It is possible to acquire Turkish citizenship in an exceptional way (by investment) when a real estate worth at least 250.000 USD or equivalent in foreign currency or Turkish lira is purchased with an annotation that it will not be sold for 3 years in the land registry.
Prior to the changes made with the Presidential Decision Number 418 published in the Official Gazette dated 07.12.2018, foreigners could only purchase immovables whose condominium was established and completed. With the changes coming, foreigners can also apply for Turkish citizenship by making Preliminary Contract for Real Estate in order to purchase immovables in ongoing construction projects, provided that they meet the specified conditions.
What are the Requirements for Acquiring Turkish Citizenship through Real Estate Acquisition or Preliminary Contract for Real Estate Sale?
1) The value of the immovable must be at least 250,000 USD or equivalent in foreign currency or Turkish lira, and this amount must be deposited in cash. (If the real estate was purchased between 12.01.2017-18.09.2019, its value must be at least 1,000,000 USD. The value of the immovables purchased on and after 19.09.2018 and the immovables subject to the real estate sales promise on and after 07.12.2018 must be at least 250.000 USD.)
2) Flat ownership or construction servitude must be established on the real estate.
3) Preliminary contract for real estate sale must be made from a cancellarius.
4) Preliminary contract for real estate must be get the real estate registry annotated, provided that it cannot be transferred to a third party for 3 years or cannot be cancel from the land registry.
What is a Real Property Valuation Report and How to Get It?
The Valuation Report is obtained for the determination of the value of the purchased real estate. Prior to the publication of the Circular dated 15.09.2021 and numbered 2021/6 (1911), the Valuation Report was prepared by the organization appointed by any of the parties, and this Valuation Report, which was issued later, was uploaded to the title deed system. With the Circular dated 15.09.2021 and numbered 2021/6 (1911), residual valuation reports will be prepared by the person appointed independently by the state. According to this Circular;
Valuation Report requests can be made at https://webtapu.tkgm.gov.tr./ or, if the owner of the immovable is a Turkish citizen, from the ALO-181 Call Center. After the service fee for the Valuation Report is paid, the valuation request is assigned by the system to the authorized valuation company within the same day. The person concerned can follow the steps of the valuation request on the web page of the Title Deed. After the Valuation Report is prepared and approved by the authorized institution, the Valuation Report is signed with e-signature and transferred to TAKBIS over the system.
The person concerned can view and follow up the report on the web page of the Title Deed, and if there is a simple typo, the person can request a correction on the web page of the Title Deed. After the Valuation Report is sent to TAKBİS, the person concerned may request corrections at most three times. The persons concerned cannot request a correction for the value determined in the valuation report, but they can request a new valuation report.
In the case of transactions that did not reach the Land Registry Directorates before the entry into force of this circular (before 20.09.2021), but for which the contract was made, the fee was paid, and the invoice was issued (in case these documents are submitted), the valuation report is sent to the land registry directorate by the end of the working day on 01.10.2021, reports are concluded within the scope of the repealed circular.
