The Turkey Citizenship by Investment program has seen some significant changes in recent years. From whom needs to attend appointments to new criminal record checks, it’s important to understand how the Turkey Citizenship by Investment changes may affect your application.
As the program has become more popular, thanks to the short waiting period and low minimum investment requirements, obtaining Turkish citizenship through investment is set to remain one of the contenders for top citizenship by investment (CBI) programs.
Turkey Citizenship by Investment Changes: Key Takeaways
What is the Turkey Citizenship by Investment Program?
The Turkey Citizenship by Investment program offers foreign nationals the opportunity to invest in Turkey in exchange for Turkish citizenship. It is one of the most popular investment programs because of the short application process, with most receiving citizenship within 10-12 months.
There are various options for investing, including:
- Creating 50 full-time jobs in the country
- Contributing $500,000 in government bonds
- Investing $400,000 in real estate
- Making a $500,000 fixed capital investment into a Turkish business
- Depositing $500,000 into a Turkish bank account
- Investing $500,000 into a real estate investment fund
Implemented in 2017 to attract foreign direct investment, the program has been through some major changes over the years, with the most recent changes happening on January 2nd, 2024.
Changes to Turkey Citizenship by Investment
Based on Turkey Citizenship by Investment latest news, the updates to the program are as follows:
- No more YUVAM account program: As of 2025, the YUVAM account program is no longer available under the Turkey Citizenship by Investment program. The YUVAM account allowed foreign nationals to deposit $500,000 into the account in Turkish Lira while having full exchange rate protection and favorable returns. While new YUVAM accounts are no longer available, the option for a $500,000 deposit into a Turkish bank account is still available.
- Residence permit: Before the change, only the main applicant was required to obtain a residency permit in Turkey. However, the changes have now made it mandatory for spouses to obtain a residency permit. Children remain unaffected, being dependent on their parents’ application.
- Criminal record certificate: All applicants (main and spouse) are required to obtain certified criminal records before applying for Turkish citizenship. The criminal record certificate can be from Turkey or their home country as long as it is certified.
- Mandatory physical presence: Previously, main applicants were not required to provide fingerprints or be physically present for obtaining citizenship. This is now mandatory for both the main applicant and their spouse. However, a short few days in Turkey is all it takes to apply for the residence permit and citizenship, as long as all documents are presented and meet the requirements.
Updated Documents for Turkish Citizenship by Investment
As of the above changes, here are the document requirements for a citizen application in Turkey:
- A certified and translated Police Certificate (Criminal Record Certificate) from the home country or Turkey for both the investor and their spouse.
- Residence permit: Both the investor and their spouse must be present during the application process for fingerprinting.
- A conformity certificate (based on the chosen investment route for citizenship).
- A valid passport copy
- A certified birth certificate, translated into Turkish, for all applicants.
Personal attendance of all adult applicants is required during the Turkish Citizenship by Investment application to provide fingerprints and photos.
2022 Real Estate Purchase Restrictions
Changes were made in 2022 to the Turkey Citizenship by Investment program real estate option. These changes included:
- Maximum investment requirements: The financial requirements changed for the real estate pathway, increasing from $250,000 to $400,000.
- Transaction restrictions: Payments for real estate must be made through a Turkish bank, with no option for a cash transaction.
- Title deed restriction: There is now a three-year holding period, meaning Turkish real estate bought under the citizenship by investment program cannot be resold within three years.
- Purchasing property from Turkish citizens: Applicants must purchase the property from a Turkish citizen or Turkish entity to help regulate the Turkish property market.
The Presidency of the Republic of Turkey Investment Office highly recommends researching the property you want to invest in. There is a handy tool available on the official website, allowing you to search for specific details on the district, city, and plot.
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