How to Get Turkish Citizenship

Last Updated: June 17, 2021

Children born in Turkey, or born outside of Turkey to a Turkish citizen, are automatically Turkish citizens. If you were not born in Turkey and neither of your parents is Turkish, you have two potential pathways to citizenship. If you live and work in Turkey as a lawful permanent resident for at least 5 years, you may be eligible to apply for citizenship. You can also gain Turkish citizenship if you make a substantial investment in the Turkish economy.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Claiming Citizenship by Birth or Descent

1
Gather documents to prove your identity and nationality. If you were born in Turkey and have a Turkish birth certificate, you are automatically a Turkish citizen. However, if you were born outside of Turkey, you need your own birth certificate as well as documents demonstrating that at least one of your parents was a Turkish citizen.
- If one or both of your parents was born in Turkey and has a Turkish birth certificate, you would need a copy of their birth certificate.
- If you were born out of wedlock and your father is Turkish, you may need to get DNA testing to prove descent.
- Any documents that are not in Turkish must be translated into Turkish and notarized.
Tip: You cannot apply for Turkish citizenship until you are 18. If you are under 18, your Turkish parent can register your foreign birth to establish your citizenship.
2
Complete the citizenship application. You can pick up a paper citizenship application at the city or town hall where you live in Turkey, or at a Turkish embassy or consulate if you live in another country. The application requires you to provide information about yourself, your parents, and your claim to citizenship.
- Form VAT-1 is the declaration form for foreign birth.
Tip: You don't have to prove that you can speak Turkish if you are claiming citizenship by birth or descent. However, all of the documents you submit, including your application, must be in Turkish.

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3
Submit your documents and application to the city or town hall where you live. You must apply for citizenship in person. Particularly if you live in a populous area, it's a good idea to call ahead and find out if an appointment is necessary.
- If you don't currently live in Turkey, you can take your documents and application to the Turkish embassy or consulate nearest you.
- In addition to your documents and application, you must also provide 2 biometric photographs for your passport. There is no application fee to claim citizenship by birth or descent.
4
Wait for a decision on your application. Once you submit your application, the Directorate verifies your documents. Provided everything is in order and no additional documents are needed, you will receive a letter in the mail granting you Turkish citizenship. At that point, you are free to apply for a Turkish passport.
- The Directorate states that applications will be processed within a reasonable period of time, provided all the required documents are there. Generally, you can expect the process to take 2 to 6 months.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Maintaining Lawful Permanent Residence

1
Live in Turkey as a legal resident for at least 5 years. Before you can apply for Turkish citizenship, you must live in the country continuously under the appropriate visa. While you can travel outside the country briefly, the total amount of time you are out of the country cannot be more than 6 months out of the total residency period.
- If you have married a Turkish citizen, this required period of Turkish residency is reduced to 3 years.
2
Learn the Turkish language proficiently. To be eligible for Turkish citizenship, you must be able to demonstrate that you can communicate in Turkish well enough to get along in Turkish society. This is a relatively subjective requirement. There aren't any specific tests you must pass or certifications you can get to prove your proficiency.
- If you are living in Turkey, you should find it relatively easy to learn the language through immersion. You could also try online language courses or apps to improve your vocabulary or do grammar drills.
- Your language ability will be assessed through an open-ended interview with a Turkish government official. There aren't any standard questions you can study for, and how well you do is left to the judgment of the official. If you're fluent in Turkish, however, you shouldn't have any problems.^{[1]
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3
Gather documents to prove you meet the citizenship requirements. Generally, you are eligible for citizenship if you've been resident in Turkey, work and can cover your own costs of living, haven't gotten in trouble with the law, and don't have any diseases that would present a danger to the public health. The specific documents you'll need include:
- 2 biometric passport photos;
- your current passport;
- your birth certificate;
- a marriage certificate or divorce decree, if applicable;
- a health report from the Ministry of Health;
- documentation of your residency from the provincial police department; and
- a criminal background report.
4
Apply through your city or town hall. Take your documents to the city or town hall where you live in Turkey. An official will give you a VAT-3 application form to fill out. If you are married to a Turkish citizen, you need to fill out the VAT-6 application instead.^{[2]
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- To cut down on your waiting time, call ahead and ask if you can book an appointment.
Tip: You must also include a receipt for payment of your application fee. Fees are paid to the Ministry of Finance – do not include payment with your application. Call your city or town hall to find out the amount of the fee and the methods of payment.
5
Wait to receive a citizenship decision in the mail. Your documents and application will be forwarded to the Ministry of Interior for processing. When a decision has been made, you'll get a letter in the mail. The Ministry aims to process applications in a "reasonable" period of time, which typically means a few months.
- Turkish citizenship law is relatively flexible, and ministerial officials exercise broad discretion. If your application for citizenship is denied, you are welcome to apply again if you meet all the legal requirements. There's no waiting period, although you will have to pay the fees again. Your fees will not be refunded if your application is denied.
6
Relinquish your previous citizenship if required. Some countries do not recognize dual citizenship. If your home country is one of those, you cannot become a Turkish citizen until you renounce your previous citizenship. You can typically do this at the nearest embassy or consulate of your home country.
- The Ministry also has discretion over the renunciation of your previous citizenship. You may be notified that you are required to relinquish your previous citizenship even if your original home country does not require it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making a Substantial Investment

