There are many benefits to acquiring Turkish citizenship. Foremost among these benefits is enjoying constitutional rights. As it is known, many important constitutional rights are offered exclusively to citizens, and foreigners cannot benefit from them. However, foreigners also have the right to become Turkish citizens.

There are many ways for those who want to acquire Turkish citizenship. Foremost among these is acquiring citizenship by birth. In this case, Turkish citizenship is acquired in two ways: citizenship by place of birth and citizenship by descent. Apart from these, there are other ways to acquire Turkish citizenship as well. Under this heading, we will explain all the options one by one.

Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship Based on Birth

The ways of acquiring Turkish citizenship based on birth are twofold: acquisition based on descent and acquisition based on place of birth. In both cases, Turkish citizenship is acquired automatically. The acquisition of Turkish citizenship by birth takes effect starting from the moment of birth.

Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship Based on Descent

Acquisition of Turkish citizenship by descent refers to the child acquiring the citizenship of the Turkish citizen father or mother to whom they are bound by descent at the moment of birth. This is expressed in the Constitution as follows: "Everyone bound to the Turkish State through the bond of citizenship is a Turk. The child of a Turkish father or a Turkish mother is a Turk. Citizenship is acquired under the conditions stipulated by law and is lost only in cases specified by law." In this case, it is sufficient for only one of the parents to be a Turkish citizen at the time of birth. The other parent being a foreign national does not prevent the child from acquiring Turkish citizenship.

Another situation to be known regarding Turkish citizenship acquired by birth is when one of the parents applies for Turkish citizenship and this application is approved. In this case, the right to apply is also granted to the children.

Persons who live outside the borders of Turkey and have not given notification regarding their birth even though they have completed the age of 18, are registered in the family registry if it is determined as a result of an examination to be made by the Ministry that they have acquired Turkish citizenship due to a Turkish citizen mother or father.

Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship Based on Place of Birth

Children born within the borders of Turkey who cannot acquire the citizenship of any country due to reasons such as the uncertainty of their mother or father, being stateless, or not being able to acquire citizenship in accordance with the national laws of their own country, acquire Turkish citizenship by birth.

If a child is found in Turkey, they are considered born in Turkey until it is certain that they were born outside the borders of Turkey. In this case, children who cannot express themselves yet due to their young age are registered in the population registry of the place where they were found, based on the minutes shown by law enforcement officials or relevant public institutions, or based on the declarations of those concerned.

Subsequent Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship

In accordance with Article 11 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, for foreigners to acquire Turkish citizenship, the following conditions are sought:

• Being of age and having the power of discernment according to the conditions specified in their own national law, or if stateless, according to the Turkish Civil Code No. 4721.

• The condition of having resided in Turkey continuously for five years backward from the date of the citizenship application.

• Confirming the decision to settle in Turkey through actions such as establishing a business in Turkey, acquiring real estate, moving the trade or business center to Turkey, investing in Turkey, working in a workplace with a work permit in Turkey, or marrying a Turkish citizen, making a family application, having a mother, father, sibling, or child who has previously acquired Turkish citizenship, or completing their education in Turkey.

• Not having a disease that poses a danger to general health conditions.

• Being able to show that they have good relations in Turkey by acting in accordance with the sense of responsibility brought by living together in society, creating trust in their environment due to the behavior they exhibit, and not having bad habits that will not be welcomed by society and will contradict social values.

• Being able to speak Turkish at a sufficient level to adjust to social life.

• Having an income and profession to provide for themselves and those they are obliged to look after in Turkey.

• Not having a situation that poses an obstacle to public order and national security.

Documents Required During This Application

The documents requested for Turkish citizenship are as specified below:

• Application form.

• A passport or similar document showing which state's citizen the person is. If stateless, a document showing that obtaining it is not possible.

• 2 biometric photographs with a white background, in the specified sizes and patternless.

• A document such as a birth certificate or population registry extract containing the person's identity information, or a population registry extract proving the family ties of their children and spouse if the person is married.

• A health report, the procedures of which are determined by the Ministry of Health, stating that the person does not have a disease that poses a danger to general health.

• Document showing marital status; marriage certificate if married, divorce certificate if divorced, document showing the death of the spouse if the person is a widow/widower.

• Tax plate, work permit, undertaking, or similar documents proving income or professional information showing that they provide for themselves and the people they are obliged to look after in Turkey.

• A document to be obtained from the provincial directorate of security showing the dates of entry to and exit from the country, indicating that they have resided in Turkey continuously for 5 years when calculated backward from the date of application.

• A residence permit with a duration sufficient for the conclusion of citizenship proceedings when looking forward from the date of application.

• A certified copy of the court decision if there is a finalized court decision against them due to any crime.

