Programme overview

Türkiye runs the largest CBI by application volume in the world: roughly 10,000 grants per year at peak (2021-2023), driven by a USD 250K real-estate route that became — for several years — the cheapest CBI on the market. In June 2022 the threshold was raised to USD 400,000 to cool an overheated property market and align with international peers. The programme remains active as of 2026 with no further headline-figure changes.

The Turkish CBI is administered jointly by the Directorate General of Migration Management (residence permit phase) and the Population & Citizenship Affairs Directorate (citizenship decree phase). It is open to almost all nationalities (with elevated DD for sanctioned and high-risk countries) and is granted by Presidential Decree — meaning the political process is short, but applicants must be patient with the file moving through Ankara.

The most important framing for advisors: Türkiye is not a Schengen-mobility passport. Turkish citizens require visas for the EU/Schengen, the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia. The Türkiye passport’s value lies elsewhere — Asian mobility (Japan, Singapore, South Korea visa-free), CIS access (Russia, Central Asia visa-free), a credible jurisdictional alternative for clients from sanctioned or unstable regions, and a fast, low-friction route to a second passport from a G20 economy.

Investment routes

Real Estate — USD 400,000. The dominant route (~85% of files). Purchase one or several properties with cumulative title-deed value of USD 400,000+. Payment must flow through a Turkish bank with a foreign-currency conversion certificate (Döviz Alım Belgesi); cash purchases are not eligible. 3-year minimum hold notarised on title deed. Off-plan with notarised promise-of-sale (vaadi noter) accepted. Properties may be sold after 3 years without losing citizenship.

Bank Deposit — USD 500,000. Cash placed in a Turkish bank, USD or TRY equivalent, locked for 3 years.

Fixed Capital — USD 500,000. Establish or invest in a Turkish company; verified by the Ministry of Industry and Technology certificate.

Government Bonds — USD 500,000. Turkish sovereign debt instruments, 3-year hold.

Real Estate / Venture Capital Fund Shares — USD 500,000. Shares in licensed Turkish REITs or VC funds, 3-year hold. Increasingly popular for clients who want an instrument that is liquid and recoverable in TRY at maturity.

Private Pension — USD 500,000. Lump-sum pension contribution, 3-year minimum hold.

Job Creation — 50+ Turkish employees. No headline capital threshold but practically requires substantial operating business; rarely used in pure CBI structures.

Due diligence & process

Türkiye’s DD is notably lighter than Caribbean and Malta — there is no four-tier external screening regime. The state relies on its own Interior Ministry, MASAK (financial intelligence unit), and Interpol checks. Sanctioned, OFAC-listed, or high-risk applicants are routinely refused, but DD is shorter and less invasive than in the Caribbean. Since 2024, applicants and spouses must travel to Türkiye in person for biometric capture and to receive a short-term investor residence permit (which converts to citizenship at decree). Typical end-to-end timeline: 3-6 months on the real-estate route once payment and conversion certificate are complete.

What it gets you

Lifetime, hereditary Turkish passport. Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to roughly 118 destinations — strong on Asia (Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong) and CIS (Russia, Central Asia), weak on Europe and North America (visas required for Schengen, UK, US, Canada). Full Turkish citizen rights: live, work, own property, vote. Tax-neutral by default — citizenship does not trigger Turkish tax residency unless the holder spends 183+ days a year in Türkiye. No requirement to renounce existing citizenship; Türkiye allows dual citizenship.

Our role on a Türkiye file

  1. Eligibility & route framing — confirm the client wants a Türkiye passport for the right reasons (Asian/CIS mobility, jurisdictional diversification, US E-2 not applicable here — that’s Grenada). Reset expectations on Schengen if relevant.
  2. Property selection (if real-estate route) — coordinate with vetted local developers and law firms; verify title deed status, valuation report (mandatory since 2019, USD 400K must be backed by SPK-licensed appraisal), and CIP-eligibility certificate.
  3. Source-of-funds dossier — assemble bank, tax, and transaction records; ensure the foreign-currency conversion certificate (DAB) is generated correctly through the Turkish bank.
  4. Investor residence permit + biometric trip — coordinate the 1-2 week trip to Türkiye for biometrics, residence permit pickup, and notarial appointments for spouse/children.
  5. Citizenship application & decree — file at Population Affairs; track through Ministry of Interior to Presidential Decree (Resmi Gazete publication).
  6. Passport collection & post-citizenship — passport pickup at consulate of choice; advise on tax planning, banking, and the 3-year hold compliance.