Acquisition of Turkish Citizenship for Foreign Real Person by Purchasing of Real Estate
Turkish citizenship may be acquired with two ways as a” birth” and application to the “competent authority”, according to the Turkish Citizenship Law (Law No.5901). A juvenile whose mother or father is a Turkish citizen entitles the Turkish citizenship with a birth. Persons who one of his/her parents is a non-Turkish citizen may entitle the Turkish Citizenship by application to the competent authority. Application to the competent authority is a way that any foreigners who meet the conditions may apply. Turkish Citizenship Law has foreseen the special and simplified process for some foreigners, in accordance with article 12 entitled "Exceptional cases in the acquisition of Turkish citizenship of Turkish Citizenship Law. Article 20 of the Implementing Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law, which regulates the implementation conditions of this process, has been amended by the Regulation on the Amendment of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law2 and entered into force in the Official Gazette on 12/01/2017.
With this amendment;
a) Foreigners determined by the Ministry of Commerce where they have made a fixed capital investment of at least USD 2,000,000
b) Foreigners who purchased real property amounting to USD 1,000,000
c) Foreigners determined by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security which employ at least 100 people
ç) Foreigners determined by the Undersecretariat of Treasury to purchase at least 3,000,000 US Dollars with the deposit for three years
d) Foreigners determined by the Undersecretariat of treasury who has purchased the Government debt instrument for at least 3.000.000 USD dollars and keeps it for 3 years
e) Foreigners determined by the Capital Markets Board to hold a real estate investment fund participation share or venture capital investment fund in the amount of at least 1,500,000 US Dollars and hold for three years, (with the amendment of dated on 05.05.2017)
may acquire Turkish citizenship provided that they do not have a situation that would interfere with national security and public order.
In terms of acquiring Turkish citizenship through immovable acquisition; foreigners who fulfill the following criteria in accordance with paragraph (b) of Article 20 of the directive pursuant to the provisions of the directive shall acquire Turkish citizenship with the “Presidential decision”.
*At least a million American Dollars must be purchased immovable property in Turkey,
* An annotation which states as “this real property should not be sold for three years” should be put onto the title deed,
*This annotation should be determined by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization,
*In addition to these conditions; according to article 12, a person who wants to have Turkish citizenship should not have a place to obstruct national security and public order to acquire of Turkish citizenship by exceptional way through real estate purchase.
*Effective sales rate of the Central Bank of Turkey will be valid at the time of the ministry's determination when monetary value is determined as TL equivalent.
As a result, , within the framework of Article 12 of any foreign Turkish Citizenship Law determined by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanism, provided that there is no obstacle in terms of national security and public order, a person who purchases a real property in the amount of at least US $ 1,000,000 duly and put an annotation for three years not to be sold, may apply the Presidency and if the application is approved, the President may be entitled to Turkish citizenship with his decision.
Kind Regards,
Aksan Law Office