How to Get Turkish Citizenship by Buying Property: A Buyer's Guide

Many international buyers first look at Istanbul because of the home itself, then discover that the same purchase can lead to Turkish citizenship for the whole family. Turkey grants citizenship to foreign investors who buy real estate worth at least $400,000 and keep it for at least three years. This guide follows the buyer's side of that journey: what to look for in a property, the order of the steps, the documents to prepare and how your family fits into the application. The legal conditions themselves are covered in a separate article on the citizenship-by-investment law.

Choosing a property that qualifies

Start with the purpose. A home bought for citizenship still has to work as a home or as an investment, so think about location, size and how you plan to use it, then check eligibility. The property must be worth at least USD 400,000 or the equivalent in another foreign currency, and the amount can be reached with one property or with several properties together. Eligibility belongs to the unit, not to the project as a whole: in the same building, a larger apartment may reach the threshold while a smaller one does not. Homes under construction can also qualify, so an off-plan unit is not ruled out.

Ask for written confirmation before you commit. For some projects HADARA publishes a Verified Project Card with details confirmed by our team. For Marmara Haven Villa, for example, that card lists the property as eligible for citizenship. For other projects, our advisors check each unit you shortlist against the current rules, so you never rely on a brochure alone.

The journey, step by step

The process begins with a free consultation, where we discuss your goals, budget and family members and shortlist eligible projects and units. A private video tour is a practical next step: with one of our advisors you can see the show apartment, the model and the site itself, and ask every question before you travel. The purchase itself is completed on a visit to Istanbul, where you see your chosen home in person. Around this time you will also need a Turkish tax number and a local bank account, and our team helps you obtain both.

Next comes the formal part. A licensed valuation report is prepared, the price is transferred in foreign currency and the bank issues a DAB certificate. Ownership is then registered at the Land Registry with an annotation that the property will not be sold for three years, or, for an off-plan home, a notarised promise-to-sell agreement is signed. The Land Registry reviews the file and issues a Certificate of Conformity. You and your family then obtain residence permits, the citizenship application is submitted, and after the authorities' review the decision is issued and you apply for Turkish ID cards and passports. Many of these formalities can be handled through a power of attorney, so a short visit to Istanbul is usually enough. From the title deed to the decision, the process usually takes a few months.

Documents and your family

One purchase covers the family. Your spouse and children under 18 are included in the same application, with no additional investment. There is no requirement to live in Turkey before or after approval, and dual citizenship is permitted for most nationalities, so you can usually keep your current passport. Preparing documents early saves time. You will need valid passports for yourself, your spouse and your children, birth certificates showing the parents' names, a marriage certificate if applicable, and recent biometric photographs. The property file adds the title deed or the notarised promise-to-sell agreement, the valuation report, the DAB certificate, the Certificate of Conformity and the residence permits. Documents issued abroad need an apostille, or consular legalisation, and a sworn Turkish translation. Our team prepares the file with you and checks every document before submission.

Planning your budget

Besides the property price, plan for the title deed fee, which is 4% of the declared property value and is paid at registration, the valuation report, sworn translations and notary costs, official fees for residence permits, the application and passports for each family member, and the fees of the lawyers who prepare and follow the citizenship file. We prepare a detailed estimate for your case. The amounts and conditions in this article reflect the current law and may change, so our team confirms the rules in force before any purchase.

HADARA, your real estate partner in Istanbul, is happy to walk you through eligible homes and the full citizenship process. Contact us or book a private video tour to build your shortlist, then visit Istanbul to see the homes in person and take the next step with confidence.