Turkey Citizenship by Investment

Risks to consider

• The main risks lie with the real estate project itself.
• Investors should check that the property qualifies: it must have an appraisal report confirming a value of at least US$400,000, must not have been used for a previous citizenship application, and must not be owned by a foreign national at the time of purchase.
• On the citizenship side, risk is reduced when the application follows the correct procedure (the program requires no medical examination or asset declaration and places no restriction on the applicant's nationality).
• IMM Group helps you prepare your application in line with government requirements.

Note: real estate remains an investment that carries risk to the value of the property.

A qualifying real estate investment

• To obtain Turkish citizenship by investment, you purchase qualifying real estate worth US$400,000 or more (excluding taxes and fees).
• After approximately 12–18 months of processing (depending on the individual case and the authorities' timelines), the investor, their spouse, and children under 18 (unmarried and financially dependent) are granted Turkish citizenship.

The holding period

• Under the regulations, you must hold the property for 3 years and undertake not to sell it before then; this undertaking is recorded in Türkiye's land registry system.
• During the holding period, there is no renewal to apply for and no periodic filing to make.
• After 3 years, IMM Group and its partners can help you resell the property, and the sale does not affect your citizenship; relatives or friends may also purchase it.
• If you would like to keep the property as a rental investment, you can sign a lease agreement with the developer.

Citizenship and project risk are two separate matters

• Once granted, citizenship does not depend on the commercial success of the real estate project: provided the application met the requirements and the investment was made in a qualifying project, the investor keeps the citizenship granted.
• It is important to keep the two apart, however: the property remains an investment that carries risk to both its value and the recovery of your capital — a separate question from citizenship.

Under the amendment of March 22, 2021

• Each title deed can be used for a citizenship application only once.
• The property used for the application must be purchased from an individual or legal entity that is not foreign (for example, a Turkish company or individual).

The current threshold is US$400,000 or more (in effect since the 2022 update). The rules that apply are those in force at the time of application.

Education and healthcare

• With Turkish citizenship, your children can attend public schools free of charge.
• Your whole family can access care at public hospitals and benefit from substantially reduced fees at private hospitals, and Türkiye is one of the region's leading destinations for medical tourism.
• Citizens can access care at public hospitals and benefit from substantially reduced fees at private hospitals.

Travel access with a Turkish passport

• Visa-free or eVisa access to more than 110 countries and territories, including Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
• A second passport can also make visa applications to other countries easier; however, each country's decision (including EU and Schengen states) depends on its own rules and review.

Note: Türkiye is not part of the Schengen Area.

Language in Türkiye

• The official language is Turkish, and English is also widely used in many areas.
• Investors applying for Turkish citizenship by investment do not need to prove any language proficiency.

An overview of Türkiye's economy

• A major G20 economy and a trade gateway between Europe and Asia, with strengths in tourism, energy, and automotive manufacturing — a favorable base for expanding an international business.
• Türkiye is among the leading travel destinations, welcoming tens of millions of visitors each year.

The education system

• Türkiye has more than 170 universities and is a study destination where Eastern and Western cultures meet.
• Several Turkish universities appear in the QS World University Rankings.

The basis for the E-2 visa

• The U.S.–Türkiye bilateral investment treaty, which serves as the basis for the E-2 visa, entered into force in 1990 and has remained in place for many years, with no fixed end date.
• Any future changes would depend on relations and mutual agreement between the two countries.

Note: E-2 visa policies and eligibility requirements may change; the U.S. rules in force at the time of filing apply.

Türkiye and the E-2 route

• Türkiye is a route many investors favor when pursuing an E-2 visa through treaty-country citizenship, given its moderate investment level, straightforward requirements, and relatively fast processing.
• Türkiye is a treaty country for both E-1 and E-2 visas, and E-2 visas issued to Turkish nationals can be valid for up to 60 months — longer than for many other countries. The E-2 route suits investors with a genuine business plan in the United States.

Note: the E-2 is a nonimmigrant investor visa, not a green card or U.S. citizenship.

In-person requirements in Türkiye

• Under the current process, investors must travel to Türkiye at least 2 times: visit 1 to submit the residence permit application, and visit 2 to submit the citizenship application (including biometrics).
• The rest of the process can be handled through a power of attorney from your home country.
• Once citizenship is granted, your family is not required to live in Türkiye.

Requirements tied to treaty-country citizenship

• To apply for an E-2 visa, a person who acquired Turkish citizenship through investment must, under current U.S. law, have been domiciled in Türkiye for a continuous period of at least 3 years at some point before applying. This is a legal test assessed case by case, not simply a count of days spent in the country.
• The specific requirements depend on the E-2 rules in force at the time of filing; we recommend confirming them with an immigration attorney.

Requirements for dependent children

• The program allows unmarried dependent children under 18 to be included in their parents' application.

Who can be included as a dependent

• No, parents cannot be included.
• The program allows only the main applicant, their spouse, and dependent children under 18 in a single application.
• If you would like a solution that also covers your parents, you may consider the Grenada citizenship program or a European program (which allow multi-generational families to apply together), or a separate Türkiye application for your parents.