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How long does it take to receive a Turkish passport?
Article Publish Date: 01.08.2021
Article Last Update: 03.09.2021
Turkish Passport
A Turkish passport allows for various benefits, as the nation is growing steadily to become a superpower in Europe in various fields. The numerous industries within Turkey have been progressing at a rapid pace to establish the nation as a developed country by the end of the year 2040.
Following this rate of development, many ex-pats and foreign investors are eyeing investment opportunities in Turkey, which in addition could allow them to become Turkish citizens by investing themselves. For the same reasons and some others, the real estate market of Turkey has also been booming as opportunists want to grab the lucrative possibilities at an early period before the nation exceeds the economies of several already developed countries.
Multiple Ways to Become a Turkish Citizen and Receive a Turkish Passport
The Turkish government has made several provisions within the Turkish law that allows a foreigner to become a Turkish citizen. There is more than one way to become a Turkish citizen, so as to enjoy everything Turkey has to offer, apart from common benefits that include but aren’t limited to the climate, culture, etc.
Stated below, are all the possible ways by which a person could obtain a Turkish passport for themselves, and for their family members.
Turkish Citizenship By Marriage
A person could marry an individual who already has Turkish citizenship to then apply and obtain a Turkish passport for themselves, but it is required that you must stay married for at least three years. After completion of those three years, the said person becomes qualified to apply for Turkish citizenship.
The relevant paperwork related to the application post the completion of three years in matrimony, takes roughly thirty days, after which the applicant can receive their Turkish citizenship and receive a Turkish passport.
Turkish Citizenship By Capital Investments
If the applicant desires to become a citizen by another medium, the applicant must perform the following actions by the means of capital investment to obtain Turkish citizenship in their own name:
Acquire a Real Estate in Turkey
Upon acquiring real estate worth a minimum of $250,000 or equivalent in foreign currency or Turkish lira that is approved by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization of Turkey, one could apply for a Turkish passport. Turkish law, however, demands that the title deed is restricted from resale for at least three years of ownership.
Fixed Capital Investment in Turkey
When a person has made a capital investment of $500,000 or equivalent in foreign currency or Turkish lira that is approved by the Ministry of Industry and Technology of Turkey, one could apply to get Turkish citizenship.
Job Creation For Turkish Locals
When the Turkish Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Services approves that the investor has created a minimum of 50 jobs for Turkish people, the said person could then qualify for a Turkish passport.
Feel free to contact our law firm in Turkey in regard to discuss details about opening a business in Turkey.
Capital Deposits to a Turkish Bank
A capital deposit of $500,000 or equivalent in foreign currency or Turkish lira in any of the banks operating in Turkey could grant a person the chance to apply for Turkish citizenship. However, it must be approved by the Turkish Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency with the condition that the investor could not withdraw that sum for at least three years.
Purchase of Currency or Government Bonds in Turkey
A person could obtain the chance to apply for Turkish citizenship and receive a Turkish passport when they have purchased Turkish government bonds worth a minimum of $500,000 or equivalent in foreign currency or Turkish lira. This is possible of course, only when the Turkish Ministry of Treasury and Finance verifies the sale upon the condition that the bonds could not be sold by the investor or anyone for the period of at least three years.
Capital Investment Fund Shares in Turkey
Besides the purchase of either the real estate investment, fund share, or venture capital investment fund share worth a minimum of $500,000 or equivalent in foreign currency or Turkish lira, the investor shall also invariably agree to not sell them for at least three years to be then qualified for getting a Turkish passport. The Capital Markets Board of Turkey will be responsible for approving the status of the sale, which ultimately decides the chances of the investor to obtain the right of Turkish citizenship.
In any of the above-mentioned scenarios, it takes between four and six months for the paperwork to be finalized and to obtain Turkish citizenship documentation for the investor and their family members, thus receive a Turkish passport. This is true only when all the legalities are accurately followed and the documentation is properly compiled according to the Turkish norms.
Turkish Citizenship By Residency in Turkey
If the applicant is living within Turkey for a period equal to or greater than five years, then they could apply for a Turkish passport. Yet, before the application is filed, it is important to also own a house or equivalent on Turkish grounds to qualify for the application.
It is also noteworthy to understand that the applicant, after having completed their five years of residency in Turkey, could not sell their house for a certain period after obtaining Turkish citizenship.
Conditions to Become a Turkish Citizen
The following are some commonly known, but definitely crucial conditions that define whether a person is qualified to get a Turkish passport:
- You must meet the age bar or be under the maximum age allowed for foreigners to obtain Turkish citizenship,
- You must provide proof of your sound medical and mental health to the embassy because people with an infectious disease or similar conditions aren’t allowed Turkish citizenship,
- Turkish legislation stipulates that anyone seeking residency or citizenship in Turkey must be able to communicate in Turkish. The embassy interview will also be conducted in Turkish,
- The applicant must have no criminal record because its existence negates the applicant from acquiring Turkish citizenship.
There are other additional conditions too, which can affect the status of your application, yet, these methods remain to be the most common ways by which any foreign investor or ex-pat could obtain a Turkish passport. To learn more about other ways to obtain a Turkish passport, please visit the Turkish embassy’s website.
