A complete guide to obtaining Turkish citizenship through real estate investment and through the other investment routes: bank deposit, government bonds, investment funds, the private pension system, fixed capital investment and employing 50 people. It is written only from the original official texts: the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law, Land Registry (TKGM) Circular 2024/4 and its official guide, and documents from the competent government authorities — with a link to the source next to each piece of information.
Last review of the regulations: October 2026. Laws and figures change, so always confirm with the official authority before taking any step, or contact us.
1- Routes to Turkish citizenship by investment
Under Article 20 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law, a foreigner who meets one of the following conditions may acquire Turkish citizenship by decision of the President, as one of the exceptional acquisition cases in Article 12/1-b of Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901:
| Investment type | Minimum | Official authority that confirms the condition |
|---|---|---|
| Buying property (with kat mülkiyeti or kat irtifakı, or land with a building) with a 3-year no-sale annotation on the title deed | USD 400,000 | Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change (through the General Directorate of Land Registry) |
| Fixed capital investment | USD 500,000 | Ministry of Industry and Technology |
| A Turkish lira deposit in banks operating in Turkey for 3 years, after the foreign currency is sold to a bank and then to the Central Bank | USD 500,000 | Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) |
| Turkish lira government bonds held for 3 years, after the foreign currency is sold to the Central Bank through a bank | USD 500,000 | Ministry of Treasury and Finance |
| Real estate investment fund or venture capital fund shares held for 3 years | USD 500,000 | Capital Markets Board (SPK) |
| Private pension system, staying in it for 3 years | USD 500,000 | Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency |
| Employing at least 50 people | — | Ministry of Labour and Social Security |
Latest amendment to Article 20: Presidential Decision No. 7938, Official Gazette 12/12/2023 (Reference: Article 20).
Property types that qualify for citizenship, by how they are registered at the Land Registry:
| Type | Building status | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| kat irtifakı (construction servitude) | A building under construction that is not yet complete and has no occupancy permit; each unit has its own title deed with its number (Reference: Law 634, Articles 2/c and 14) | Apartment, shop |
| kat mülkiyeti (condominium ownership) | A completed building with an occupancy permit (Yapı Kullanma İzin Belgesi), so the unit’s title deed has changed from kat irtifakı to kat mülkiyeti (Reference: Law 634, Article 3) | Apartment, shop |
| Land with a building | Land registered as building land (arsa) with a permanent building that has an occupancy permit, so the building and its land are registered together (Reference: Land Registry guide) | Villa, building, shop |
All three types qualify for citizenship (Reference: Land Registry guide).
⚠️ The figures and conditions in this section are taken from the official authorities and may change at any time. Please confirm them with the official authority or contact us before taking any step.
2- Conditions for a citizenship-eligible property
Property value: three documents
The amount in each of these three documents must be at least USD 400,000 (Reference: Land Registry guide):
| Document | Amount concerned |
|---|---|
| 1. Title deed sale record | The sale price written in it, based on the lira amount in the Foreign Currency Purchase Certificate (DAB) |
| 2. Bank transfer receipts | The total amount transferred from the buyer’s account to the seller’s account, with a receipt certified by the bank |
| 3. TTB valuation certificate | The property value accepted for citizenship, in US dollars |
The three amounts do not have to be equal.
Example that qualifies: title deed USD 450,000, transfers USD 405,000, valuation USD 410,000.
When is the condition not met? If the amount in any of the three documents is below USD 400,000 (Reference: Land Registry guide).
Valuation cap: if the dollar value in the TTB is higher than the amount of the DAB submitted for that property, only the DAB amount is counted. If the amount is reached with more than one property, the TTB values of all the properties are added together (Reference: Land Registry guide).
