Buying a qualifying property is only the first half of Turkish citizenship by investment. After the title deed is in your name, the file passes through the land registry, the migration authority and the citizenship authority before a final decision is made. This guide covers that second half: the certificate the land registry issues, the investor residence permit, the citizenship application and its documents, background checks, family members, and the ID card and passport afterwards. It reflects the procedure as of November 2026.
- Step 1: The three-year commitment and annotation
- Step 2: The certificate from the land registry
- Step 3: The investor residence permit
- Step 4: The citizenship application
- The document list
- Family members
- Security checks and interviews
- How long it takes
- After approval: ID card and passport
- Selling after three years
- Practical tips
- Frequently asked questions
For the thresholds and which properties qualify, see our citizenship by property explainer. For bank transfers and the foreign currency purchase document, see our guide to sending money for a property purchase. This guide does not repeat them.
Key points
- After the sale, the buyer commits not to sell for three years, and a no-sale annotation is entered on the title deed.
- The land registry then issues a property investment certificate (often called the certificate of conformity, or uygunluk belgesi) and sends it to the migration and citizenship authorities.
- With the certificate, you apply for a short-term residence permit for investors under Article 31(1)(j) of Law No. 6458.
- You then apply for citizenship at a provincial population and citizenship directorate, at the joint investor offices in Istanbul and Ankara, or at a Turkish consulate abroad.
- Your spouse and children under 18 can be included under the same investment. Each person has their own file.
- Security and archive checks are run on every applicant, and the President makes the final decision. There is no legal deadline for a decision.
This is general information, not legal advice. Because files are checked closely, it is worth having a lawyer review yours before you apply.
Step 1: The three-year commitment and annotation
At the title deed transfer, the buyer declares that the property will not be sold for three years. The land registry records this as an annotation (şerh) on the title deed. The annotation is what makes the purchase count as a citizenship investment, so make sure your land registry office knows from the start that you are buying for citizenship.
Step 2: The certificate from the land registry
Once the sale and the annotation are complete, the land registry office sends the file to the unit of the Land Registry and Cadastre General Directorate (TKGM) responsible for citizenship checks. That unit confirms that the investment meets the conditions and issues the property investment certificate (taşınmaz yatırımı tespit belgesi). In practice, and in many English-language guides, this is called the certificate of conformity or certificate of eligibility.
TKGM checks the sale price on the deed, the value in the valuation report and the payments made. Our valuation report guide explains that part. If the conditions are met, the certificate is sent to the Presidency of Migration Management, to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (NVİ) and you are notified. If they are not met, you are told so.
The application for the certificate can be made in person or through a representative with a special power of attorney. Our power of attorney guide explains how this works from abroad.
Step 3: The investor residence permit
With the certificate, you apply for a short-term residence permit under Article 31(1)(j) of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection (No. 6458). This permit is specific to people applying for citizenship through investment, and the citizenship file cannot go ahead without it. Under Article 31(5) of the same law, permits on this basis can be issued for up to five years at a time.
You apply to the provincial directorate of migration management, or to the joint investor offices in Istanbul and Ankara, where migration and citizenship staff work side by side. You may be asked for a criminal record certificate and a Turkish address. This is different from the ordinary residence permit for property owners, covered in our residence permit through property explainer.
Step 4: The citizenship application
Where you file depends on where you live:
- In Türkiye: at the provincial population and citizenship directorate (İl Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık Müdürlüğü) of the province where you live. In Istanbul and Ankara, investors are served by the joint offices.
- Abroad: at a Turkish embassy or consulate. The result is later served on you through the same mission.
Applications by post are not accepted. Several law firms say you should expect to attend in person at least for the application and biometric steps, even if a lawyer follows the file afterwards.
The document list
The documents are set out in Article 20(3) of the regulation implementing the Turkish Citizenship Law. Expect to provide:
- The application form (petition) for citizenship.
- Your passport or an equivalent travel document.
- A birth certificate or a civil registry extract from your country.
- A marital status document: marriage certificate, divorce judgment or a spouse’s death certificate, as relevant.
- Documents proving family ties to your spouse and children, if they apply with you.
- Biometric photographs, usually two.
- The property investment certificate and your residence permit.
- The receipt for the service fee, paid to the state treasury.
Foreign documents need an apostille (or consular legalisation in non-Hague countries) and a certified Turkish translation. Our guide to sworn translators and notaries covers translations. Some offices also ask for a criminal record certificate, so check the current list with your office before you book. The service fee is set each year and is charged for each applicant, so check the amount when you apply.
Family members
Your foreign spouse and your children under 18 can be included under the same investment, with no extra investment needed. Adult children who depend on you because of a physical or mental disability are also covered. Adult children who are not dependent must use a separate route.
Each family member has a separate application and goes through separate checks. Your spouse must be married to you on the application date. For a minor child, the other parent’s consent is required. If the other parent refuses, a court decision is needed.
Security checks and interviews
After the certificate is issued, the Directorate General of Security and the National Intelligence Organisation (MİT) carry out a security investigation and archive research on each applicant, the Interior Ministry said in September 2026. An application can be rejected on national security or public order grounds. Files with no obstacle go to the President for a decision. One law firm says the archive research is the most common cause of delay.