1
Satisfy one of the six investment criteria. Turkey grants citizenship to foreign investors who make a substantial investment in the Turkish economy by establishing or investing in a business in Turkey or purchasing Turkish real estate. There are 6 possible ways you can do this:^{[3]
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- Make a fixed investment of at least USD 500,000 or the equivalent in a Turkish business;
- Buy real estate worth at least USD 250,000 or the equivalent in Turkey;
- Employ at least 50 Turkish employees in a business in Turkey;
- Deposit at least USD 500,000 or the equivalent in a Turkish bank;
- Buy Turkish bonds worth at least USD 500,000 or the equivalent; or
- Buy real estate fund or venture capital fund shares of at least USD 500,000.
2
Fill out the pre-application form with your personal information. The pre-application form requires you to provide basic identity and contact information and grant Turkish authorities the right to access private information about you.^{[4]
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Tip: Although you aren't required to demonstrate any proficiency in the Turkish language to become a Turkish citizen by investment, all forms and documents submitted must be in Turkish.

1
Gather documents to support your application. Every application must be accompanied by a copy of your passport and residence card, a notarized letter of consent for Turkish authorities to access bank and security records, and a receipt showing payment of the TRY 15,00 service charge. You must provide other documents that vary depending on the investment criteria under which you are applying.^{[5]
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- Most criteria require you to get a certificate of suitability from the relevant Turkish Ministry. For example, if you made an investment of fixed capital, you would need a certificate from the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
- You also need detailed information and documentation about your investment. For example, if you purchased real estate, you would need a copy of the deed to the property and a valuation report issued by a licensed valuation specialist.
2
Submit your pre-application and supporting documents to the relevant authority. To apply for Turkish citizenship by investment, you can go through the General Directorate of Civil Registration and Nationality, the Provincial Directorate of Civil Registration and Nationality, or the Foreign Representatives Office of the Republic of Turkey. The process is essentially the same regardless of which authority you go through.^{[6]
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- Because the Provincial Directorate and the Foreign Representatives Office both have to send your application to the General Directorate after review, your application may be processed more quickly if you go directly through the General Directorate.
- Provided you've fulfilled the conditions for citizenship, the General Directorate will request your citizenship file from the Provisional Directorate where you live.
3
Compile your citizenship file. The Provisional Directorate will notify you when you have been pre-approved. At this point, you'll need to complete a full application provided to you by the Provisional Directorate. You'll also need to include the following documents to complete your file:^{[7]
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- Your current passport;
- A marriage certificate or divorce decree, if applicable;
- Your birth certificate; and
- Copies of birth certificates of any Turkish relatives.
4
Wait for a decision from the Ministry. The Ministry tries to make decisions on citizenship files within a reasonable period of time, provided all documents are in order. In practice, it may take anywhere from 3 months to 1 year to get a final decision.^{[8]
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- If Turkish citizenship is granted, you may be required to renounce your previous citizenship.
- If your application is denied, you are free to apply again if you meet the legal requirements for citizenship.
5
Maintain your investment in Turkey for at least 3 years. Once you've attained citizenship by investment, you cannot sell or trade the investment your application was based on for at least 3 years. You may lose your citizenship if you attempt to do so.^{[9]
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- Depending on the nature of your investment, there may be legal restrictions that prevent you from attempting to sell or trade your investment. For example, if you bought real estate, there would be an encumbrance on the deed stating that the property could not be sold for 3 years from the date you attained citizenship.