Citizenship Law

The fact that foreigners can obtain Turkish citizenship through investment has a significant impact on their propensity to purchase homes within Turkey's boundaries. Moreover, the changes in exchange rates provide a very favourable environment for foreigners who wish to purchase a home in Turkey.

In accordance with Article 11 of the Turkish Citizenship Law, regulations pertaining to the acquisition of property are outlined for foreigners seeking Turkish citizenship by investment. The applicable statute states as follows: "A foreigner who aspires to acquire Turkish citizenship may do so by decision of the competent authority if he or she meets the standards outlined in this Law." Nonetheless, satisfying the necessary requirements does not confer an absolute right to obtain citizenship.

Although there are a number of investment options for the exceptional acquisition of Turkish citizenship, the vast majority of citizenship applications include real estate investment.

A minimum of 400,000 US Dollars or comparable foreign money or Turkish Lira in cash, provided that the property has not been sold in the land registry within the preceding three years or that a condominium or floor servitude has not been established. The Ministry of Environment and Urbanization must verify that the contract issued by the notary public that promises the sale of the invested immovable has been recorded in the land registry with a three-year restriction on transfer or cancellation.

Important for the protection of both the investment and the right to apply for citizenship earned via investment is the diligent monitoring of all these processes.

The Dogus Law facilitates Turkish citizenship and Turkish Passport applications through the exceptional citizenship rules. It also provides the legal services necessary for the efficient processing of residency and work permits. In this context, it provides assistance for foreigners to acquire real estate, monitoring of tax exemption applications, related bank processes, restriction code transactions, removal of deportation decisions, preparation of recognition and enforcement cases, and assistance for foreigners to open bank accounts.