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How to Get Turkish Citizenship by Property Investment
There are various ways to get Turkish citizenship such as citizenship through investment, citizenship through education and citizenship through marriage. Making property investment by buying immovable assets is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get Turkish citizenship. The minimum amount for property investment was $1.000.000 before 2018 but after the adjustment made in the Citizenship Law, the minimum amount was reduced to the $250.000. Thus, Turkey makes the process easier for investors who want to be a Turkish citizen.
The Conditions for Citizenship through Property Investment
There are some conditions that have to be met while applying for Turkish citizenship. Here are the details to get Turkish citizenship by property investment:
- Property investment can be made by buying immovable assets such as houses, offices, etc.
- The minimum amount for property investment has to be at least $250.000. The minimum limit doesn’t have to be for one immovable asset like a house or office. You can reach the minimum amount by buying immovable assets more than one.
- The foreigner cannot buy immovable assets more than ten hectares in total. Even the assets are in different cities, the limit is still valid. Thus, a foreigner cannot buy a land or property more than ten hectares.
- The property cannot be in the security areas such as military bases. Thus, it is better to consult with military authorities in the region that the house will be bought, or you can make an investment through companies that guide you according to the procedure. For houses and consultation, you can visit here.
- The $250.000 minimum limit is valid for investments that were made after 19.09.2018. For the applications that refer to property investments which were made before 19.09.2018, the minimum limit is $1.000.000.
- The immovable assets can be bought at different times. They don’t have to be bought on the same day.
- The immovable assets which were bought to get Turkish citizenship, cannot be sold for at least three years. In the case of sale before three years, the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre informs the Ministry of Interior Affairs and the citizenship status of the investor is reevaluated by the Ministry of Interior Affairs.
- If the investment is made any currency other than the dollar, the investment has to be equal of $250.000 in that currency. The currency rate is determined according to the Turkish Central Bank’s data in the day that investment takes place.
- Even though it is not a condition and not mandatory, it is better to apply as a family to show the willingness to live in Turkey. However, Turkey accepts personal applications, too.
Other Conditions to Get Turkish Citizenship
Buying an immovable asset worth of $250.000 is not the only condition that has to be met. There other conditions besides the property investment.
- The person needs to be an adult according to its own country’s constitution. If the person is stateless, the person must be an adult according to the Turkish constitution.
- The person must live at least five years before the application date.
- The person must prove his/her intention to live in Turkey by meeting some of the conditions such as making a property investment, making capital investment, marrying a Turkish citizen, getting an education in Turkey, etc. Thus, buying an immovable asset is an important factor to get Turkish citizenship because it proves the intention to live in Turkey.
- The foreigner who applies for citizenship must not have health conditions that endanger society.
- To have good morality, to be a trustable person and not to have bad addictions.
- To be able to speak Turkish in a necessary and desired level.
- To have the economic capacity or a job to take care of himself/herself and his/her family.
- Not to be a threat to Turkish national security and social order.
These are the general conditions that have to be met to get Turkish citizenship and property investment is an important part of the application procedure because it is your proof of intention to live in Turkey.
Advantages of Property Investment
Turkey is an appealing country for investment in immovable assets. With the booming construction sector, buying houses and offices is one of the most stable investment types in Turkey. The prices are also very low compared to other European countries. There are lots of cities in construction and numerous new places are open for construction investment and have a high potential to be a stable and profitable investment. Not only İstanbul but also numerous cities of Turkey are developing, such as Antalya as a tourism center in the Mediterranean, Bursa as a big industry and tourism city in the Marmara region and İzmir as a big trade and tourism city in the Aegean side of Turkey. Thus, Turkey waits for the property investors who would like to contribute to the Turkish construction sector.
For the immovable assets like houses and offices in İstanbul and other big cities in Turkey, you can visit here and see the opportunities and guides to get Turkish citizenship through buying immovable assets.
The Documents Needed for Applications
- After the investment and buying of an immovable asset, you can apply to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. After it is recognized by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, the person can apply for and get Turkish nationality. The report taken by ministry is necessary for your citizenship application.
- Identity card or passport,
- Photos of buyer and seller,
- Certified translator for the ones who can’t speak Turkish,
- If there is a proxy situation, the proxy document is necessary,
Become a Turkish Citizen by Property Investment
As mentioned above, Turkey is a friendly country for property investors. Thus, foreigners can be a Turkish citizen by property investment easily compared to other European countries. To sum, Turkey welcomes property investors as Turkish citizens.
