Turkey cordially opens its doors to a native of any country. Life here is comfortable, healthy and happy, and for investors it is also profitable. Once you have lived in Antalya or Istanbul, you will not want to go back, because the overall level of all services and services, including education and medicine, in the country is several orders of magnitude higher than its counterparts in the CIS. In addition, Turkey does not disclose information about its own citizens, no matter who sends this request – complete confidentiality and reliability of your assets.

Thanks to all of the above, the demand for Turkish citizenship is growing every year. In response to this request from the audience, the Turkish authorities have provided an opportunity for simplified citizenship for investors – people who invest in Turkish business or housing. Now we can say that we are witnessing a real boom in this area – every year about 40 thousand real estate objects are purchased in order to obtain citizenship and the pace is growing.

Today I will tell you how an investor can obtain citizenship, what documents will need to be issued and what “pitfalls” are present here.

General information about obtaining citizenship in Turkey

The citizenship by investment program in Turkey has been in operation since 2018. At first, the criteria there were quite strict, and the investment amounts were huge. But in December 2019, they were brought to the current quite moderate requirements. To become a Turkish citizen under a simplified procedure, it is enough to follow one of the following paths:

– investment in real estate in the amount of 250,000 US dollars one-time;

– Deposit $500,000; to a bank deposit;

– open your company and provide jobs to 50 Turkish citizens.

Until 2020, a long-term lease option was also available, but it was abolished, which affected the growth in demand in 2020 and 2021. At the same time, Turkish citizenship is more often obtained as a second, without giving up their old passport. However, I will talk about the second citizenship a little later.

By the way, there is another option for simplified acquisition of Turkish citizenship – marriage with a Turkish citizen. This option also has a number of advantages, but today I propose to focus on the topic of a passport in exchange for investment.

So what is the difference between the simplified or “instantaneous” procedure, as it is often called by the authorities, and the traditional one? Normally, you must have lived in Turkey for at least 5 years, while obtaining and renewing a residence permit (residence permit) several times, as well as a work visa if you intend to work in Turkey.

The main point is that you will still have to purchase housing, even according to a simplified, even according to the standard procedure. It’s just that if the cost of housing is over 250 thousand dollars, then you will receive the cherished crusts in 5 months or even earlier, and with cheaper real estate – as much as in 5 or more years. For those who do not have housing in Turkey and a residence permit, citizenship is not granted – if you are not an investor …

Among other things, for the investor, the authorities can turn a blind eye to many important nuances, such as, for example, the lack of a police clearance certificate. In the usual case, it must be obtained from the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the place of residence (i.e. in your country) and certified through an apostille. But in the conditions of global quarantine with visits to other countries in general, and government agencies in particular, various obstacles may arise. We have already encountered a similar problem and successfully solved it together with the client-investor.

Citizenship by investment: key nuances

Taking into account the requirements for other methods, investing in real estate is the easiest and most affordable option. I note right away that the amount of 250 thousand dollars should be the cadastral value indicated in the TAPU certificate of ownership, which is often much lower than the market value. Moreover, this difference can be very noticeable and also differs depending on the region. For example, in Istanbul it is 5-10%, in Antalya it is already 40-50%, and in Alanya the gap can reach a whopping 65%.

This difference is not indicated in the ads, so it will be difficult for a foreigner to determine the cadastral value of real estate on his own. Because you will need to contact the seller or even the municipality to see the amount recorded in the documentation. It is even more difficult if the object is still under construction – then you have to wait until the developer issues a preliminary version of the TAPU.

This is one of the reasons why anyone who plans to buy a home for the sake of obtaining Turkish citizenship needs to contact a local broker – a guide who is guided by all the local intricacies. After all, if you buy housing for a smaller amount of at least one dollar or make a deal incorrectly, then you will not be able to apply for citizenship under a simplified procedure.

