Guide to Turkish Citizenship and Residence Permit by Investment 2026

Türkiye has been an attractive country for foreigners who want to live in Türkiye or obtain Turkish citizenship in recent years. In the last four years, more than 30,000 foreigners became Turkish citizens through foreign investment. For foreigners who do not want to obtain citizenship despite having an investment in Türkiye, an indefinite residence is granted. Global Mobility Turkey has successfully completed nearly 100 citizenship application processes so far.

In this article, we have answered in detail the questions of how to get Turkish citizenship by investment, what is the lowest cost for Turkish citizenship, what should I pay attention to when getting Turkish citizenship. If you want to benefit from the experience of Global Mobility Turkey on the way to acquire Turkish citizenship by investment, you can contact us.

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Table of Contents

1. Turkish Citizenship by Investment
2. Advantages of Being an Investor in Türkiye
3. Foreign Currency Purchase Document (DAB)
4. Application of Turkish Citizenship and Residence Permit by Investment

How to Get Turkish Citizenship by Investment?

Those who buy $400,000 worth of real estate in Türkiye, keep $500,000 worth of deposits in Turkish banks, or make a specified level of investment are granted both a residence permit and citizenship.

Turkish citizenship is granted exceptionally to foreigners who invest the amount specified in Article 20 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law. Moreover, within the scope of Article 31 of Law No. 6458, foreigners are granted a short-term residence permit for up to five years or an indefinite residence permit upon their request.

How Much Investment to be Made to get Turkish Citizenship

• Those who purchase real estate worth at least USD 400,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency and put a three-year non-sale clause on the title deeds and obtain a certificate of conformity from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change,
• Those who have deposited at least USD 500,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency in banks operating in Türkiye with the condition of keeping the deposit for three years and have obtained a certificate of conformity from the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency,
• Those who receive a certificate of conformity from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security stating that they have created at least 50 employment opportunities,
• Those who obtain a certificate of conformity from the Ministry of Industry and Technology by making a fixed capital of at least USD 500,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency,
• Those who purchase government debt instruments amounting to at least USD 500,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency and hold them for three years and obtain a certificate of conformity from the Ministry of Treasury and Finance,
• Those who obtain a certificate of eligibility from the Capital Markets Board stating that they have purchased real estate investment fund units or venture capital investment fund units amounting to at least USD 500,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency, provided that they hold such shares for at least three years,
• and Those who have invested at least USD 500,000 or its foreign currency equivalent in the funds specified in the private pension fund and obtained a certificate of conformity from the Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency,

Foreigners who fulfill only one of the above-mentioned investments are granted Turkish citizenship or permanent residence permit in Türkiye.

What are the Advantages of Being an Investor in Türkiye?

• Most steps of the process — including the property purchase, obtaining the certificate of conformity and preparing the application file — can be carried out by your representative in Türkiye under a power of attorney issued abroad. However, because biometric data (fingerprints and a photograph) must be collected before the residence permit card can be issued, you will need to enter Türkiye at least once during the process.
• All family members can benefit from parent's investment.
• You can obtain citizenship exceptionally without any time limit.
• By qualifying for a Turkish passport, you can travel to more than to 110 countries without a visa.
• You can invest the USD 500,000 required for citizenship in a currency hedged deposit account and earn both interest and foreign exchange income for three years.
• By buying an immovable property in Türkiye, you can both gain citizenship and earn rental income from the immovable property.
• At the end of 3 years, if you have bought an immovable property, you can sell it or, if you have a deposit in the bank, you can withdraw it.
• You can establish a company in Türkiye and benefit from the government incentives given to Turkish citizens.
• You can invest in or become a resident in European countries that facilitate Turkish citizens.

What Is the Foreign Currency Purchase Document (DAB) and Why Is It Mandatory?

One of the main purposes of the Turkish citizenship by investment regulation is to ensure the inflow of foreign currency into the country. For this reason, paying the property price in cash by hand is not accepted.

The investor must transfer the property price to a bank in Türkiye in foreign currency, have this currency sold to the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye, and obtain a Foreign Currency Purchase Document (Döviz Alım Belgesi – DAB) in return. The DAB must be issued in a way that shows the transaction was carried out for the purpose of acquiring Turkish citizenship, and it must be submitted to the land registry directorate.

The most common mistake arises at this point: the amount on the DAB, the sale price declared in the official deed, the value in the valuation report, and the total of the payments/transfers made through the bank must each separately meet the required USD 400,000 threshold. For example, if you agree with the seller on USD 450,000 but declare USD 300,000 at the land registry, the application is rejected. Care must be taken that the entire payment is made from the investor's own account, to the seller's account, and before the title deed transaction.

How to Apply for a Residence Permit or Turkish Citizenship with Investment?

• If you are abroad, your transactions can be carried out with the help of a lawyer from Türkiye with the power of attorney you will give.
• Regarding the type of investment, you have determined, after making the investment, a certificate of conformity must be obtained from the relevant institution regarding whether it meets the specified conditions. (For example, if you buy a house, you will need to obtain a certificate of conformity from the Land Registry Office).
• With the certificate of eligibility, you can apply for a residence permit by going to the Provincial Directorates of Immigration Authorities with the required documents.
• After your residence permit is approved, you can apply for Turkish citizenship from the investment offices.

You can fill out the contact form below to get consultancy services and ask questions about the acquisition of Turkish citizenship by investment.