Turkish Citizenship by Real Estate Investment: 2026 Guide

As of October 2026, a foreign national who buys real estate worth at least USD 400,000 (or the equivalent in foreign currency) and registers a three-year no-sale annotation on the title deed can acquire Turkish citizenship by Presidential decision. The route runs through four stages: the title transfer, an eligibility certificate from the Land Registry, an investor residence permit, and the citizenship application itself. Your spouse and minor children can be included, but a handful of technical details decide whether the investment actually counts.

The legal basis and the threshold

The programme rests on Article 12 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, which allows exceptional citizenship by Presidential decision for foreigners holding a residence permit under Article 31(1)(j) of the Law on Foreigners (No. 6458), provided there is no national security or public order objection.

The operative rules sit in Article 20 of the Regulation implementing that law:

• Amount: at least USD 400,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency. The threshold was raised from USD 250,000 by Presidential Decision No. 5554 (Official Gazette, 13 May 2022); TKGM lists 13 June 2022 as its effective date.
• Annotation: the land register records an undertaking not to sell the property for three years from the acquisition or declaration date.
• Type of property: since 12 December 2023 the property must have condominium ownership or condominium easement (kat irtifakı) established, or be a building plot with a permanent structure holding an occupancy permit. Undeveloped land, agricultural land and timeshares do not qualify.
• Currency conversion: the foreign currency must be sold, before the transaction, to a bank operating in Türkiye, which in turn sells it to the Central Bank.

There is also a route for apartments in projects still under construction. If condominium easement has been established, you may apply on the basis of a notarised promise-to-sell contract, provided the full USD 400,000 is paid upfront and a three-year no-transfer annotation is registered. The amount must be covered by a single contract and paid no later than the contract date.

The eligibility certificate and how amounts are checked

The investment is verified by the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM). If the conditions are met, the competent regional directorate issues a Real Estate Investment Determination Certificate (TYTB), referred to in the NVI procedures as the eligibility certificate.

Three figures must each independently reach USD 400,000:

Item	What it shows
Sale price on the official deed	The price declared at the land registry
Total payments/transfers	Payments to the seller, evidenced by approved bank receipts
Value Determination Certificate (TTB)	A value based on a report by a CMB-licensed valuation firm

The bank’s Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate (DAB) is sent to the land registry via registered e-mail (KEP), and the deed is drawn up on the TRY amount shown on it. VAT, commissions, fees or other costs outside the sale price cannot be included in the DAB amount. The TTB is requested online (Web Tapu/TADEBİS), is not handed over in person, and is valid for twelve months.

The TYTB does not grant citizenship by itself; the final outcome depends on the authorities’ assessment and a Presidential decision.

The process, step by step

According to the NVI procedures, the sequence is:

1. Purchase and title deed: currency is converted, the DAB is sent to the registry, and the sale and three-year annotation are registered.
2. Eligibility certificate: you, or a representative holding a specific power of attorney, apply to the verifying institution (TKGM).
3. Investor residence permit: after a positive determination, you apply to the provincial migration office for a permit under Article 31(1)(j).
4. Citizenship application: with the permit and supporting documents, you apply to the provincial population and citizenship directorate; the file is sent to the Ministry of Interior for a decision.

Dedicated joint offices in Ankara and Istanbul take these applications through staff from both the migration and the citizenship authorities.

On timing: official sources do not set a binding overall timeframe, so we do not quote one. Each stage depends on the completeness of the file and the workload of the institutions involved.

Who the family coverage includes

Under Article 12 of Law No. 5901, citizenship extends to the investor’s foreign spouse and to the minor or dependent foreign children of the investor and the spouse. Under the Turkish Civil Code, adulthood begins at 18. The Article 31(1)(j) residence permit can be granted for up to five years at a time and covers the same family members.

Common mistakes

• Buying in a spouse’s or company’s name: purchases in the name of a spouse, a child, or a company you are a partner or manager of do not count towards the USD 400,000.
• Fractional ownership: a shared (hisseli) acquisition cannot be used to apply.
• Instalments under a promise-to-sell contract: this route requires full upfront payment; applications based on several promise-to-sell contracts are not accepted, and a shortfall on purchased properties cannot be topped up with one.
• The property’s history: the property must not be registered to foreigners or to the buyer’s first-degree relatives who are Turkish citizens, and must not have been transferred by a foreigner to a Turkish citizen or company in the last three years. Each property can be used for citizenship only once.
• Dealing with the property during the annotation period: entering into a promise-to-sell contract during the three years, or transferring it afterwards back to the previous owner or their first-degree relatives, leads to cancellation of the TYTB.
• Losing the conditions later: the NVI procedures require the conditions to be maintained for the prescribed period; if they are lost, the citizenship decision is revoked under Article 31 of Law No. 5901.

How this differs from a residence permit

Many foreign owners never apply for citizenship; what they need is a property-based short-term residence permit. The two are different regimes:

	Property-based short-term residence	Citizenship by investment
Legal basis	Law No. 6458	Law No. 5901 Art. 12 and Regulation Art. 20
Outcome	Permit of up to 2 years at a time	Citizenship by Presidential decision
Value threshold	Set by the Ministry of Interior	USD 400,000 (as of October 2026)
Key condition	Property must be a residence used as such	Three-year no-sale annotation and TYTB

Because the residence-permit threshold is set by the Ministry, we recommend confirming the current figure with the Presidency of Migration Management before you apply.

Which projects to look at

Eligibility depends less on the development than on the individual unit: its land registry entry, whether condominium ownership or easement is in place, and its value. Each apartment therefore needs to be checked on its own. Our portfolio includes Raffles Istanbul Residences in Beşiktaş, Skyland İstanbul and Vadistanbul Teras in Sarıyer, Metropol İstanbul in Ataşehir and Folkart Blu Çeşme on the İzmir coast. You can filter the full selection on our projects page and find a summary for overseas buyers on our invest in Turkey property page.

Working with NeoKonut

Once you leave a request, one of our consultants will call you and go through units that fit your budget and the citizenship criteria. We also work on apartments outside our listed portfolio. The first consultation is free of charge.

This article is for general information only; please seek legal and tax advice specific to your transaction.