The next significant nuance is that the rule works only for real estate purchased from a Turkish citizen. If you purchase it from a non-resident of the country, then you will not be able to apply for citizenship, even if everything is in order with its cadastral value. The authorities introduced this program in order to attract and preserve capital within Turkey, therefore they are very jealous of monitoring compliance with the conditions.

The third important point is the correctness of all documentation for your future housing in the cadastral office of the municipality of the city where the object is located. When drawing up a contract of sale in the Cadastral Office, it is necessary to indicate that it is purchased specifically for the registration of citizenship. Otherwise, you will not be credited with the purchase and you will have to buy another home …

We are not against selling you at least ten apartments, but you need to remember that the price of a mistake in formal matters can be very high – draw up all documents in Turkey with a qualified lawyer, of which we have enough in our state, fortunately.

It is also important that the authorities record the transfer from your bank account to an account in Turkey of an amount not lower than the threshold of 250 thousand dollars. I recommend that you make this payment at least $5,000 higher to cover possible fees and other unexpected bank charges. Because if the limit is not reached, then you will not be able to apply for “instant” citizenship later.

I will add that you can buy not only ready-made housing, but also at the construction stage. It’s a little more complicated, but it’s more profitable if you do it together with Expert Property. The state selects the largest and most reliable construction companies that get the right to issue TAPU at an early stage with an eye to obtaining citizenship.

With this version of TACU, you can already start applying for citizenship. It is issued to the developer when the easement of the building and floor has already been carried out, as well as other criteria have been met and it is already clear that the construction project has taken place and will be completed. Then there is a great chance that citizenship can be obtained almost simultaneously with settling in a new home.

List of documentation and step-by-step instructions

The whole process is as follows:

1) The client contacts our agency remotely or by visiting one of the offices in person, receives advice from our lawyers and a list of documents that he needs to draw up in his homeland;

2) We select housing that fits the client’s needs and meets the requirements of the state for citizenship,

3) You purchase a home, under the strict guidance of our lawyers;

4) Our lawyer, together with the client, submits a package of documents for obtaining a residence permit so that you can legally stay in the country while your citizenship is being issued;

5) Almost the same documents that were submitted for a residence permit must be submitted to obtain citizenship. Moreover, this process greatly simplifies and speeds up the previously issued residence permit;

6) Within 5 months, you get the coveted citizenship and enjoy all the benefits of being a Turkish resident!

The list of documents for obtaining a residence permit is as follows:

· A passport issued for a period of at least 60 days specified in your application for a residence permit, as well as a notarized copy of it (all pages!);

· Your application filled out on the website of the Turkish Migration Service, which should then be printed and signed;

· Four color biometric photos of the applicant – the background in the photo must be white;

· The original and a copy of the certificate of ownership of housing (TAPU) in the name of the applicant with a cadastral value of housing exceeding $ 250 thousand. –Notarized;

· An arbitrary certificate of monthly income (must be at least 500 euros per month);

· Medical insurance policy adopted in Turkey;

· Receipt of payment of state duty upon receipt of an individual taxpayer number in the tax office in Turkey;

· Police clearance certificate.

To obtain citizenship, you will need the following documents:

· A copy of the passport, translated into Turkish and certified through an apostille – the translator must be certified, otherwise the translation may be rejected;

· Two applications filled out on the website of the Migration Service, printed and signed – it is important that the name in it completely coincides with the name in your passport (but if you want to change the name for Turkish registration, then our lawyer can help with this – this is not prohibited by law, but must be properly executed);

· If there is a notarized copy of the Residence Permit in Turkey (the presence of a residence permit indicates that you have already successfully passed the inspection of the Turkish authorities, which simplifies all procedures);

· TAPU and its copy;

· Receipt of payment of state duty and Individual tax number (QR code);

· Four photos with the same requirements as for a residence permit.

· If you do not have a residence permit, you will also need to provide a certificate of income and a certificate of no criminal record – certified and apostilled.

After completing the transaction for the purchase of housing in the Cadastral Office, it is already possible to submit documents to the Migration Service for citizenship. Although this process is called “instantaneous”, in reality it lasts up to 5 months from the date of submission of the package of documents. The process of buying and selling must be accompanied by a specialized lawyer or lawyer so that officials do not forget about your future citizenship.

