Citizenship to foreigners

Turkish citizenship to foreigners permanently residing in Turkey is issued according to the decision of the competent authority, subject to certain conditions. Let us examine in detail what conditions a foreigner must meet in order to qualify for a Turkish passport:

1. A foreigner must permanently and continuously reside in Turkey for 5 years before applying for Turkish citizenship. The total number of days spent outside the country at this time (5 years) cannot exceed 180 (6 months). All this time, a foreigner must legally reside in Turkey, have a residence permit, which can be obtained on the basis of ownership of real estate immediately after purchase. A certificate of all entries and exits is taken from the migration service – in the department for work with foreigners (GÖÇ İdaresi)
2. A foreigner must confirm his intention to reside in Turkey permanently: the presence of real estate in Turkey is sufficient to confirm this intention.
3. A foreigner must have a sufficient level of spoken Turkish for living. Knowledge of the Turkish language is checked in a special exam after the application is submitted. A referral to the exam is issued upon application. The exam tests speaking, reading and writing.
4. Applicants for Turkish citizenship must not have diseases that pose a threat to society (tuberculosis, etc.). After submitting the application, you will be given a referral to a public hospital to those doctors from whom you need to receive a medical report.
5. A foreigner applying for Turkish citizenship by title to real estate must have the means to live and prove his material security. To do this, you must show a source of permanent income, for example, regular receipts of money to your account (from renting real estate, your business, etc.) or have a guarantor – a Turkish citizen who financially guarantees your residence.
6. A foreigner must not have been previously convicted or brought to administrative responsibility. Police clearance certificates are requested by the decision of the commission.
7. Positive moral character also plays a big role and increases the chances of obtaining Turkish citizenship. After submitting an application for citizenship, employees of the competent authorities can repeatedly visit you at your place of residence (it is very important to live exactly at the address indicated in your ownership), interview the neighbors, the manager of the complex, and talk directly with you.

An application for Turkish citizenship is submitted to the competent authorities at your place of residence (Nüfüs Müdürlüğü). Here you will be given a list of required documents, as well as a referral to the Turkish language exam and to the hospital. Within a certain time, you will also be called to have your fingerprints taken – this is a mandatory procedure for obtaining citizenship. When all the documents are collected and handed over and all the stages have been passed, you will have to wait for the appointment of a special commission. At the commission, you will once again have a conversation in Turkish and then all documents will be sent to Ankara for consideration.

It takes from 6 to 18 months from filing an application to making a decision in Ankara.

If for some reason your application for Turkish citizenship is denied, you can try again and go through all the stages again.

When acquiring Turkish citizenship, it is not necessary to renounce your citizenship, unless prohibited by the laws of your country. Turkish legislation allows its citizens to have a second citizenship. At the commission, you may be offered to withdraw from the citizenship of your country, but the presence of another citizenship cannot serve as a reason for refusing to issue Turkish citizenship.

ACQUISITION OF TURKISH CITIZENSHIP BY LARGE INVESTORS

Since 2017, foreigners who do not reside permanently in Turkey, but have made significant investments in real estate or the country’s economy, can also apply for Turkish citizenship. This group includes those foreigners who:

• Purchased real estate in Turkey at a cost of $ 250,000. It can be several properties. A prerequisite is the retention of ownership for 3 years from the date of purchase or
• Have invested in the Turkish economy from $ 2.000.000 or
• Put on accounts in Turkish banks from $ 3,000,000. A prerequisite is the preservation of deposits for at least 3 years

ACQUISITION OF TURKISH CITIZENSHIP BY OTHER WAYS

Turkish citizenship can be issued to foreigners without buying real estate or investing in the Turkish economy. Consider the options that exist in Turkish law today:
By birthright: a child whose biological father or mother has Turkish citizenship automatically becomes a Turkish citizen from the moment of birth. The place of birth does not matter.
By place of birth: a child born in Turkey by foreign parents, but who did not acquire any other citizenship at birth, is entitled to Turkish citizenship. A newborn who is on the territory of Turkey is considered to have been born here, unless proven otherwise.
By Adoption: A child adopted by a Turkish citizen can apply for Turkish citizenship.
By official marriage with a Turkish citizen: before applying for citizenship, you must have lived in an officially registered marriage with a Turkish citizen for at least 3 years. The non-fictitiousness of the marriage must be proven.
On a work visa: if a foreigner is officially employed in Turkey on the basis of a work permit and continuous work experience in Turkey is 5 years, he can also apply for Turkish citizenship.

BENEFITS OF OBTAINING TURKISH CITIZENSHIP

• the right to receive retirement benefits and other social benefits
• the possibility of official employment in any field of activity without the need for a work visa
• the possibility of a visa-free visit to 102 countries with a Turkish passport
• the opportunity to retain the citizenship of your country and enjoy the rights and benefits of both states

Please note that all the information provided is up-to-date and can be changed in accordance with changes in Turkish law.

Feel free to contact us for more details.