Turkish citizenship for real estate in 2026: a complete guide to the $400,000 threshold

What is Turkish citizenship for real estate and who is it suitable for?

Türkiye is one of the few countries where citizenship by investment is granted quickly and without the requirement to live in the country. The program has been running since 2017, and real estate in it is the most popular entry option: you invest money not in a non-refundable contribution, but in an asset that remains your property. The threshold in 2026 is from 400,000 US dollars. This is not a one-time payment to the state, but the purchase of an actual apartment, house, commercial premises or land that is registered in your name.

This route is suitable for those who need a second passport without moving: entrepreneurs, remote specialists, investors, families looking for an alternate airfield. Türkiye allows dual citizenship, does not require renunciation of the previous one, and does not test knowledge of language or history. Let’s immediately state the main thing and : Türkiye is not part of the European Union and not the Schengen zone, therefore a Turkish passport does not provide a visa-free Europe. But it opens other doors, which are discussed in detail below. It is convenient to compare the program with alternatives and understand its place among other options in our overview hub on Turkish citizenship by investment.

Terms 2026: $400,000 threshold, 3 year retention and no sale

The key condition is to invest at least $400,000 in real estate and hold it for at least three years. The amount is calculated in dollars, and not in liras or euros: payment is made through a Turkish bank with the issuance of a currency certificate (Doviz Alim Belgesi, DAB), which confirms that the money came from abroad and was officially converted. This is a required document; without it, the file will not be accepted.

The sales ban is not a formality. The Certificate of Title (TAPU) is stamped with a three-year lien. You will not be able to resell the property ahead of time, and if you try to circumvent the restriction, you risk losing your basis for citizenship. The three years are counted from the moment the title is registered, so plan your liquidity in advance: this money will be frozen in the asset.

In addition to real estate, the law allows other ways to obtain a passport: a bank deposit of $500,000, government bonds worth $500,000, shares of investment funds worth $500,000, or the creation of at least 50 jobs. We have compiled a comparison of these options in terms of money and terms in the material about full cost of Turkish citizenship. Real estate remains a favorite because the asset can be rented out and sold after being held.

What properties are suitable: residential, commercial, land and summation

Not only an apartment is suitable for the program. The law counts residential real estate, commercial premises (offices, shops), as well as land plots - provided that each property has a TAPU and there are no debts, liens or encumbrances. The main thing is that the total cost in dollars reaches the threshold of 400,000 and is confirmed by an official assessment.

An important and convenient nuance: the threshold can be set using several objects. You have the right to buy, for example, two apartments for 200,000 each or an apartment and a commercial space, as long as their total price covers the minimum and a TAPU has already been issued for each object. This gives flexibility: you can diversify assets by location and type, reducing the risk of one unsuccessful purchase.

• Housing - apartments, apartments, villas. The most liquid and understandable option, easier to rent.
• Commerce - offices, retail space. Higher profitability, but more difficult to manage and sell.
• Earth - plots are counted, but banks and appraisers treat them more strictly, liquidity is lower.
• Multiple objects - summation is allowed if there is a TAPU for each and the total price covers the threshold.

A separate nuance is the seller. It will not be possible to buy an object from a foreigner who recently received it through the same program: the state cuts off resale between investors in a circle. It is worth buying from the developer or from the Turkish owner, and the lawyer is obliged to check the entire chain of ownership according to the cadastre (tkgm.gov.tr).

SPK Score: Why Three Numbers Matter, Not One

The main trap for beginners is to think that only the price in the contract is important. The state actually looks at three values, and each must be at least $400,000. The first is the actual amount you paid through the Turkish bank (confirmed by a DAB certificate). The second is the estimated value in the report of a licensed appraiser. Third - the value declared in TAPU when re-registering the right at the cadastral office (Tapu Mudurlugu).

The valuation report is prepared by a company licensed by the Turkish capital market regulator - SPK (Sermaye Piyasasi Kurulu). This is not a formal document, but an independent examination of market value. If the appraiser writes that the object costs 360,000, and you paid 400,000, the file may not be accepted: the discrepancy between the real market price and the inflated contract is a red flag. Therefore, you need to buy an object that is really worth the money on the market, and not “inflated” specifically to fit the threshold.

The dollar to lira exchange rate is fixed on the date of assessment and payment at the official rate of the Central Bank. Due to the volatility of the lira, leave a small margin above the threshold so that exchange rate fluctuations do not drop your amount below 400,000 at the time of checking the file. An experienced consultant always advises taking an object with a minimum margin of 5-10%.

Step-by-step process: from choosing an object to a presidential decree

The path from the first viewing of the apartment to the passport consists of a clear chain. Each step is important and cannot be skipped or swapped - for example, there is no point in submitting documents without an assessment report and without a DAB certificate.

