How to apply for Turkish citizenship?

What are the cases in which applying for Turkish citizenship is possible?

Turkish law allows granting the right of citizenship to foreigners who wish to be Turks, as is the case in many countries, by granting them Turkish citizenship, and thus they become Turkish citizens with full rights and duties towards their state.

The Turkish Constitution shows the cases in which a foreign citizen has the right to apply for Turkish citizenship under the law, which is as follows:

• Applying for Turkish citizenship by work permit

A foreigner residing in Turkey for 5 consecutive years under a work permit has the right to apply for Turkish citizenship, provided that during that period he/she works for the same employer, and that he/she has not left the country during his/her stay for a total period of more than 360 days, and that he/she can speak minimally Turkish.

• Apply upon investment

A foreign investor has the right to apply for Turkish citizenship under the Turkish law on granting citizenship to foreigners, and the procedures for the investor category in applying for Turkish citizenship are easier and faster than other cases, and investors applying for Turkish citizenship are divided into the following cases:

1. Investing in real estate

Under Turkish law, a foreign investor in the Turkish real estate sector is granted Turkish citizenship, if he buys a property or a group of properties in Turkey with a value of $250,000.

In this case, the investor must transfer the amount from abroad and enter it into Turkey, and not sell the property for 3 years.

2. Investing in a bank deposit

Turkish law states that a foreigner has the right to apply for Turkish citizenship if he deposits an amount of at least $500,000 in a Turkish bank, provided that he does not withdraw that money for a period of 3 years.

3. Providing job opportunities for Turks

A foreign investor in Turkey can apply for Turkish citizenship if he provides job opportunities for 50 Turkish citizens in his investment project.

4. Buying Turkish shares

A foreign investor is granted Turkish citizenship if he purchases shares in Turkish real estate investment trusts (REITs) or venture capital funds (VCTs) with a value of $500,000.

• Applying for Turkish citizenship under family residency

This is in the event that the foreigner is married to a Turkish citizen and his marriage is registered in Turkey, and the date of his marriage registered in Turkey for a period of 3 years has passed, and he is residing under the family residence.

In all of the previous cases, the foreigner applying for Turkish citizenship must not pose a threat to Turkish national security or work for a party hostile to Turkey, and must not have a judicial record of any violation in Turkey.

Procedures accompanying the process of applying for Turkish citizenship

Applications for obtaining Turkish citizenship are submitted in all cases in which a foreigner is entitled to apply to the Turkish Population Directorate or the Investment Office if the application is for investor cases, but the nature of the documents submitted varies according to the situation under which the application will be submitted.

The most important procedures that accompany the process of applying for Turkish citizenship:

• Obtaining residence permit
• Translation and notation procedures for the required documents
• Preparing the required files and documents
• Submit the application and files through the Population Department of the Investment Office

Documents required to apply for Turkish citizenship

First: In cases of investment:

• An official document proving the investment in the required amount according to the law
• Marriage document translated into Turkish and certified
• Birth certificate for all applicants for citizenship of a wife and children under the age of 18
• A certified and translated family statement
• Passport copies for all family members
• Certificate of freedom from dangerous diseases
• 4 biometric photos for each person
• Certification of all papers issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the home country, their translation into Turkish, and their ratification by the Turkish consulate in the origin country.
• A special agency for a lawyer to manage the citizenship transaction

Second: In the case of marriage to a Turkish citizen

• The official marriage contract document in Turkey to prove the extension of the marriage date to 3 years
• Birth certificate or registration release for the husband, wife, and children under 18 years of age
• Turkish wife's ID copy
• Passport copy
• Attestation of all papers issued abroad by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the mother country, their translation into Turkish, and attestation at the Turkish Consulate in the origin country
• 4 biometric photos for each person
• A special agency for a lawyer to manage the citizenship transaction

Third: In the case of applying for citizenship by purchasing a property

• A copy of the title deed of the purchased property or a contract of promise to sell is certified by the notary public.
• Original payment receipts from the buyer's account, stamped with a live seal from the sending bank.
• Valid property evaluation report.
• Original receivables from the seller's account, stamped with a seal from the receiving bank.
• Passport copies of all family members: husband, wife, and children under the age of 18.
• Marriage certificate translated into Turkish and certified.
• Certificate of freedom from dangerous diseases
• Attestation of all papers issued abroad by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the mother country, their translation into Turkish, and attestation at the Turkish Consulate in the origin country
• 4 biometric photos for each person
• A special agency for a lawyer to manage the citizenship transaction

Fourth: In the case of applying upon a work permit

• Work permit copy
• Passport copy
• A family statement translated and certified
• A health certificate that proves that you are free from serious diseases
• Attestation of all papers issued abroad by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the mother country, their translation into Turkish, and attestation at the Turkish Consulate in the origin country
• 4 biometric photos for each person
• A special agency for a lawyer to manage the citizenship transaction

Which is better? Applying for Turkish citizenship individually or through a legal company?

The application mechanism for Turkish citizenship is linked to a precise and sensitive process of checking the data provided within the naturalization file. Therefore, it is always recommended that those with expertise in Turkish law and checking the data in submitting these files, thereby ensuring that the file is not rejected or causing problems for the applicant.

The services of the Gars Consulting Company in the field of applying for Turkish citizenship

Gars Consulting Company provides full services with high professionalism in providing citizenship files in all their cases and following them up through a team of experienced and professional Turkish lawyers.

It also works to provide its services to individuals and customers directly, or through collaboration with companies such as real estate brokerages and investment companies.