Turkey is a developing country with its boosting economic and social capacities. For this reason, Turkey became a focal point for investors, businesspersons, students, and families due to its increasing capacities for all types of people. Thus, Turkey has become an immigrant-receiver country for the last twenty years. Turkey also accepts foreigners as citizens when they meet the criteria determined in the Turkish Citizenship Law. Turkey is an appealing country for foreigners not only because of its increasing capacities but also because of its welcoming attitude towards foreigners. It is easy to get Turkish citizenship compared to other European countries. The details and criteria of citizenship are determined in the citizenship law.
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Details and Criteria of Turkish Citizenship According to Turkish Citizenship Law
Turkey accepts foreigners as citizens according to their compatibility with Turkish Citizenship Law. Here are the details of the law:
Conditions to Get Turkish Citizenship
There are two ways to acquire Turkish citizenship. First one is through birth and birthplace. If a person is a child of a Turkish mother or father, the baby is accepted as a Turkish citizen. If the mother is a Turk and the father is a foreigner or unknown the baby gets the citizenship immediately but if the father is a Turk and the mother is foreigner, the baby gets the Turkish citizenship after the DNA test is done and compatibility between the baby and the father is proved to the Turkish court. Another way to get Turkish citizenship is through birthplace. If a child is born in Turkey and the mother and father are unknown, the baby is accepted as Turkish citizen automatically. Also, if the baby’s parents are stateless, the baby can get Turkish citizenship, too.
Second way to get Turkish citizenship is through an application by meeting some criteria. The foreigners and stateless people can apply for Turkish citizenship when they believe they meet the criteria mentioned below:
1. 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. This is the primary rule for application. However, there is no restrictions for family applications, the parents can apply for their non-adult children, too.
2. The person must live at least five years before the application date. It means that you must be living in Turkey for five years on the day you apply for citizenship. In some situations such as investment or business establishing the rule of five years may not be necessary. Also, for Turkic countries’ citizens, the minimum limit for living in Turkey is two years.
3. The person must prove his/her intention to live in Turkey by meeting some conditions. The proof of intention can be shown in different ways. These are:
Property Investment
According to Turkish Citizenship Law, you can apply for and get Turkish citizenship if you buy an immovable asset such as house, land or office worth of at least $250.000. This amount was $1.000.000 before 2018 but it was reduced to $250.000. Thus, Turkey has become more appealing for property investors. With its booming construction sector countrywide, Turkey welcomes property investors for citizenship.
However, there are some rules that need to be followed. For example, the immovable asset can’t be in Turkish security places such as military bases and can’t be sold for three years. There are companies which help you to find houses and help you in the application process. Thus, buying immovable assets through these companies enables you to guarantee your investment and citizenship. Big cities like İstanbul and Ankara, touristic and trade cities like Antalya and İzmir and industry and winter tourism cities like Bursa are very profitable cities for property investment with their increasing potential and expanding living areas. For opportunities in these cities and for investments compatible with Turkish citizenship law, visit here.
Capital Investment and Business Establishing
According to the Turkish Citizenship Law, if you make a capital investment worth of at least $500.000, you can apply for and get Turkish citizenship. Another way to get Turkish citizenship is by buying state bonds worth $500.000. This minimum amount was $2.000.000 before 2018 but it is redetermined at $500.000 after the readjustment. Thus, Turkey offers great opportunities for investors in these days.
You can apply for and get Turkish citizenship by establishing businesses, too. A foreigner can become a Turkish citizen if he or she establish a business that employs at least 50 people.
Marriage
If a foreigner marries a Turkish citizen and stays married for three years, he or she can apply for and get Turkish citizenship via marriage. In the case of divorces after three years, the citizenship status of a foreigner is not affected by divorce. But if a divorce takes place before three years, the citizenship status of a foreigner is reevaluated by the Ministry of Interior Affairs.
Education
Education is regarded as proof of intention to live in Turkey and enables foreigners to get Turkish citizenship. If a foreigner decides to get his or her educations, he or she can apply for citizenship.
Family Applications
Even though it is not a condition, it is always better to apply as a family as proof of 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 conditions that take place in the Turkish Citizenship Law. The applicants who want to be Turkish citizens have to meet the required criteria and deliver the necessary documents to the Turkish authorities. Turkey welcomes all types of people from investors to workers and students as long as they show the intention to live in Turkey and don’t pose a threat to Turkish national security and social order.