• Step 1. Preparation. Obtaining a tax number in Turkey, opening an account in a Turkish bank. Without an invoice, it is impossible to make a legal payment and obtain a DAB certificate.
• Step 2. Selecting and checking an object. The lawyer checks TAPU, the absence of debts and encumbrances, the cleanliness of the chain of ownership according to the cadastre, and also that the property was not previously purchased under the same program.
• Step 3. Estimate SPK. Order an independent report from a licensed appraiser. All three figures must be at least $400,000.
• Step 4. Payment and purchase. Transfer of funds from abroad, conversion through a bank, registration of DAB, renewal of TAPU with a mark of three-year retention.
• Step 5. Certificate of conformity. The Ministry receives confirmation that the investment meets the conditions of the program.
• Step 6. Apply for residence permit and citizenship. Package collection for the whole family, biometrics, security checks.
• Step 7. Presidential Decree. The final decision on granting citizenship is made by decree, after which Turkish passports are issued.

In practice, most files are maintained by a licensed intermediary together with a lawyer: they synchronize the bank, appraiser, cadastre and migration authorities. This reduces the risk that the file will be returned due to a formal error in one of the links.

Time frame: how long can you realistically wait for a passport?

Realistic fork - approximately 3 to 8 months from the completion of the investment to receipt of the passport. Agencies promise shorter deadlines in advertising, while longer ones happen when authorities are overloaded or there are security issues. You shouldn’t count on a “passport in a month” - this is marketing, not the norm.

The timing depends on several factors: how quickly you opened an account and closed the transaction, whether the inspection of the property was clean, whether the security services have any questions for the applicant, how busy the departments are in a particular period. Applying for a residence permit and collecting biometrics takes several weeks, review and checks take the bulk of the time, and the final presidential decree adds another waiting period.

Advice: include in your plan not the lower limit, but the upper one - this way you will not be disappointed and can calmly plan things related to the new passport, for example, applying for an E-2 visa to the USA.

Family: who can be included in one application

One $400,000 investment covers not only the main applicant, but also their immediate family. Together with you, your spouse receives citizenship (the marriage must be officially registered, the citizenship of the spouse does not matter) and children under 18 years of age. Children can be either natural or adopted - if there is a legally registered adoption.

A separate category is adult children with disabilities who are financially dependent on a parent: they can be included regardless of age with medical confirmation. But healthy adult children (over 18 years old) are not included in the same application as the parent. There are two options for them: either they make their own investment starting from $400,000, or the family initially structures the purchase through a division of shares in the property so that each adult has their own share that closes the threshold. The second option requires careful legal preparation in advance, before the transaction.

• Spouse - included in case of official marriage, any citizenship.
• Children under 18 years old - relatives and adopted children are included automatically.
• Adult children with disabilities - with financial dependence and medical confirmation.
• Healthy adult children - only your own investment or division of shares, planned in advance.

Turkish citizenship is passed on to children born after naturalization, making the passport a truly family asset for generations to come.

Major Bonus: Access to an E-2 (Investor) Visa to the US

This is the advantage for which many people choose a Turkish passport. Turkey has a trade and navigation treaty with the United States and is on the list of countries participating in the E-2 program. The E-2 visa is an investor visa that allows you to live in the United States, conduct business, and renew your status with virtually no limit on the number of extensions as long as your business operates. Citizens of Russia, China, India and many other countries do not have access to E-2 directly - their countries are not on the list. And a Turkish passport opens this door.

The scheme is this: you obtain Turkish citizenship through real estate, and then, as a Turkish citizen, apply for E-2, investing a significant amount in a real operating business in the United States (there is no fixed minimum, but the investment must be proportionate and not marginal). E-2 derivative visas are available to the spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age. This is a legal bridge to America without green card queues. We discussed the combination in detail in a separate article on how Turkish passport opens E-2 visa to USA.

An important caveat regarding timing: for E-2, US consulates take into account how long ago you became a Turkish citizen - there is a requirement for the period of actual possession of citizenship. Therefore, the “passport - E-2” connection should be planned in advance with an immigration lawyer, and not count on filing for E-2 immediately the next day after naturalization.

What a passport does NOT give you: be about the EU and Schengen

So that you don’t have high expectations, let’s take the myths straight. Turkey has been a candidate to join the EU for many years, but has not become a member, and there are no prospects in the foreseeable future. This means that a Turkish passport does not give the right to live and work in the countries of the European Union and does not provide visa-free entry into the Schengen zone. A Turkish citizen still needs a Schengen visa to travel to the EU.