The official procedures do not describe a formal interview. One law firm notes that some applicants are called in to confirm details. Treat any request to attend as routine and bring originals.
Checks continue after a decision. In September 2026, the Interior Ministry said 1,150 investors had their investment certificates cancelled over fake or irregular valuation reports, and that citizenship decisions for 5,391 people, including family members, were cancelled as a result. This is why a clean valuation, a genuine sale and properly documented payments matter.
How long it takes
No fixed deadline is set in law. Law firms describe a range: some put a complete file at around six months from purchase to passport, while others say a few months to a year, or more when security research takes longer. Incomplete or inconsistent documents are the main avoidable cause of delay.
After approval: ID card and passport
Once the decision is made, you are entered in the Turkish civil registry and given a Turkish identity number. The next steps are:
- Register your address in Türkiye. Our address registration guide explains the process.
- Apply for the Turkish ID card (TC kimlik kartı) at a population directorate or, if you live abroad, at a consulate. Appointments are required, and in Türkiye they can be booked through randevu.nvi.gov.tr, e-Devlet or ALO 199. The card fee is paid before the appointment, and one biometric photo is needed.
- Apply for a passport, using the new ID card. Applicants must attend in person, and the booklet and passport fees are paid beforehand.
With your new identity number, you can also open an e-Devlet account.
Selling after three years
The property must be held for three years. Selling or transferring it within that period can lead to the certificate being cancelled and the citizenship decision being annulled under Article 31 of the Citizenship Law. After three years, a sale to a third party does not affect your citizenship.
Practical tips
- Tell the land registry at the start that you are buying for citizenship, so the annotation and certificate request are handled together.
- Apostille and translate birth and marriage certificates for every family member early, as they take the longest to obtain.
- Keep names and dates identical across all documents. Spelling differences cause queries.
- Do not list the property for sale during the three years.
- Read our buying guide for the purchase itself.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Do I need a residence permit before applying for citizenship?
A: Yes. Investors need the short-term residence permit under Article 31(1)(j) of Law No. 6458, issued on the basis of the investment certificate.
Q: Can I apply from abroad?
A: Yes. You can file the citizenship application at a Turkish embassy or consulate, which also serves the result. Postal applications are not accepted.
Q: Can my spouse and children get citizenship too?
A: Your foreign spouse and children under 18, as well as dependent disabled adult children, can be included. Each person has a separate file, and a minor child needs the other parent’s consent.
Q: Is there an interview?
A: The official procedures do not describe a formal interview, but you should expect to attend in person for the application and biometrics. Some applicants are asked to confirm details.
Q: How long does it take?
A: There is no legal deadline. Law firms report anywhere from about six months to a year or more, depending mainly on the security checks and how complete your file is.
Q: Can I sell the property after I get my passport?
A: Not within three years of the purchase. After three years, a sale to a third party does not affect your citizenship.
Planning to buy? Download our free property guide for a step-by-step checklist.
Sources
- Your Key Türkiye property acquisition guide (TKGM): three-year no-sale commitment; land registry sends file to authorised unit, which issues the Taşınmaz Yatırımı Tespit Belgesi and sends it to Migration Management and NVİ, applicant notified; then residence permit at provincial migration office and citizenship at provincial population directorate
- NVİ: Procedures and principles for foreign investors acquiring Turkish citizenship exceptionally (certificate from determining institution, 31(1)(j) residence permit, provincial population directorate, joint offices in Ankara and Istanbul, missions abroad, archive/security research)
- NVİ information note on acquisition of Turkish citizenship by investment (certificate of conformity, three-year annotation, joint offices in Ankara and Istanbul)
- NVİ Erzurum Provincial Population Directorate service standards (exceptional citizenship for foreign investors, USD 400,000 real estate with three-year annotation; ID card and passport application requirements)
- Invest in Türkiye (Presidency Investment Office): acquiring property and citizenship, three-year no-sale declaration, certificate of eligibility for residence/citizenship application
- Turkish Embassy in Tokyo: steps after acquiring Turkish citizenship (address registration, ID card, then passport; no postal applications)
- Interior Ministry statement on cancelled investor citizenship decisions, security investigation by Emniyet and MİT (Habertürk/AA, 21 Sept 2026)
- Interior Ministry statement on citizenship investigation (Ekotürk, 21 Sept 2026)
- Yatırım yoluyla Türk vatandaşlığının kazanılması: procedure, documents, family members, security checks, timing, three-year annotation (Kulaçoğlu law office)
- Yatırım yoluyla Türk vatandaşlığı: 2026 şartları ve başvuru süreci (Öner law office)
- Türk vatandaşlığına yatırım yoluyla alınma, TVK m.12/1-b, Yönetmelik m.20 (Hukukçular Evi)
- Yatırım yoluyla Türk vatandaşlığı nasıl kazanılır? (Kadim Hukuk)
- Turkish citizenship application process: a legal timeline breakdown (Cebeci & Bayram, Mondaq, 2024)
- How to get Turkish citizenship by investment (Ongur Partners, 2026)
- Türkiye vatandaşlığı nasıl alınır? 2026 güncel rehber (FFK Partner Hukuk): no fixed legal processing time
Photo: SegLig / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