Other conditions
- Property type: a property registered as an independent unit under the Condominium Law (kat mülkiyeti or kat irtifakı), or land registered as building land with a permanent building that has an occupancy permit (Yapı Kullanma İzin Belgesi) (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- Bought in the investor’s own name: properties registered to the spouse, children or others are not counted in the investor’s investment, nor are properties registered to a company the investor manages or is a partner in (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- Number of properties: there is no limit on the number of properties in a normal purchase (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- Payment in foreign currency: the price in foreign currency is sold to a bank in Turkey, which sells it to the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey; the bank issues the Foreign Currency Purchase Certificate (Döviz Alım Belgesi – DAB) and sends it to the land registry office through the KEP system (Reference: Land Registry guide). This has applied since Article 20 was amended on 06/01/2022, and the DAB has been required since 24/01/2022 (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- Bank transfer receipt: a bank-certified receipt is submitted to the Land Registry showing that the price was transferred from the buyer (or a related person) to the seller (or a related person). In principle its amount equals the DAB amount; if they differ, it is enough that the receipt amount meets the minimum at the DAB exchange rate (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- No-sale annotation: an undertaking not to sell for 3 years is annotated on the title deed (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- TTB certificate: based on a valuation report from any appraisal company licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK); the report is requested through WebTapu/TADEBİS, and the certificate is sent electronically only — paper certificates are not accepted. The gap between the TTB date and the application date must not exceed 12 months (Reference: Circular 2024/4).
⚠️ The figures and conditions in this section are taken from the official authorities and may change at any time. Please confirm them with the official authority or contact us before taking any step.
3- Properties that do not qualify
- Vacant land and agricultural land, and timeshare properties (devre mülk) (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- A property already used for citizenship: a property can be used for citizenship only once; once a conformity certificate has been issued for it, it cannot be used by another foreigner. A property registered to a person who acquired citizenship exceptionally does not qualify, nor does a resale property that any foreigner or exceptional-citizenship holder transferred to a Turkish citizen or Turkish company within the last 3 years (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- Related-party property: a property registered to foreigners or to the buyer’s Turkish first-degree relatives (by blood or marriage); a resale property that the buyer or their first-degree relatives transferred to a Turkish citizen or Turkish company; or a property owned by a company in which the buyer or their first-degree relatives are partners or managers (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- Mortgages, seizures and annotations: a mortgaged or seized property may be sold, but its amount is not counted towards the investment, and the conformity certificate is cancelled if it is sold through a forced sale. A property with a statutory mortgage (kanuni ipotek) does not qualify, nor does one with an annotation that could change ownership (a promise to sell, a 150-c annotation or a pending-lawsuit annotation). If bought with a foreign-currency loan, the loan amount is deducted from the value (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- Shared ownership: if several foreigners buy shares in the same property it does not qualify; if one foreigner buys the whole property from several owners, it does (Reference: Land Registry guide).
Available properties: Citizenship-eligible properties.
⚠️ The figures and conditions in this section are taken from the official authorities and may change at any time. Please confirm them with the official authority or contact us before taking any step.
Our Success Partners’ Turkish citizenship stories (videos in Arabic)
4- Steps to citizenship through property
- Choosing an eligible property that meets the conditions in sections 2 and 3 (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- Valuation report and TTB certificate through WebTapu/TADEBİS (Reference: Circular 2024/4).
- Payment in foreign currency and the DAB, which the bank sends to the Land Registry through KEP, with the certified transfer receipt (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- Title deed transfer at the Land Registry, with the 3-year no-sale annotation (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- Conformity certificate (current official name: Taşınmaz Yatırım Tespit Belgesi; it was called Uygunluk Belgesi until the Land Registry guide was revised on 22/11/2023 (reference)): it confirms that the property meets the citizenship conditions, that its value is at least USD 400,000 and that the owner has undertaken not to sell it for 3 years. It is issued by the General or Regional Directorate of Land Registry (Reference: Land Registry guide).
- Investor’s residence permit: once the conformity certificate is issued, the investor applies to the Presidency of Migration Management for a residence permit under Article 31/1-j of Law 6458; it also covers the foreign spouse and the minor or dependent children of the investor and spouse (Reference: Law 6458, Article 31/1-j).
- Citizenship application: the holder of this residence permit may apply for Turkish citizenship together with the foreign spouse and the minor or dependent children of both; the decision is made by the President (Reference: Citizenship Law 5901, Article 12/1-b).