This is a fundamental difference from Caribbean programs or European passports. If your goal is precisely a visa-free Europe and the right to live in the EU, the Turkish option does not close it, and a consultant will tell you about it right away. But a Turkish passport gives visa-free or simplified entry to many other countries of the world, the right to live and work in Turkey itself, access to an E-2 visa to the United States and a quick family result without moving.

• Doesn't give: visa-free Schengen, the right to live/work in EU countries, EU citizenship.
• Gives: visa-free entry to many countries of the world, bridge to an E-2 visa in the USA, life in Turkey, dual citizenship.

If you're choosing between countries, check out the comparisons: UAE vs Turkey, Grenada vs TurkeyandVanuatu vs Turkey - this way it will become clear which program is closing your task.

Taxes on purchasing and owning real estate

Purchasing real estate in Turkey is subject to several payments that need to be included in the budget above the price of the property. The main one is the tax on re-registration of rights (tapu harci, TAPU fee) - 4% of the declared value. By law, it is divided equally between the buyer and the seller (2% each), but in practice the buyer often takes on the whole or most of the amount - this point should be fixed in the contract in advance.

VAT (KDV) on purchase varies from 1% to 18% depending on the type, area and whether it is a primary sale. Good news for foreigners: when purchasing a new property for the first time, you can receive a VAT exemption from the developer (under Article 13/i of the VAT Law), if you have not lived in Turkey for the last six months and are paying for the property in foreign currency. Resales are not eligible for this exemption. The annual property tax is low: approximately 0.1-0.2% for housing, 0.2-0.4% for commerce per year.

Türkiye does not tax worldwide income of non-residents - the tax is taken from income received in Turkey (for example, from rent). Please check specific rates and thresholds at the time of the transaction: tax legislation changes periodically, and official data is published by the General Directorate of Revenue of Turkey.

Risks: dead leases, overbought properties and overvaluation

The program is reliable, but it is at the stage of choosing real estate that people most often lose money. Let's look at the main traps so you can avoid them. The first risk is “dead lease”: the property was purchased in an area where there is an overabundance of new buildings, and it can only be rented out at a large discount or is completely idle. The money has been frozen for three years and there is no rental income. The cure is to look not at a beautiful rendering, but at the real occupancy rate of the area and the demand for rentals.

The second risk is overbought objects “under citizenship”. Some developers and intermediaries hold a pool of apartments with an artificially inflated price tag of exactly $400,000, aimed at investors in the program, and not at the market. After holding it for three years, it is impossible to sell such an apartment for the same money - you will record a loss. The third risk is closely related to the second: overestimation. If the market value according to the SPK report turns out to be lower than the contract value, the file may be rejected, and if the appraiser “plays along” with the overstatement, you will still be faced with the real price upon resale.

• Dead lease - check the real demand for rental and occupancy of the area, and not promises of profitability.
• Overbought objects - compare the price with analogues outside of the “citizenship packages”.
• Overrated - trust the independent SPK report, take the stock to your doorstep.
• Legal purity - check TAPU, debts, encumbrances and chain of ownership according to the cadastre.
• Lira rate - fix the payment with a margin so that fluctuations do not drop the amount below the threshold.

The main protection against all these risks is not to buy “the first apartment you come across under your passport,” but to treat the transaction as a real investment: with an independent assessment, legal review and a sober look at liquidity in three years. For those who plan to obtain a passport as a Russian citizen, our material about Turkish citizenship for Russians - the nuances of payments, banks and sanctions compliance are discussed there.

Pre-transaction check: checklist and expert help

Before transferring money, go through a short checklist. It does not replace a lawyer, but it helps not to miss the obvious and ask the right questions to the consultant.

• Does the total cost reach $400,000 across all three figures - payment, SPK assessment, TAPU declaration?
• Is there a margin of 5-10% to the threshold in case of fluctuations in the lira exchange rate?
• Is the property legally clean: no debts, liens, encumbrances, is the chain of ownership verified according to the cadastre?
• Was the property previously purchased under the same program by another investor?
• Is there real demand for rentals and resales in the area in three years?
• Who pays the TAPU fee and is this stated in the contract?
• Do you qualify for VAT exemption if you buy a new building?
• Do all family members you want to include qualify (spouse, children under 18)?

If you are not sure about at least one point, this is a signal to stop and check. A $400,000 deal with a three-year freeze is not forgiving in a hurry. The BRIDGES GLOBAL team supports the transaction from the selection of an object and an independent assessment to the application for citizenship and preparation of the subsequent connection with an E-2 visa. Leave a request for a consultation - we’ll analyze your situation, calculate the budget with taxes and select an object that will remain liquid after three years of holding.