationships
- Criminal record documents
- Residence permit information
- The investment confirmation
- Photographs and application fee receipts
The VAT-4 form is the official form used for exceptional citizenship applications.
Documents issued abroad must be prepared carefully. Inconsistent names, incomplete dates, missing apostilles or unclear family records may delay the application or result in requests for additional documentation.
Can a Spouse and Children Be Included?
The investor’s foreign spouse and eligible children may generally be included in the citizenship file.
However, family applications require additional documentation proving marriage, parentage and custody. Where the parents are divorced, only one parent applies with the child, or a child is approaching the age of majority, further legal documents may be required.
The status of each family member should therefore be reviewed at the beginning of the process rather than after the principal investor has completed the purchase. The practical document lists used for investors, spouses and children also differ.
How Long Does the Process Take?
There is no single completion period that applies to every application.
The timetable depends on factors including:
- The legal condition of the property
- Completion of the valuation procedure
- Availability and accuracy of banking records
- Land Registry review
- Residence permit processing
- Preparation of foreign civil-status documents
- Security and administrative examination
Statements promising citizenship within a guaranteed number of weeks or months should therefore be treated cautiously.
A well-prepared file may progress more efficiently, but the final timing remains dependent on the competent authorities.
Is Citizenship Guaranteed After Purchasing the Property?
No.
Meeting the real estate investment condition allows the foreign investor to submit an application for exceptional Turkish citizenship. Citizenship is not acquired on the date of purchase.
The investment must first be confirmed, after which the residence and citizenship applications are completed. The applicant is also subject to security, public-order and document-verification checks.
Accordingly, neither the seller, a real estate agent nor a legal adviser can guarantee the final citizenship decision.
Why Should Legal Review Begin Before the Purchase?
Many citizenship-related problems arise because legal advice is obtained only after:
- A deposit has been paid
- The purchase agreement has been signed
- The purchase price has been transferred
- The title deed has been acquired
At that point, changing the payment structure, correcting the seller relationship or replacing an ineligible property may be difficult or impossible.
The safest approach is to treat the citizenship application and the property acquisition as a single legal transaction from the outset.
The property, seller, valuation procedure, payment plan, title deed records and family documents should be reviewed together before the investor assumes a binding financial obligation.
Legal Assistance for Turkish Citizenship by Investment
Turkish citizenship through real estate investment involves more than purchasing a property above a particular price.
The investment must be legally suitable, properly valued, paid through the correct banking structure and registered with the required title deed restriction. The residence permit and citizenship files must then be prepared consistently with the real estate transaction.
Kunut Law Firm assists foreign investors with:
- Legal due diligence on the selected property
- Review of the seller and ownership history
- Coordination of the valuation and banking stages
- Review and preparation of purchase agreements
- Representation during title deed procedures
- Investor residence permit applications
- Turkish citizenship applications for investors and their families
Each investment should be reviewed individually before the investor signs an agreement or transfers funds.
For legal assistance with Turkish citizenship by real estate investment, you may contact our English-speaking lawyers in Antalya.
Disclaimer
This article provides general information as of July 2026 and does not constitute legal advice. Citizenship, land registry, banking and immigration practices may change. The eligibility of each applicant and property should be reviewed individually before the transaction.