Buyer’s documents at the title deed transfer
| Document or step | What the official text says |
|---|---|
| Passport | The foreigner’s identity is proven by passport or national ID. A passport in Latin letters does not need translating; a passport or ID in non-Latin script may need a translation if the land registry office requires it (Reference: Land Registry Circular 2013/13). |
| Identity information form (Kimlik Bilgileri Beyanı Formu) | Completed in every land registry transaction for a foreigner, with information not in the passport such as father’s and mother’s names. A representative may complete it without any extra authority in the power of attorney (Reference: Land Registry Circular 2019/11). |
| Photo | A photo is attached to the form if the buyer attends in person; no photo is required when the transaction is done by power of attorney (Reference: Land Registry Circular 2019/11). |
| Tax number | The tax number is written in the sale record (Reference: Land Registry Law 2644, Article 26/5). The foreigner identification number (YKN) is used as the tax number; if none has been issued, the transaction is completed with the tax number (Reference: Land Registry Circular 2019/11). |
| Interpreter | If the buyer does not speak Turkish, a sworn interpreter who has taken an oath before a court attends and signs the sale record; they must not be a land registry employee (Reference: Land Registry Regulation, Article 24). |
| Power of attorney (if the buyer does not attend) | A power of attorney drawn up under Notaries Law No. 1512, with authority for the transaction and the principal’s signature (Reference: Land Registry Regulation, Article 18/4). For citizenship, it must include explicit authority such as “to undertake not to sell the property for 3 years” or “to apply for citizenship under the Turkish Citizenship Law” (Reference: Land Registry guide). |
| Transfer receipts | A certified bank receipt (onaylı banka dekontu) showing that the minimum price was paid to the seller or their representative, submitted before the no-sale annotation is placed. It must contain or refer to the property details in the DAB. Transfers made before the DAB was issued have receipts in foreign currency; those made after, in Turkish lira (Reference: Land Registry guide). |
Citizenship application documents
The citizenship file is made up of these documents (Reference: Citizenship Law Regulation, Article 20/3):
- The application form.
- Passport or a document showing the applicant’s nationality.
- Civil status document: marriage certificate if married, divorce certificate if divorced, spouse’s death certificate if widowed.
- Birth certificate or civil registry record; if married, a civil registry record or document showing the relationship to the spouse and children.
- Civil registry record of any first- or second-degree relatives who are Turkish citizens (obtained by the authority from the system).
- If the date of birth lacks the day and month: a document from the home country’s authorities completing it, or a signed undertaking accepting the procedure under Article 39 of Civil Registry Services Law 5490.
- Receipt for the service fee.
The law requires that there is no obstacle to granting citizenship in terms of national security and public order (Reference: Citizenship Law 5901, Article 12/1).
⚠️ The documents required differ from one investor to another depending on their country, civil status and circumstances. Please contact us to learn which documents apply in your case.
Residence details: Residence in Turkey guide 2026.
⚠️ The figures and conditions in this section are taken from the official authorities and may change at any time. Please confirm them with the official authority or contact us before taking any step.
5- Bank deposit and the other investment routes
Besides property, Article 20 sets out the following routes:
- Bank deposit: USD 500,000 (or the equivalent in foreign currency) is sold before the transaction to a bank operating in Turkey, which sells it to the Central Bank, and the resulting amount is kept as a Turkish lira deposit for 3 years. This is confirmed by the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK), and the Central Bank sets the procedures (Reference: Article 20).
- Government bonds: USD 500,000 is sold to the Central Bank through a bank before the transaction, and the resulting amount is invested in Turkish lira government debt instruments for 3 years, confirmed by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance (Reference: Article 20).
- Investment funds: the foreign currency is sold to the Central Bank through a bank before the transaction, then USD 500,000 of real estate investment fund or venture capital fund shares are bought and held for 3 years, confirmed by the Capital Markets Board (Reference: Capital Markets Board).
- Private pension: USD 500,000 is sold to the Central Bank through a bank before the transaction, and the resulting Turkish lira amount is placed in private pension funds set by the Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency, staying in the system for 3 years (Reference: Article 20).
- Fixed capital: an investment of USD 500,000, confirmed by the Ministry of Industry and Technology (Reference: Article 20).
- Employment: creating at least 50 jobs, confirmed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (Reference: Ministry of Labour).
- Switching between routes: it is possible to switch between the investment types above to complete the 3-year period (Reference: Article 20).
- Exchange rate: amounts are calculated at the Central Bank’s effective selling rate on the date of verification (Reference: Article 20).