In order for not only the buyer, but also his entire family to apply for citizenship, the package of documents must include a marriage certificate, which must be apostilled – that is, bring to the international standard in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of your country and certify a copy. Together with their parents, children under the age of 18 can obtain citizenship – it is necessary to issue their passports or birth certificates in the same way.

I would like to note once again that apostilled copies of passports and birth certificates must be drawn up and notarized for the whole family, if we are talking about a minor. Please note that these copies must be translated into Turkish by a certified translator.

There is also an official requirement to present the same notarized and translated police clearance certificate. However, if it is not there and there are problems with obtaining it in the client’s homeland, then we can issue it directly in Turkey through an official request – our agency has already come to the rescue in such cases. It is also important to understand that only criminal convictions are considered as part of obtaining citizenship, and economic and administrative penalties are not taken into account.

Risks of “simplification” and frequently asked questions

Unfortunately, I quite often come across complaints about inexperienced agents, unqualified brokers and even bloggers who try to help with obtaining citizenship through the purchase of real estate, but make unforgivable mistakes. These mistakes eventually lead to refusals, and the investor paid more than 250 thousand dollars for this!

The high demand for Turkish citizenship opens up too many opportunities for scammers and non-professionals. Be vigilant and contact only those agencies that take full legal responsibility for the completion of the transaction for the purchase and sale of real estate and the correct execution of documentation. In such as Expert Property.

I am often asked, is it possible to use a bank loan (mortgage) if you do not have the full amount of 250 thousand dollars? Alas, this will not work because the goal of the state is to attract funds to the Turkish economy. Attracting credit funds even by 5% or 10% closes the possibility of using housing to obtain citizenship under a simplified procedure. You will have to wait 5 years or more to obtain citizenship through the usual procedure.

It should also be taken into account that the first three years after obtaining citizenship are considered a probationary period. If there are administrative or criminal violations, then the “crusts” can be canceled – both for the investor himself and for his entire family. During this three-year period, you also cannot sell the property that you used as a reason for obtaining citizenship. It cannot be pledged to banks or individuals, but it can be rented out.

Clients often ask about a second citizenship – is it possible to get it in Turkey without giving up the previous one in the Russian Federation, Ukraine or Kazakhstan? This is an important point, because in most CIS countries, dual citizenship is prohibited by law. However, this is only a formal ban, because your country must submit an official request to Turkey about whether you received citizenship there, and Turkey never provides such information to anyone.

In other words, no one will know about your Turkish citizenship unless you decide to declare it in your homeland. It has been proven by thousands of immigrants from the CIS who have received a second citizenship in Turkey and do not experience any problems – the demand for a second Turkish citizenship is now simply enormous. You just need to be careful and leave Turkey with a Turkish passport, and enter your country with a national document, and vice versa – when entering Turkey. It’s a matter of habit.

Moreover, as I have already written, if you wish, when registering in Turkey, you can change your name and surname so that your identities do not match in different passports. The state provides investors with such a privilege, and we help with the paperwork.

The government pursues a policy aimed at maximizing the confidentiality of its citizens for representatives of foreign government agencies. This also applies to your assets, which is one of the reasons for such a rapid demand for Turkish citizenship in the post-Soviet space.

Findings

Turkish citizenship – second or only – is the key to success and prosperity for you and your family. Modern Turkey in terms of comfort and all services, including education and medicine, has gone far from the CIS and even a significant part of the EU states. Becoming a citizen of a rapidly developing dynamic European state, you ensure the future for both yourself and your children, open up new opportunities for leisure, work and investment in Turkey.

Turkish citizenship is a ticket to your happy future, and the Expert Property agency is your reliable guide in this matter.

Contact me or any of our offices in Europe or Asia if you want to learn more about it and change your life for the better!

Your Tatiana Güneş and the Expert Property team