• A document obtained from the authorized institutions of their own country for the completion of the birth date if the person does not have a birth date in terms of month and day; in case this document cannot be obtained, a signed declaration showing that they accept the transactions required in accordance with the relevant article of the Population Services Law.

• Receipt showing that the person has deposited the service fee into the tax office cash desk.

Citizenship Application Authority and Procedure

Citizenship applications are made to the governorship of the person's place of residence in person or with a special power of attorney regarding the exercise of the right. Applications made by mail are not accepted. If the person is not of age and lacks the power of discernment, the citizenship applications of this person are carried out by their guardians or parents. While making a citizenship application, the foreign identity number is used during the application procedures. As the application date, the date on which the form petition submitted by the person is recorded in the document registry is valid.

A foreign person who wants to obtain Turkish citizenship can stay outside the borders of Turkey, provided that it does not exceed 6 months in total within the requested residence period. This period spent outside of Turkey and not exceeding 6 months in total is evaluated within the prescribed residence period. If the foreigner spends more than 6 months in total outside the borders of Turkey within the residence period, or stays in Turkey for more than 6 months without a valid residence permit or without obtaining a residence permit, this situation interrupts the residence period and the previous residence period is not taken into account.

Residing in Turkey legally without a residence permit or, even if legal, without showing an intention to settle in Turkey; by an asylum seeker who has applied for asylum or refuge, studying, or with a residence permit obtained for purposes such as tourism, accompanying a child, medical treatment, or with the identity card of foreign mission personnel providing consular or diplomatic privileges and immunities, is not accepted as a valid residence level regarding the acquisition of Turkish citizenship. If a person who is in Turkey for residence reasons that are not accepted for acquiring Turkish citizenship is later tied to a residence permit for a valid reason, the previous residence period is also included in the calculation. This mentioned provision does not apply to those who are in Turkey with a residence permit for tourism purposes.

The certification of official documents issued by a foreign authority is carried out in accordance with Article 59 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Population Services Law. Documents issued by foreign authorities, such as passports and diplomas, presented by foreign persons wishing to acquire Turkish citizenship at the time of application must be notarized and translated into Turkish. If deemed necessary, the certification regarding the compliance of the residence permit with its original can also be done by the provincial directorate.

Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship Through the Right of Choice

Those who have lost their Turkish citizenship by obtaining an exit permit can acquire Turkish citizenship by exercising their right of choice, if they lost their citizenship depending on their father and mother and if they submit a written notification to acquire citizenship within 3 years from the time they become of age.

The date taken as a basis regarding the effect of the loss of Turkish citizenship through the right of choice is the date on which the decision regarding the determination of the existence of the necessary conditions for the exercise of the right is made by the ministry.

Exceptional Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship

In cases specified in Article 12 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, Turkish citizenship can be acquired upon the proposal of the ministry. In this case, it is sufficient for the person not to have a situation that would pose an obstacle in terms of public order and national security, apart from the qualifications listed in Article 12. The person can acquire Turkish citizenship without looking at any other condition sought for the acquisition of Turkish citizenship.

Article 12 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901: Provided that they do not have an obstacle in terms of public order and national security, the foreigners listed below can acquire Turkish citizenship:

• Persons who have outstanding service or who are thought to have outstanding service in a technological, scientific, economic, sporty, social, artistic, and cultural field; who bring industrial facilities to Turkey and about whom a reasoned proposal is submitted by the relevant ministries.

• Persons whose naturalization is deemed necessary.

• Foreigners who obtain a residence permit in accordance with the 1st paragraph of Article 31 of the Foreigners and International Protection Law No. 6458 dated 2013, along with Turkuaz Card holders and the spouse of these foreigners, their or their spouse's non-adult or dependent foreign child.

Acquiring Citizenship with the Turkuaz Card System

The Turkuaz Card system was introduced for the first time in 2017. The main purpose of this system is to attract people such as artists, scientists, and athletes to the country, and to ensure that foreign investors who own capital do not encounter any obstacles regarding residence and work permits in Turkey and do not get stuck in a long bureaucratic process. This system also makes it possible to apply for Turkish citizenship.

Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship by Citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

If a person became a citizen of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus by birth and wants to acquire Turkish citizenship, they must declare in writing that they want to become a Turkish citizen. In this case, they can acquire Turkish citizenship by the decision of the ministry. In citizenship acquired in this way, the fact that the person becomes a Turkish citizen while being a citizen of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus does not affect their spouse, but the provisions of Article 20 of the Turkish Citizen Law No. 5901 are applied regarding their children. In addition, if the citizenship of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was acquired subsequently, the provisions of Article 11 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 are applied regarding these foreigners.

Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship Through Adoption

A foreign person who is not of age and is adopted by a Turkish citizen can acquire Turkish citizenship, provided that they do not have a situation that would obstacle public order and national security.

