No residence requirement
You are not required to live in Türkiye, to spend a minimum number of days there, or to give up your current passport.
Turkey Citizenship by Investment Requirements
Under the Turkish citizenship by investment programme, foreign investors qualify by acquiring participation shares in a regulated real estate or venture capital fund worth at least USD 500,000 and holding them for three years. The shares are blocked at the Central Securities Depository during that period.
You do not need to live in Türkiye, spend a minimum number of days there, or give up your current passport. A short-term residence permit is obtained as a procedural step in the citizenship file and does not create any obligation to reside.
The investment is a regulated, professionally managed holding that keeps working during the three years. Unlike a direct property purchase, there is no tenant to manage, no annual rental filing and no appraisal-mismatch delay. Figures reflect the programme as at August 2026 and are subject to change by Presidential decree.
Who Can Apply
Main Applicant Requirements
- Any foreign national aged 18 or over
- Clean criminal record
- Successfully pass due diligence checks
- Confirmed source of funds
- Qualified investor declaration and suitability form completed at onboarding
Eligible Dependents
- Spouse, included in the same application at no additional investment (marriage certificate apostilled and translated)
- Children under 18, included automatically
- Adult children apply separately with their own investment
Free PDF · 16 pagesFree investor guide
Download the Turkey Citizenship Investor Guide
A 16-page guide to Turkish citizenship through a USD 500,000 regulated fund investment: eligibility, documents, the step-by-step process, the three qualifying funds, tax position, costs and your options at year three.
- Who qualifies and which documents you need
- Fund vs direct property, compared side by side
- Tax position, costs and investor protections
- Process and timeline: first call to passport
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Continue on WhatsAppTurkey Citizenship by Investment Benefits
Dual citizenship permitted
Turkish law permits dual citizenship, so there is no need to renounce your current nationality.
Family included
Your spouse and children under 18 are included in the same application with no extra investment.
Remote process
With a power of attorney signed at a Turkish consulate in your country, or at a notary during a single visit, onboarding, subscription and the citizenship filing can be completed while you remain abroad. Biometric enrolment for the passport is normally the only step that requires attendance.
Fast timeline
Typically 3-6 months from investment to passport, subject to the authorities.
Lasting citizenship
Citizenship, once granted, is permanent, is inherited by your children, and is not withdrawn when the investment is sold. It permits property ownership and business activity without restriction and gives access to Türkiye's treaty network, including eligibility to apply for the United States E-2 investor visa.
Choose Your Fund
Three fund structures qualify for citizenship. All three require USD 500,000 and a three-year holding period. They differ in what the money does during those three years. All three are supervised by the Capital Markets Board of Türkiye, custodied independently and audited.
Real estate fund (GYF)
Balanced. Invests at least 80% in completed income-producing property, land and real-estate rights, with up to 20% in cash and money-market instruments. Rental income earned at fund level is exempt from corporate income tax. For investors who want property exposure without owning property directly.
Project fund (PGYF)
Balanced. Invests in residential development projects, buying units in ongoing projects or developing with landowners. Units bought before completion are secured by a land registry annotation, a mortgage and, where taken, a bank guarantee. Return depends on project completion and the sale or rental of the units.
Venture capital fund (GSYF)
Growth-oriented, with somewhat higher risk. Invests at least 80% in start-ups and growth companies through equity, debt and structured financing. For investors seeking exposure to Turkish entrepreneurship through a regulated vehicle.
Documents Required
Fund participation shares are sold only to qualified investors, and accounts are opened in line with Turkish capital markets regulations.
- Passport: original plus notarised Turkish translation, apostille where required
- Turkish tax identification number, obtained from the tax office or online
- Turkish bank account in your name, from which the investment is funded
- Proof of address: recent utility bill or bank statement from your country of residence
- Individual investment account at the depository, with a citizenship blockage sub-account
- Qualified investor declaration and suitability form (standard CMB forms)
- Fund rules and issuance document, signed at subscription
- Power of attorney (optional), so the process can continue without you in Türkiye
Costs of Turkey Citizenship by Investment
There is no entry fee charged to the citizenship investor by the fund manager. Fund-level expenses are met from fund assets and reflected in the unit price.
