Country Profile:

Turkey is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a smaller portion on the Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe. It’s known for its rich cultural heritage, blending influences from ancient Greek, Persian, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires.

Capital: Ankara

Population: 85,279,553 (2022, 17th)

Ethnic Groups: 70–75% Turks, 19% Kurds

Area: 783,562 km² (36th)

Offical Language: Turkish

Currency: Turkish lira (₺) (TRY)

GDP per Captial: $11,887 (46th)

How To Immigrate To Turkey:

In a bid to stimulate foreign investment and ease internal economic difficulties in 2016, Turkey instituted a fast-track citizenship program, under which investors could secure a passport by purchasing real estate valued at $250,000( now $400,000). This initiative rapidly gained global popularity, ranking among the most sought-after citizenship-by-investment schemes. Since its full implementation in 2018, the program has successfully drawn in over 13,000 investors along with their family members.

In addition to passport program, foreigners can also legally reside in Turkey by applying for various types of Turkish residence permit ID cards.

Citizenship By Investment:

A foreign investor can be awarded a Turkish passport upon securing approval from the Turkish President if they meet any one of the following seven criteria:

1. Purchase of property or a combination of properties worth at least $400,000 and held for more than 3 years (the net value of the property, not the purchase price, is used in the application process, which is based on the valuation provided by the Turkish assessment agency). The transaction tax is 3% of the property price.

2. Investment of at least $500,000 in a fixed asset portfolio.

3. Deposit of at least $500,000 in a Turkish local bank for more than 3 years.

4. Purchase of government bonds worth at least $500,000 and held for more than 3 years.

5. Purchase of at least $500,000 worth of investment fund shares (real estate investment fund or venture capital fund) and held for more than 3 years.

6. Investment of at least $500,000 in the Turkish pension system.

7. Setting up a business in Turkey that is recognized by the local Family, Labor, and Social Services Bureau, and creating at least 50 job opportunities.

Beyond the financial prerequisites, the Turkish passport issuance criteria for applicants are quite lenient: the applicant must be at least 18 years old, possess no criminal record (although official documentation requires this, it is seldom enforced during the actual application review), and meet government stipulated investment conditions.

The main applicant can obtain a passport with their spouse and children under 18 (if they do not apply for immigration at the same time, the dependents cannot later apply for citizenship based on this, and can only apply on their own).

The requisite documentation is straightforward: a passport, a Turkish tax number, proof of no prior illegal stay in Turkey; a no criminal record certificate; evidence of investment; all primary and secondary applicants’ birth certificates and passport-sized photos; proof of relationship with dependents; valid Turkish health insurance documentation.

Here are the step-by-step procedures required for this passport program:

1. Prepare for investment: Investors usually need the assistance of professional intermediary agencies if they are not particularly familiar with the process and the Turkish economy.

2. Apply to the Turkish government for investment permission: Different investment options are approved by different government departments. The figure below shows the approval departments for each investment option .

3. After obtaining investment permission, apply for a permanent card from local immigration departments in Turkey to complete the investment in Turkey: Theoretically, the application for the permanent card must be made within Turkey, but many intermediary agencies can help investors complete the application without entering Turkey.

4. Complete the investment and submit the citizenship application: The citizenship application will first be submitted to the Department of Interior Registration, and then transferred to the Turkish Directorate General of Civil Registration and Citizenship Affairs (NVIGM), which will conduct a complete background check on the main and dependent applicants.

5. After passing the investigation, the Ministry of the Interior will submit the citizenship application to the President of Turkey for approval: Basically, this step is just a simple process.

Currently, the approval cycle for Turkish passports generally only takes 6 months, and the approval is very lenient, basically, you can get a passport as long as you complete the investment.

Investment Visa:

The Turkish investment visa system pre-dates the introduction of the citizenship-by-investment policy. It’s a visa category designed for foreigners who plan to establish a business or acquire real estate in Turkey.

This type of visa doesn’t stipulate a precise minimum investment amount. Applicants just need to demonstrate that they have property or a business enterprise in Turkey, and that they possess adequate funds to sustain their lifestyle in Turkey to qualify for this visa.

The investment visa is valid for up to two years. Assuming the investor maintains their investment, legally pays taxes, and resides locally for at least 184 days per year, they are eligible for unlimited visa renewals.

Residence Permit:

The Turkish Residence Permit ID Card is issued to foreign individuals who wish to live, travel, work, or invest in Turkey for an extended period. The children of visa holders are entitled to enjoy equal educational rights as Turkish citizens. The investment visa we introduced earlier is one type of Residence Permit ID Card:

1. Touristic Residence Permit is issued for periods of 1 to 2 years each time, comes without any immigration surveillance requirements.

2. Business Residence Permit is granted with a validity of just 3 months per issuance, with no residency prerequisites.

3. Medical Residence Permit is provided to foreign nationals seeking medical treatment in Turkey.

4. Real Estate Residence Permit is for foreigners who buy a property in Turkey worth less than 400,000 Euros. It can be repeatedly renewed as long as the investment is preserved.

5. Student Residence Permit is given to foreign students studying in Turkey, typically remaining valid until 6 months post-graduation.

Issuance of these residence permits primarily relies on the applicant being in good health, of legal adult age, devoid of a criminal history, and capable of proving sufficient financial stability. There isn’t a specific minimum financial requirement set by the Turkish government, and the overall acceptance process can differ depending on the visa officer and the background of the applicant.

For these long-term residence visas, applicants are required to apply online via the e-ikamet platform. Upon approval of the application, the Turkish immigration system will assign an appointment date. On this specified date, the applicant is required to submit the necessary application documents within Turkey itself: these include a passport, photos, local property rental documents, and application fees, among others. The entire process typically spans from 3 to 6 weeks.

Work Visa:

Foreigners can also apply for a Work Permit to legally live and work in Turkey.The work permit application process necessitates a job contract provided by a company based in Turkey and is carried out online. The submission of the necessary documents by the applicant is only possible from outside Turkey.

Once the work permit is approved, the applicant must enter Turkey within 180 days to fulfill their work contract, and they must register with the local address system within one month of arriving in Turkey. The validity of the first work permit is one year, which can be extended for two more years subsequently.

Taxation:

If one’s yearly earnings surpass 650,000 Euros, Turkey levies a personal income tax of up to 40%. As of 2022, corporate income tax in the country stands at 23%. The value-added tax is divided into three categories, with respective rates of 1%, 8%, and 18%.Property tax ranges from 0.1% to 0.6%.

Naturalization:

Foreigners who have lived in Turkey legally and continuously for a period of 8 years are eligible to apply for a permanent residency green card, which has no expiration date.

Foreigners who have resided in Turkey legally and continuously for 5 years without interruption (or 3 years if married to a Turkish citizen) and have the intention to reside long-term can apply for naturalization to obtain Turkish citizenship, provided they meet basic requirements such as embracing Turkish values, having stable and sufficient income, and possessing good character.

Yes, you read it correctly. In Turkey, the process of obtaining citizenship through naturalization can be shorter than the duration required for obtaining a green card.

Passport Power:

Turkey recognizes dual citizenship, and its passport ranks 50th globally. Holders of Turkish passports can enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 110 countries and regions worldwide.

Moreover, Turkey is a participant in the E2 treaty with the United States. Holding a Turkish passport provides individuals with the chance to potentially establish residency in the United States through the E2 treaty.

Useful Links:

Turkey investment office official website：https://www.invest.gov.tr/en/pages/home-page.aspx

Turkey residency permit online platform： https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/