Türkiye

Citizenship by Investment

Bordered by the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean in the south, Türkiye is strategically located at the crossroads of East and West, where the Strait of Bosphorus is considered a natural border between Europe and Asia.

The country’s convenient location ensures short flight times throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The country has a population of over 83 million (2023). Istanbul is the most populated city with just under 16 million residents in 2023. As a G20 country, Turkish economic growth averages annual growth of 5.3% over the last two decades.

The country has a rich and storied history and presents great harmony of traditions and modern life with unbeatable beautiful coasts, archaeological sites, vibrant cities, culinary excellence, and a Mediterranean climate. The vast majority of the population identifies as Muslim. Türkiye has been a member of NATO since 1952, held a customs union with EU since 1996, and the country is considered an EU candidate.

A Turkish passport affords visa-free travel to 112 countries which would substantially increase should the country gain EU membership. The Citizenship-by-Investment Programme (CIP) was launched in 2016 to stimulate foreign direct investment and the real estate market.

Requirements/Investment Options

The Türkiye Citizenship-by-Investment Programme requires you to make a significant financial investment in the country in return for citizenship for you and your family. There are no residency requirements and citizenship is for life.

To qualify for citizenship, you must be over 18 years of age, meet the due diligence requirements, and select one of the following investment options:

  • Purchase real estate worth at least USD 400,000
  • Deposit the Turkish Lira equivalent of at least USD 500,000 in a Turkish bank
  • Invest at least USD 500,000 in a real estate fund
  • Make a capital investment of at least USD 500,000
  • Investment a minimum USD 500,000 in government bonds
  • Create jobs for 50 Turkish citizens

The first two options are the most active pathways for Turkish Citizenship-by-Investment.

Fees

The VAT for new real estate ranges between 1% and 8% in Türkiye. There is no VAT for resale properties. The stamp duty is 4% (ideally split 2% by buyers and 2% by sellers, although buyers typically bear the cost in the resale market).

The real estate commission is 4%, equally paid by the buyer and seller in the resale market. There is no government contribution amount, no due diligence fees, or administrative fees except for minor and negligible charges. All costs and fees are associated with the purchase of real estate.

Process Overview

The application is straightforward and usually takes as little as five months from the time of submission.

Qualifying Dependents

As the main applicant, you must be able to prove the legality of your investment. You can add your spouse as a dependant. Like you, they must be over 18 years of age, have no criminal record, and have a clean bill of health. You can also include dependent children up to the age of 18.

Dual Citizenship

There are no restrictions on dual citizenship in Türkiye.

Taxation

If you are a Turkish citizen who is also a resident, you will be taxed on both your Turkish earnings and on your worldwide income. Türkiye has double taxation treaties with many countries. A non-resident citizen is only taxed on income sourced from Türkiye.

Summary of Key Advantages

Qualify via property investment from as little as USD 400,000

Include children up to the age of 18 in the application

Spend as little or much time as you like in Türkiye

Enjoy visa-free travel to 114 countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Ukraine, Jordan, and Lebanon

Application Process

Month 1

Initial due diligence.

Following the successful screening, we provide you with a Client Agreement (CA) to review and sign.

You issue a Power of Attorney to our Turkish lawyers.

They open a bank account, purchase property, and complete the citizenship application.

The lawyers request a government conformity letter.

They apply for short-term residence permits.

Month 2-4

Before submitting your documents, we comprehensively review your application to ensure your file complies with the Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye’s requirements.

Our legal team will complete its final checks before submitting the relevant forms.

The Investment Office will undertake its own due diligence and reviews all the paperwork.

We will continue to work closely with them throughout the process to ensure your application is timely and efficiently processed.

Month 4-5

The Investment Office will assess your application, and upon approval, you must make all necessary contributions and pay any applicable government fees.

We will then arrange for all relevant passports to be sent out.