Foreigners can acquire Turkish citizenship through investment, through marriage to a Turkish citizen after three years of genuine married life, through five years of legal residence (general naturalisation), or by birth and descent. The right route depends on your time frame, budget and family situation. Turkey allows dual citizenship, so you can usually keep your current passport. We assess which route fits and handle the application, including by power of attorney.
Bayraktar Attorneys guides foreign nationals through every route to Turkish citizenship, from citizenship by investment to marriage, descent and naturalisation. We assess your eligibility, prepare and file the application, and follow it through the authorities until the decision, all in English.
Turkish citizenship is a life-changing step. It gives you a Turkish passport with visa-free and visa-on-arrival access to many countries, the right to live, work and own property freely, and the ability to pass citizenship to your children. Turkey also allows dual citizenship, so in most cases you do not have to give up your current nationality.
Talk to an English-speaking citizenship lawyer today. Contact the office for information about the relevant procedure and fees.
Citizenship files are detailed and unforgiving. A single missing document, a valuation that falls short of the threshold, or a gap in your residence history can delay a case for months. Our team manages the whole application so it is right the first time.
We take care of the full process, so nothing is missed:
Turkish law offers more than one path to citizenship. The right one depends on your ties to Turkey, your budget and your timeline. We explain the options clearly and recommend the strongest route for you.
The fastest route for most foreign clients. By making a qualifying investment, such as real estate of currently USD 400,000 held for three years, you and your family can apply for citizenship without the usual residence period. We cover the thresholds in the next section, and in full in our guide to Turkish citizenship by investment.
A foreigner married to a Turkish citizen may apply after the marriage has lasted at least three years and is still continuing. The couple must live together in a genuine family union. Marriage does not give citizenship automatically, and the authorities check that the marriage is real; see residence permit and citizenship by marriage.
A child born to a Turkish mother or father acquires Turkish citizenship by descent, wherever the child is born. If you have a Turkish parent, you may already be entitled to citizenship, and we help you prove and register it; see Turkish citizenship by birth.
A foreigner who has lived in Turkey legally and continuously for at least five years, intends to settle, is of good character and can show basic Turkish and a stable income may apply for ordinary naturalisation. This is a discretionary route decided by the authorities, and the way you structure your work and residence permits over those five years largely determines whether it succeeds. Our full guide sets out every statutory condition, how absences are counted and the safest permit strategy: Turkish citizenship through five years of continuous residence.
Citizenship by investment is an exceptional route in which the President grants citizenship to foreigners who make a qualifying investment. In outline, it means buying property worth at least USD 400,000 and keeping it for three years, placing USD 500,000 in a bank deposit, government bonds, qualifying fund shares or fixed capital, or employing 50 people. The thresholds are set by regulation and do change, so we confirm the current figures before you commit. Each route, its real costs and the timeline are covered in our guide to Turkish citizenship by investment.
The valuation, the payment route and the paperwork all have to meet strict rules, and property must be valued by an authorised appraiser. We work alongside our property and title deed and bank account teams so the investment is structured correctly and the citizenship file is not held up.
The exact file depends on your route, but most applications share a common core. In general you will need:
Turkey allows dual citizenship, so you generally do not have to renounce your current nationality to become Turkish. You should still check whether your own country accepts dual citizenship, and we are glad to flag the common issues.
A successful application usually covers your spouse and dependent children as well, so the whole family can obtain citizenship together. Where family status is part of your route, we coordinate with our family law team, and if you are living here while your file is processed we handle your residence permit in parallel.
We assess your situation, confirm the best route, and set out the requirements, costs and realistic timeline.
For investors we structure and confirm the qualifying investment. For every route we prepare and certify the documents and translations.
Where the investment route is used, we secure the residence permit that supports the citizenship application.
We submit the citizenship application to the authorities and manage the process, responding to any requests for more information.
We follow the file to the decision, then help you register and obtain your Turkish identity card and passport.
Investment, marriage, descent and naturalisation, assessed honestly for your situation.
We structure property and financial investments so they meet the current thresholds and the file is not delayed.
Property, banking, family and residence handled together, in English, for you and your dependents.
We confirm the current thresholds and fees before you commit, with no surprises.
Atty. Nevzat Oğulcan Bayraktar
| Route | Main condition |
|---|---|
| Investment (real estate) | Property of USD 400,000 held for at least three years |
| Investment (financial) | USD 500,000 in a bank deposit, government bonds, fund shares or fixed capital |
| Investment (employment) | At least 50 Turkish citizens employed |
| Marriage | At least three years of a genuine, continuing marriage to a Turkish citizen |
| Birth or descent | A Turkish mother or father |
| Naturalisation | Five years of continuous legal residence, basic Turkish, income and good character |
Turkish citizenship for investors rests on the following primary legislation. We build every application on the current statutory text and official sources:
Last reviewed: August 2026. Investment thresholds are set by statute and may be revised by Presidential Decree; we confirm the current figures for your file before you commit.
Confidential, English-speaking support on every route to a Turkish passport.
This page provides general information about Turkish citizenship in Turkey and does not constitute legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, please contact Bayraktar Attorneys for a consultation.