⚠️ The figures and conditions in this section are taken from the official authorities and may change at any time. Please confirm them with the official authority or contact us before taking any step.
6- Who may own property? Holders of travel documents
| What the official text says | Reference |
|---|---|
| The President determines the countries whose citizens may own property in Turkey, and may restrict, suspend or prohibit ownership | Article 35, Land Registry Law 2644 |
| The Land Registry examines every ownership application against the list of countries annexed to the decision | Land Registry Circular 2012/12 |
| Syria is not on the list, so new ownership applications are refused directly by the land registry office | Land Registry Circular 2012/12 |
| Citizens of neighbouring countries who are allowed to own property cannot buy in the Turkish provinces bordering their country | Land Registry Circular 2012/12 |
| Citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are treated like Turkish citizens for ownership | Land Registry Circular 2012/12 |
Land Registry Circular 2012/12 (1734), last amended 17/11/2022.
Ask the land registry office about the position of each nationality before taking any step.
Holders of documents from the State of Palestine
Land Registry Circular 2013/13 (1750), “Yabancılara İlişkin Tapu İşlemlerinde Kimlik Tespiti”, sets out three cases for citizens of the State of Palestine (Reference: Circular 2013/13):
| Case | What the Land Registry accepts |
|---|---|
| 1. A document issued by another country (including a refugee travel document, “mülteci seyahat belgesi”) | Accepted as proof of identity if submitted with the residence permit issued by the Presidency of Migration Management. |
| 2. A travel document or passport from a country whose citizens face no ownership restrictions, with the nationality clearly stated as “Filistin” | Accepted without any other document; the holder is treated as having Palestinian nationality. |
| 3. A document that does not state the nationality | Accepted after an official document showing the nationality as “Filistin” is submitted — one of two: • a document from the competent authorities of the home country (civil registry record, birth certificate, etc.), with signatures certified by the Turkish consulate in Palestine; • or a document from the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Ankara or its Consulate in Istanbul (or the consulate of the country that issued the travel document) showing the nationality as “Filistin”, with signatures certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the governorate where the mission is located, or by the district governor or governor if authorised. |
Source: General Directorate of Land Registry Circular 2013/13 (1750), 16/09/2013.
⚠️ The figures and conditions in this section are taken from the official authorities and may change at any time. Please confirm them with the official authority or contact us before taking any step.
7- Frequently asked questions from the official Land Registry guide
Can I buy more than one property to reach USD 400,000?
Yes. There is no limit on the number of properties in a normal purchase, and the TTB values are added together. (Reference: Land Registry guide)
Do properties in my spouse’s or children’s names count towards my investment?
No. Only what is bought in the investor’s own name counts. (Reference: Land Registry guide)
Must the transfer receipt amount equal the DAB amount?
In principle yes; if they differ, it is enough that the receipt amount meets the minimum at the DAB exchange rate. (Reference: Land Registry guide)
Is the full TTB valuation counted if it is higher than the DAB?
No. Only the amount equal to the DAB submitted for that property is counted. (Reference: Land Registry guide)
When is the no-sale annotation removed?
After the 3-year period ends, at the owner’s request. (Reference: Land Registry guide)
What happens if the property is sold back to the previous owner?
If the property is sold after the period to the previous owner or their first-degree relatives, the conformity certificate is cancelled. (Reference: Land Registry guide)
Can an old TTB certificate be used?
The gap between its date and the application date must not exceed 12 months; otherwise the valuation report is renewed. (Reference: Circular 2024/4)
⚠️ The figures and conditions in this section are taken from the official authorities and may change at any time. Please confirm them with the official authority or contact us before taking any step.
8- Related pages
Gate Istanbul Real Estate since 2012: we help you choose the right property for citizenship, check its conditions before you buy, and follow the file until the decision is issued.
Contact us on WhatsAppOfficial sources: Citizenship Law Implementing Regulation – Article 20 · Land Registry Circular 2024/4 (updated 28/09/2026) · Official Land Registry guide (in force since 09/12/2024) · Land Registry Law 2644 – Article 35 · Capital Markets Board · Ministry of Labour
This page is general information, not legal advice. Regulations change, so check with the official authority or contact us before taking any step.
