The Stages of Obtaining Turkish Citizenship for investors Step by Step
The following are the stages of naturalization in Turkey:
First: Property Selection and Initial Reservation Agreement:
After reviewing a wide range of options and identifying suitable ones for purchase, an initial reservation agreement is made. This agreement includes complete property details, the final price agreed upon, and any registration fees, taxes, and other associated costs.
Second: Property Appraisal:
An appraisal of the property is conducted with a value not less than the purchase price or the value recorded in the land registry. This report is prepared by certified individuals from the land registry department and includes all property details, legal permits, external and internal photos, architectural dimensions, and estimated property value, and mentions any issues such as mortgages or liens.
Third:Documentation of Property Payment via Bank Transfer:
One of the fundamental requirements for applying for Turkish citizenship, whether the property is purchased from a construction company or an individual, is transferring the property value through a personal bank account to the seller’s account, whether it’s a Turkish or foreign bank. The value mentioned in the transfer receipts must match the value recorded in the title deed, whether the transfer is in the local currency (Turkish Lira) or a foreign currency. Payment receipts from the seller’s account with a bank seal (original) are required.
Fourth:Private Agencies for Property Ownership Transfer and Turkish Citizenship Application:
Three copies of the agency responsible for following up on the citizenship application are prepared (please request the form). Two copies of the agency for property ownership transfer are also prepared (please request the form). In the case of children, an agency for granting citizenship to them is prepared (please request the form).
These agencies should be of the type “düzenleme şekli” and not the regular “vekalet name.” The agencies are given to the company’s team to submit the citizenship application and follow it up in official circles (arranged through a notary and at a cost of 1500 – 2500 Turkish Lira; costs vary outside of Turkey). To avoid the need for a separate agency for the spouse, it is preferable to add the spouse or husband to the first agency as a “proxy” and include the names and details of the children for proxy citizenship application. It is of utmost importance to include the following statement in the agency: “I agree to grant Turkish citizenship to myself and my children.”
Fifth: Translation and Authentication of Documents:
Certified translation by a notary for all family documents (husband, wife, and children under 18). Certified translation for the marriage certificate if the property owner is married. Certified translation for the civil status document if the property owner is single or divorced. Birth certificate or birth registration document for all family members (must include the city and country of birth at least). Two biometric passport-sized photos (for the property owner, spouse, and children). Certified translation of all passports.
Note: All government documents must be authenticated by the foreign ministry of the issuing country and the Turkish representative office (Turkish embassy or consulate) in that country. If authentication is not possible through the Turkish representative office in the issuing country, it must be authenticated by the representative office of that country in Turkey and then authenticated by the governor after translation and notarization.
If documents cannot be translated into Turkish, they should be translated into English and authenticated at the Turkish embassy. Afterward, send them to us for translation into Turkish and then have them notarized (the final version submitted to the naturalization office will be in Turkish).
Sixth:Property Reservation and No Sale for 3 Years:
An application is made to the land registry office to include a condition of not selling the property for a period of 3 years for the purpose of obtaining Turkish citizenship.
Seventh: Compliance Certificate:
An application is made to the land registry office to obtain a compliance certificate (“Uygunluk Belgisi”), indicating that you have met the requirements of the land registry office. It takes two to three weeks to issue this certificate.
Eighth: Investor Residence Permit:
After obtaining the compliance certificate, you can apply for an investor residence permit for the primary applicant only. Tourist or real estate residence permits can be obtained for the rest of the family members if they wish to reside in Turkey. If the primary applicant already has a tourist or real estate residence permit, it must be changed. The application file includes health insurance, personal photos, and tax payment receipts. The investor residence permit is issued within a maximum of 30 days.
Ninth: Application for Turkish Citizenship:
After obtaining the investor residence permit, you, your spouse, and all children under 18 years old are eligible to apply for Turkish citizenship. This is done by filling out the relevant forms and attaching the previously mentioned documents, then submitting them to the investor naturalization department.
Tenth: Stages of the Citizenship File:
There are 7 main stages:
1. Registration and approval of the application.
2. Send the file to the relevant authorities for examination.
3. Initial review of the file.
4. Comprehensive file review, archiving, and sending it to specialized authorities for evaluation.
5. Send the file to the Council of Ministers for approval.
6. Making a decision on the file.
7. Notification of the result and issuance of the naturalization decision.
These stages take up yo 6 months in total.
After approval, you will go to the Directorate of Population to provide your fingerprints for the issuance of IDs and passports.
Dr. Omer Al Bermawy