Investment
Minimum required investmentUSD 500,000 in fund participation shares
Portfolio management feeBorne by the fund, accrued daily in the unit price
Custody, depository and regulator feesBorne by the fund
Valuation and auditBorne by the fund
Investor costs
Legal fees for the citizenship fileCharged by the citizenship lawyer, quoted separately
Translation, apostille and notaryVaries by family size and country of origin
Government feesResidence permit and passport issuance charges
Tax Position in Türkiye
The fund structure removes two layers of tax that a direct property owner cannot avoid. Rates and exemptions are those in force in August 2026 and may be changed by Presidential decree or by amendment to the tax code.
Fund participation shares
Income earned on the assetEarned at fund level and exempt from corporate income tax
Withholding on your return0% for individuals holding more than two years
Annual tax return in TürkiyeNot required, the withholding is final
Property tax and leviesBorne at fund level within fund expenses
Transfer taxes on entryNo title deed fee for the investor
On saleRedemption or transfer of shares, no title transaction
Direct property ownership
Income earned on the assetRental income taxed in your hands each year
Annual tax return in TürkiyeRequired for rental income
Transfer taxes on entryTitle deed fee on purchase
On saleCapital gains tax on disposal within five years
Application Process For Turkey Citizenship by Investment
Two tracks run in sequence. The investment track is handled by us, and the citizenship process is carried out by a citizenship lawyer, either your own or one we introduce. The overall timeframe is typically 3-6 months.
01
Onboarding
A short call to understand your objective, then we send the onboarding pack and document checklist. Your Turkish tax number, bank account, individual securities account and citizenship blockage sub-account are opened, remotely if you prefer. Typically 1-2 weeks.
02
Investment
Foreign currency is transferred and converted, the subscription order is placed, and the participation shares are credited and blocked for three years. You choose the fund and subscribe. Typically a matter of days.
03
Certificate of Conformity
The Capital Markets Board confirms that the conditions are met and issues the Certificate of Conformity. Typically 15-30 days.
04
Citizenship file
The residence permit and citizenship application are handled by your citizenship lawyer, followed by the decision and passport issuance. Typically 3-6 months in total from investment.
Where Your Investment Sits
A fund is not a private arrangement. Assets, records and valuations sit with separate regulated institutions, and the numbers are published.
Assets held separately
Fund assets are held by an independent portfolio custodian under the Capital Markets Law and are ring-fenced from the manager's own balance sheet.
Shares in your own name
Participation shares are recorded in your name at the Central Securities Depository, with the citizenship blockage in a dedicated sub-account.
Published twice a year
Financial statements are independently audited and published on the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP) twice a year. Fund prices can also be followed through the public fund platform (TEFAS).
Independently valued
Real estate and projects are valued by appraisal firms licensed by the Capital Markets Board. You can see the value of your holding at any time through your own securities account.
Your Options at the End of the Holding Period
The three-year period applies to the investment, not to the passport. Citizenship is permanent and is not withdrawn when the investment is sold.
Redeem
Sell your participation shares back to the fund at the prevailing unit price and take the proceeds in cash or foreign currency.
Transfer
Sell your shares to another qualified investor. Transfers are recorded at the depository and require investment committee approval.
Stay invested or roll over
Keep the holding, or move into a different fund. Individuals holding more than two years continue to benefit from the 0% withholding position.
Legal Basis in Turkey
Article 20 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Nationality Law, which sets out the exceptional cases in which Turkish nationality is obtained, was amended by Presidential Decree No. 106, published in the Official Gazette on September 19, 2018. Under it, if the Capital Markets Board determines that a foreigner has purchased shares of a real estate investment fund or venture capital fund worth at least the required amount in foreign currency or its equivalent in Turkish Lira, and will hold them for at least three years, Turkish citizenship can be granted by Presidential decree.