Documents Required to Acquire Citizenship Through Adoption

Certain documents must be present for the acquisition of Turkish citizenship through adoption. These documents are as listed below:

• An application form indicating the request of the adopter or guardian or trustee.

• 2 biometric photographs with a white background and patternless.

• A notarized Turkish translation of a duly approved birth certificate.

• A birth report to be issued based on the birth certificate.

• A receipt showing that the service fee has been deposited into the tax office cash desk.

The relevant person can apply with these documents to the governorship of the place of residence within the country, or to the foreign representations in person or with a special power of attorney regarding the exercise of this right outside the country. In this case, application by mail is not accepted. If the application concerns the citizenship of a person who is not of age or lacks the power of discernment, the application is made by the parent or guardian.

The foreign identity number is taken as a basis during the application and transaction for acquiring Turkish citizenship through adoption. The application date is accepted as the date on which the form petition submitted by the person is recorded in the document registry by the application authority. In this case, the certification of official documents obtained from foreign authorities is carried out in accordance with Article 59 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Population Services Law. It is sufficient for the documents obtained from foreign authorities, such as passports and diplomas, presented by foreign persons wishing to acquire Turkish citizenship during the application to be notarized and translated into Turkish. If deemed necessary, the certification that the residence permit complies with the original can also be done by the Provincial Directorate.

Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship as an Immigrant

The citizenship file of those who are accepted as immigrants after the necessary procedures are completed in accordance with the Settlement Law No. 5543 is prepared by the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management to be sent to the ministry. The ministry examines the file sent for the foreign person to acquire Turkish citizenship and makes a proposal. If a decision is made upon the proposal, Turkish citizenship is acquired.

Article 12 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901: Foreign persons whose decisions are made upon the proposal of the ministry (persons accepted as immigrants) can acquire Turkish citizenship, provided that they do not have an obstacle situation in terms of public order and national security.

Re-acquisition of Turkish Citizenship Without Residence Condition

Provided that they do not have any obstacle in terms of national security; Those who lost their Turkish citizenship by obtaining an exit permit, and children who lost their Turkish citizenship depending on their mother and father and did not exercise their right of choice within 3 years starting from the time they became of age, can regain Turkish citizenship regardless of the period they have resided in Turkey.

Article 13 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901; Provided that they do not have any situation that poses an obstacle in terms of national security, the persons listed below can regain Turkish citizenship with the decision of the ministry, regardless of the period they have resided in Turkey:

• Those who have lost their Turkish citizenship by obtaining an exit permit,

• Persons who lost their Turkish citizenship depending on their mother or father and did not exercise their right of choice within the period presented in Article 21.

Re-acquisition of Turkish Citizenship with Residence Condition

Those who have lost their Turkish citizenship in accordance with Law No. 5901 and those who have lost their Turkish citizenship by exercising their right of choice can regain Turkish citizenship, provided that they do not have a situation that would pose an obstacle in terms of national security and that they reside in Turkey for 3 years.

In accordance with Article 14 of Law No. 5901; those who lost their Turkish citizenship in accordance with Article 29 and those who lost their Turkish citizenship in accordance with Article 34 can regain Turkish citizenship with the decision of the Ministry, provided that they do not have an obstacle situation in terms of national security and on the condition of residing in Turkey for 3 years.

Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship Through Marriage

Marrying a Turkish citizen does not directly grant Turkish citizenship. In order for an application to be made by a foreigner to acquire Turkish citizenship, they must be married to a Turkish citizen for at least 3 years and this marriage must be ongoing.

If the Turkish citizen spouse dies after the date of application for citizenship and the marriage ends for this reason, the condition of living within family unity is not sought. Other details regarding the acquisition of citizenship through marriage are as follows:

• Foreign persons who have acquired Turkish citizenship through marriage are required to be in good faith in marriage in order to maintain their Turkish citizenship in case of nullity of marriage.

• In the case of foreign persons who have acquired Turkish citizenship through marriage, whether the citizenship will be maintained or not in the event of a decision of nullity is asked to the ministry through the Governorship.

In accordance with Article 16 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901: Being married to a Turkish citizen does not directly grant Turkish citizenship. However, foreign persons who have been married to a Turkish citizen for 3 years and whose marriage continues can apply to acquire Turkish citizenship. Certain other criteria are sought in these applicants along with the marriage duration. According to these criteria; living within family unity, not engaging in an activity incompatible with the marriage union, and not having a situation that could pose an obstacle to public order and national security are required.

Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship by Purchasing Real Estate

With a decision published in the Official Gazette in September 2018, some regulations were made that allow foreign persons to transition to Turkish citizenship. With this law that came into force in 2018, the citizenship fee in Turkey was determined, and the base price of the purchase amount for Turkish citizenship was determined to be valid on June 13, 2022.

