Türkiye offers foreign nationals a route to citizenship through the purchase of real estate. The programme has existed since 2018, and its rules have been tightened several times. Here are the main requirements as they stand in autumn 2026.
The $400,000 threshold
The minimum investment is $400,000, or the equivalent in another foreign currency or Turkish liras. The threshold was raised from $250,000 by a regulation that took effect in June 2022. Several properties can be combined to reach the total.
The value must be confirmed by a valuation report from a licensed appraiser, and the contract price, the appraisal and the value recorded at the land registry must not fall below the threshold. The full price must be paid through Turkish banks, with foreign exchange records documenting the transaction.
A three-year restriction is placed on the title deed, meaning the property cannot be sold during that period. Selling earlier leads to the cancellation of the citizenship process.
Which properties qualify
According to legal guidance, eligible properties are generally residential units with condominium or construction servitude title in completed or legally recognised buildings. Agricultural land and plots without approved construction are excluded, and a property that has already been used for a citizenship application cannot be used again. The seller must be a Turkish citizen or company, and the property must be free of encumbrances.
The main applicant must be at least 18. A spouse and children under 18 can receive citizenship at the same time, as can dependent children of any age with disabilities. Parents and adult children cannot be included.
The steps typically include buying the property and obtaining the valuation, registering the title with the three-year annotation, obtaining a certificate of conformity, applying for a residence permit, and then filing the citizenship application. Citizenship is granted by presidential decision. Legal advisers describe the process as taking several months, with some estimating six to 12 months from purchase to passport.
A new Secure Payment System, under which a buyer's money is held in a blocked account until the title transfer is completed, is due to become mandatory for property sales on Dec. 1, 2026. Lawyers note it does not change the $400,000 threshold or the valuation requirement, although it is not yet clear how it will interact with the bank documentation used in citizenship files.
Rules can change at short notice, and applicants usually work with a lawyer to check current requirements before buying.
Sources
- Buying Property in Türkiye for Residence & Citizenship (Bıçak Law)
- Türkiye Citizenship by Investment in 2026 (Migronis)
- Türkiye property secure payment: mandatory from 1 Dec 2026 (Rona Legal)
Photo: Moonik / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
