Eligibility quiz
Have you made a fixed-capital investment of at least US$500,000, or the equivalent in another currency or Turkish lira?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Turkish passport and ID
Turkish citizens can hold an identity card and apply for an ordinary Turkish passport.
Live in Turkey for life
Turkish citizenship lets you enter, live in and return to Turkey without a visa or residence permit.
Citizenship does not expire or need renewing.
Study in Turkey
Turkish citizens can study in Turkish schools and universities, subject to each institution’s admission rules.
Work in Turkey
Turkish citizens can work in Turkey without a foreigner’s work permit.
The usual rules for a particular job or profession still apply.
Get help abroad
Turkish embassies and consulates can help in emergencies, contact relatives and speak with local authorities.
If your passport is lost or stolen, they can provide a temporary passport for your return to Turkey.
Vote and run for office
Turkish citizens aged 18 or over can vote, stand for office and take part in politics, with some restrictions.
Some cannot vote, including military students, conscripted privates and corporals, people in prison for intentional offences and people legally unable to make decisions.
If registered to vote abroad, citizens can vote in presidential and parliamentary elections and referendums, but not local elections.
Use public healthcare
Turkish citizens living in Turkey are generally covered by public health insurance.
People not otherwise insured may have to pay a contribution, though the state may pay it for those with low incomes.
Children under 18 are covered without that condition.
Get social support
Turkish citizens may qualify for financial assistance, pensions or other support if they meet the conditions.
Citizenship alone does not guarantee a payment.
How to apply
Applying at a local officeApplying at a local office
Find your local office
Find the provincial population and citizenship office for the province where you live. Special joint offices also serve investment applicants in Istanbul and Ankara.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which Turkish provincial population and citizenship office handles exceptional citizenship applications for your city?”
Download the application form
Download the VAT-4 exceptional citizenship application form.
Download the formFill in the form
Fill in the form and sign it by hand. If you are applying for your child, complete and sign it as their parent or permitted representative.
See how to completeSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in Turkey's VAT-4 exceptional citizenship application form?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the local office.
See required documentsPay the citizenship fee
Pay the citizenship service fee for each person in the application at a Ministry of Treasury and Finance cashier. Keep the receipt for your application.
Find how to paySearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I pay the exceptional citizenship service fee at a Treasury and Finance cashier in Turkey?”
Hand in your application
Bring your signed form, documents and fee receipt to your provincial population and citizenship office or the special joint office serving you. Apply in person; a representative may submit the application only where the authorization and fingerprint rules allow it.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I submit an exceptional citizenship application at the Turkish population and citizenship office in your city?”
Wait for the decision
Wait while the authorities review your application and the President makes a decision. Respond if the office asks for more documents or information.
See what happens nextSearches DuckDuckGo for “What happens while I wait for a decision on an exceptional citizenship application in Turkey?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificates
Get your birth certificate or an official population-register extract showing your identity and family relationships. Include records for your spouse and children in your application where needed to show your family ties. If a birth record is missing the day or month, get a document confirming the full date from the office that issues it; if you cannot get one, sign the declaration accepting how the date will be recorded.
Marriage certificates *
Provide a marriage certificate for anyone whose marriage is relevant to the application, with the marriage date shown as day, month and year. If someone is divorced, provide their divorce certificate; if widowed, provide their deceased spouse’s death certificate.
* Only if you or an included family member is married, divorced or widowed.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Military service for men
Turkish men may have to complete military service, depending on their age and circumstances.
Some citizens living abroad can use a foreign-currency service option if they meet its conditions, including the relevant residence, work or multiple-citizenship requirements.
Citizenship can be lost
Citizenship may be renounced with permission, or by choice within three years of adulthood for some citizens by birth, adoption or a parent who would not be left without citizenship.
It can be cancelled if acquired unlawfully or on an invalid basis.
It can be taken for unpermitted foreign military or wartime service, foreign service against Turkey’s interests after notice, or some unreachable terrorism suspects abroad not returning after a public call.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Residence Permit and Work Permit
English Facebook group for people interested in Turkish citizenship and visas
Join on FacebookTurkish Residence permit for foreigners 🚋🚋🇹🇷
English Facebook group for people interested in Turkish citizenship and visas
Join on FacebookPlaces to visit in Türkiye
English Facebook group for people living in Türkiye interested in Turkish local life
Join on FacebookConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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