Citizenship

The requirements for obtaining Turkish citizenship through investment are outlined in Article 20 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law. According to this regulation, foreigners who make investments as specified and their spouses, minor children, or dependent children are eligible for Turkish citizenship.

To acquire Turkish citizenship through investment, three main conditions must be fulfilled:

Individuals who meet all three conditions can become Turkish citizens by the decision of the President.

1. Obtaining a Investment Eligibility Certificate

The first condition involves obtaining an Investment Eligibility Certificate by investing in amounts specified in the regulation. The regulation outlines seven different types of investments, with the scope and amounts determined by the President. The current investment amounts are as follows:

2. Obtaining a Short-Term Residence Permit

To become a Turkish citizen through investment, the second step is to obtain a short-term residence permit under Article 31/1(j) of Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection. The conditions for obtaining this permit are detailed in Article 32 of the same law.

According to this;

3. Applying for Citizenship

Investors who obtain the investment eligibility certificate and a short-term residence permit can apply to the Immigration Administration with the necessary documents. Individuals who are found to have no impediments in terms of national security and public order can acquire citizenship through a decision made by the President. The documents required for the citizenship application are listed below.

Application for Turkish citizenship by investment is completed in approximately 3 to 6 months. If there are any missing documents, the citizenship application will be rejected or the applicant will be given time to complete the missing document.

The spouse of the investor who acquired citizenship through investment and their minor or dependent children can also acquire Turkish citizenship. In order for family members to become citizens, an application must be made on behalf of family members. In order for the family to obtain citizenship, it is sufficient for one person to invest under suitable conditions.

- What happens if my citizenship application is rejected?

The application for Turkish citizenship through investment may be rejected for several reasons, such as non-compliance with the criteria outlined in the Regulation, missing required documents, or if the application is deemed inappropriate in terms of national security or public order. If individuals whose citizenship applications are rejected believe the decision is unfair, they have two options: they can either appeal to a higher authority or file a lawsuit in administrative courts to challenge the rejection decision.

Individuals whose citizenship applications are rejected have the right to object to the decision or directly file a lawsuit for annulment within 60 days from the notification of the rejection decision. If the objection is not responded to within 30 days, it is considered rejected. Even if the objection to the decision is rejected, a lawsuit for annulment can still be filed.