Accordingly, in order to become a Turkish citizen, it is required to buy real estate worth a lower limit of 400,000 USD in Turkey or to make a commitment to the notary public to buy a property worth 400,000 USD.

Turkish Citizenship Through Investment

A new path has been offered since 2018 for those who want to obtain Turkish citizenship. Accordingly, foreign investors who buy real estate with a lower limit of 400,000 USD or make an investment with a lower limit of 500,000 USD can obtain Turkish citizenship, provided that they do not touch this investment for 3 years. Foreigners who invest in a fixed capital with a lower limit of 500,000 USD or employ 50 Turkish personnel can also benefit from this system.

Residence Permit and Turkish Citizenship of Real Estate Owners

Property owners who have a residence permit in Turkey for 5 years and have spent these 5 years of residence permit continuously in Turkey can apply for citizenship. In Article 11 of Law No. 5901, what is required to obtain a continuous residence permit is listed. There is no lower base amount regarding the property value in this matter.

Choosing the Investment Path to Get Turkish Citizenship

The options you have regarding the acquisition of Turkish citizenship are as follows:

• Purchasing Government Bonds Worth 500,000 USD: There is a condition not to sell for 3 years.

• Purchasing Shares Worth 500,000 USD from REIT or Risk Capital Fund: There is a condition not to sell for 3 years.

• Buying Property Worth 400,000 USD: There is a condition not to sell for 3 years.

• Depositing 500,000 USD of Cash into Turkish Banks: There is a condition not to withdraw for 3 years.

• Making a Fixed Asset Investment Worth 500,000 USD.

• Employing 50 Personnel in the Company: It is required that the employed personnel be Turkish citizens.

Documents Required During the Turkish Citizenship Application

Certain documents must be present when obtaining Turkish citizenship. These documents are as follows;

• A valid passport.

• Application form.

• Birth certificate.

• 4 passport photos for each family member.

• If married, the identity documents of the spouse and children under the age of 18, and original official documents proving family ties (marriage certificate, marriage wallet, children's birth certificates).

• Payment receipt made for the application.

• Residence permit registered on the passport or a valid tourist visa.

• Valuation report.

• For those whose spouses or relatives are T.C. citizens, a photocopy of their identity card and their residence addresses in Turkey.

• A receipt showing that the payment of 400,000 USD has been made.

• If the property to be purchased is in the project phase or under construction; notarized property purchase commitment.

Turkish Citizenship Application Process

If the citizenship application is to be made within the country, it is applied through the governorship in the residence address. For a citizenship application outside the country, the application must be made through the consulate general.

Application types and documents vary depending on the person's conditions. Obtaining Turkish citizenship is not limited to birth certificates, passports, marriage certificates, residence permits, T.C. identity numbers of spouses or relatives, or photographs. Individuals making individual applications must also enter a Turkish interview.

When the citizenship application will be made in Turkey depends on the special conditions of the person who will apply. This process can also be learned from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If the application is rejected according to the conditions and provisions prescribed by the Citizenship Law No. 5901, an application can be made again to the governorship where the residence is located.

Benefits of Turkish Citizenship

Being a Turkish citizen will provide certain advantages to the person. Turkish citizenship allows the person's spouse and all children under the age of 18 to become Turkish citizens together. The person does not need to declare their assets or income in other countries during the Turkish citizenship application. The person can continue to live abroad at any time they receive their residence permit or can make a citizenship application. In other words, the person does not have to live continuously in Turkey for a certain period of time to gain citizenship. People who are Turkish citizens can convert their investment into cash after holding it for 3 years. This provides people with a high earning opportunity.

Turkish citizens can travel to over 100 countries without a visa. Many of these countries allow Turkish citizens to stay between 1 month and 3 months without visa requirements. Some countries can issue electronic visas upon arrival or through online application. In other words, Turkish citizenship offers a visa-free travel opportunity with a Turkish passport. In addition, in 2013, the European Union launched the Visa Liberalization dialogue, opening the way to grant visa-free travel opportunities for Schengen countries. At the end of the process, Turkish citizens will be able to go to 26 more European countries without a visa. In the current situation, there is a right to visa-free travel to many Asian, American, European, and African countries.

Turkish Citizenship Application Process

After purchasing a real estate with a lower limit of 400,000 USD, your application to the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre will put the Turkish citizenship into process. In this case, the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre will check whether the real estate in question is worth at least 400,000 USD. The General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre gives approval for Turkish citizenship within 3 days to 7 days. As soon as the application is approved, it is necessary to apply to the immigration office to get a residence permit without an appointment. After receiving approval from the immigration office, you can apply to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs on the same day with your residence permit and identity card. All these processes are followed by the Citizenship Information Offices located in Ankara and Istanbul. Applications are concluded within 2 months to 6 months.