The details of acquiring citizenship by investment are issued in Article 46 of the Law of Turkish Citizenship; with the changes made by the Presidential Decision No. 106 published in the Official Gazette dated 19.09.2018 and the Presidential Decision No. 418 published in the Official Gazette dated 7.12.2018, foreigners will be able to acquire Turkish citizenship if they meet one of the following conditions:

• Citizenship can be acquired by purchasing real estate worth 250,000 US Dollars or more and having an annotation that it will not be sold for 3 years from the title deed registry. 250,000 USD is the minimum amount. While this amount was 1 million US Dollars in the previous regulation, it has been reduced to 250,000 Dollars with the new regulation, which is in favor of those who want to acquire citizenship by purchasing real estate.
• A capital investment of 500,000 USD or more. 500,000 USD is the minimum amount.
• Making a preliminary contract for the sale of real estate for a building with at least 250,000 USD of condominium ownership or construction servitude will also give the foreigner the same opportunity. There is also an added condition that the promise of sale contract made at the notary for the transfer of the structure or the contract cannot be made for 3 years. The minimum amount, which was 1 million US Dollars in the previous regulation, has been reduced to 250,000 Dollars with the new regulation.
• The person who creates employment for at least 50 people in Turkey acquires citizenship through investment. In the previous regulation, employment for 100 people was required.
• The person who buys the government debt instruments for at least 500,000 USD or more, on the condition of keeping them for at least 3 years, also acquires Turkish citizenship through investment.
• A person who buys “real estate investment fund participation shares” or “venture capital investment fund participation shares” of at least 500,000 USD or equivalent in foreign currency or TL and undertakes to keep them for at least 3 years also acquires the right of citizenship in this context. In the previous arrangement, this amount was 1.5 million USD.

The amounts determined in the Presidential Decision can be in Turkish Lira or equivalent foreign currency over the dollar rate.

Documents Required for Turkish Citizenship by Investment

• Application form
• 2 biometric photos
• Passport and notarized Turkish translation
• Birth certificate
• Marital status certificate
• Documents showing the title deed or investment
• Real estate valuation report
• Full certificate of birth registration sample
• Fee payment receipt

Other Documents Required to Obtain Citizenship by Purchasing Real Estate

• Deed of the real estate or information of village/neighborhood, island, parcel, building, independent section,
• Identity document or passport with translation if necessary,
• Obtaining the Real Estate Market Value Certificate from the relevant Municipality,
• Compulsory earthquake insurance policy for buildings such as residences, workplaces,
• 2 photos of the buyer and 1 photo of the seller taken within the last 6 months,
• Having a sworn translator, if there is a party who does not speak Turkish,
• In case of transactions with a power of attorney issued abroad, the original or certified copy of the power of attorney together with its translation,
• Residence permits issued by the relevant police directorates of foreign nationals whose real estate purchases are subject to a residence permit.

In applications made by purchasing real estate, a short-term residence permit must be obtained after the title deed registration of the real estate. The documents required for a short-term residence permit application are as follows:

• Residence permit application form,
• The original of the passport and a photocopy of the relevant pages,
• At least 4 biometric photographs taken within the last 6 months,
• health insurance policy,
• Receipt of payment of application fee and necessary valuable papers,
• Official, e-signed/signed and sealed/stamped title deed that shows that the residence belongs to the person.

Where to Apply for Turkish Citizenship by Investment?

According to the investment made, the last step is to apply to the Provincial Directorate of Population and Citizenship for those who have obtained a certificate of conformity from the relevant institution and completed the short-term residence permit application in accordance with clause 31/1(j) of the Law No. 6458. Thus, the citizenship application file will be prepared and sent to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (“NVIGM”). At the same time, it is investigated whether there is a situation that will prevent the acquisition of citizenship in terms of national security and public order.

General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs submits the file to the Ministry in case the archive research is positive. It is sent to the Presidency by the Ministry to take a Presidential Decision.  If the President decides positively on the acquisition of citizenship, the foreign investor will now acquire Turkish citizenship.

Authorities to Issue a Certificate of Eligibility for Turkish Citizenship by Investment

After the conditions mentioned above are met, the citizenship request is directed to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs. However, the authorities that will determine whether the above-mentioned conditions are fulfilled are specified separately for each.

• The Ministry of Industry and Technology is authorized to determine the evaluation of individuals who have invested at least 500,000 USD.
• The Ministry of Environment and Urbanization is authorized to make determinations in the evaluation of people who purchase real estate worth at least 250,000 US Dollars.
• The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services is authorized to determine the people who have employed at least 50 people.
• The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency is authorized for determination in the evaluation of people who deposit at least 500,000 USD worth of deposits in banks located in Turkey.
• The Ministry of Treasury and Finance is authorized for determination in the evaluation of people who purchase government debt instruments worth at least 500,000 US dollars (The vehicles should be kept for 3 years).
• The Capital Markets Board is authorized to make determinations in the evaluation of persons who purchase real estate investment fund participation shares or venture capital investment fund participation shares worth at least 500.000 USD (These shares should be kept for at least 3 years).

Evaluation of the Application for Turkish Citizenship by Investment and Appeal

After following the process described above in order to acquire Turkish citizenship by investment a certificate of conformity is needed. After the certificate of conformity is obtained, the evaluation is submitted to the discretion of the President. In this evaluation process, the person is invited to have fingerprints identified and interviewed by the relevant law enforcement units. As a result, the person who will decide to accept or reject Turkish citizenship by investment is the President. The way of filing an annulment action in administrative courts against the decisions of the ministry or a different public institution within the application period is open to the person who thinks that the legal action is unlawful. Here, the period for filing a lawsuit is 60 days (unless a separate period is specified in special laws). Since the competent authority to hear objections against the President’s decisions as the Court of First Instance is the Council of State, the objection against the President’s decision is directed to the Council of State.

 

This article has been shared by our intern attorney in Ankara, Turkey Yusuf Bilal Saracoglu. He is available to help you become a Turkish citizen through investment.

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