ACQUISITION OF TURKISH CITIZENSHIP THROUGH INVESTMENT
The option of obtaining Turkish citizenship through investment has recently become popular among foreigners in Turkey. Investment is one of the ways that foreigners who wish to become Turkish citizens can apply. Gaining citizenship through this method requires certain conditions to be met and there are various requirements for different types of investments. Detailed details on obtaining Turkish citizenship through investment:
What are the Requirements for Turkish Citizenship?
Those who wish to acquire Turkish citizenship must meet the conditions set out in the law and regulations. These conditions vary depending on the way in which citizenship is acquired. Turkish citizenship can be acquired by birth or acquired later. Subsequent acquisition of citizenship can be realized in 5 cases.
The first of these is naturalization, i.e. naturalization by naturalization. The second is acquisition by exceptional means. Acquisition of Turkish citizenship through investment is one of the exceptional ways of acquisition. The third case is the reacquisition of citizenship. The fourth is the acquisition of citizenship through marriage. The fifth and final way is the acquisition of citizenship through adoption. The conditions sought in all of these types will be different. Apart from that, the conditions such as having the qualifications to adapt to the society, speaking Turkish at a sufficient level, not having a situation that will pose a danger in terms of general health and public order are taken into consideration.
How to Obtain Turkish Citizenship through Investment and What are the Conditions?
Pursuant to Article 20 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law, the investment conditions for the acquisition of Turkish Citizenship through investment are regulated. The conditions listed in the article are optional and it is sufficient to realize any one of them. However, significant amendments were made with the Regulation published on May 12, 2022. However, certain conditions must be fulfilled in order to apply. The effective date of the relevant amendments is set as June 12, 2022.
A foreigner who meets any of the following conditions may acquire Turkish citizenship by Presidential decree within the scope of subparagraph (b) of the first paragraph of Article 12 of the Law:
a. It has been determined by the Ministry of Industry and Technology that it has realized a fixed capital investment of at least USD 500,000 or its foreign currency equivalent.
b. At least 400.000 US Dollars or equivalent foreign currency amount of condominium ownership or condominium easement has been established or the land qualified immovable on which there is a building has been purchased on the condition that the title deed records are annotated not to be sold for three years or condominium ownership or condominium easement has been established, at least 400. 000 US Dollars or equivalent foreign currency amount is deposited in advance and it is determined by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change that the sale of the immovable is promised with a notarized contract, provided that the commitment that it will not be transferred and abandoned for three years is annotated in the land registry.
c. Determined by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security to create employment for at least 50 people.
d. It has been determined by the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency that it has deposited at least USD 500.000 or its equivalent in foreign currency in banks operating in Turkey, provided that it has been kept for three years.
e. It is determined by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance that it has purchased government debt instruments amounting to at least USD 500,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency on condition that it holds them for three years.
f. It is determined by the Capital Markets Board that the Capital Markets Board has purchased real estate investment fund participation shares or venture capital investment fund participation shares amounting to at least USD 500,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency, provided that they are held for at least three years.
g. It has been determined by the Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency that it has invested at least USD 500,000 or its foreign currency equivalent in the private pension system on the condition of keeping the contribution amount in the funds whose scope is determined by the Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency and staying in the system for three years
What are the Documents Required for Turkish Citizenship by Investment?
Article 20, paragraph 3 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law regulates the documents required for the exceptional acquisition of Turkish Citizenship. Upon the written instruction of the Ministry about the foreigner who wants to acquire Turkish citizenship exceptionally, a file consisting of the following documents is organized by the application authorities.
a. Form petition stating the request.
b. Passport or similar document showing which state the person is a citizen of, or if the person is stateless, the relevant document if it is possible to obtain it.
c. Civil status certificate and marriage certificate if married, divorce certificate if divorced, death certificate of the spouse if widowed.
d. A document such as a birth certificate or a copy of the civil registry showing the identity of the person and, if married, a copy of the civil registry or a similar document proving the family ties of the spouse and children.
e. If they have first or second degree relatives who are Turkish citizens, a copy of the population record taken from the system by the application authorities.
f. If the month and day of the person’s date of birth are not available, a document obtained from the competent authorities of the country to complete the date of birth, or if the document cannot be obtained, a signed statement that the person agrees to be processed in accordance with Article 39 of the Population Services Law No. 5490.
g. Receipt showing that the service fee has been deposited to the Finance cashier.
As a result, the Conditions for Acquiring Turkish Citizenship are as follows:
• Not having an obstacle in terms of national security and public order,
• To meet one of the conditions specified in Article 20 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law,
• Obtaining a residence permit in accordance with subparagraph (j) of the first paragraph of Article 31 of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection.
People who meet these conditions can apply to the relevant institution.
Does Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship through Investment Cover Spouse and Children?
According to the provisions of the Turkish Citizenship Law and the Regulation on the implementation of this law, the citizenship acquired by the person himself/herself does not include the spouse and children. However, acquisition of citizenship through investment is an exception.
This is one of the most important advantages of acquiring citizenship through investment. The spouse and minor children of the investor will also be able to acquire citizenship of the Republic of Turkey without the requirement of making an additional investment. In other words, the spouse and minor children of a person who acquires Turkish citizenship through investment will also automatically acquire citizenship.
How Does the Application and Approval Process Work?
The application for Turkish citizenship by investment is made through the offices of the Immigration Administration in Ankara and Istanbul, and the file prepared on the foreigner applying upon application is forwarded to the Ministry of Interior for a decision. If the Ministry concludes that there is no obstacle in terms of public order and national security, it forwards the file to the President of the Republic, who then approves the application and the foreigner is granted citizenship through investment. In addition, the application will be reviewed by various ministries and institutions. The process of obtaining Turkish citizenship through investment may vary and may take up to a year if the documents are submitted in full.