Turkey remains a favorable choice for migrants, including Ukrainians. This is why the question of how to obtain Turkish citizenship as quickly as possible remains relevant. Additionally, obtaining Turkish citizenship has many nuances and obstacles that should be anticipated in advance.
What is Turkish Citizenship and Its Benefits
Turkey remains one of the most attractive countries for obtaining second citizenship due to its combination of economic stability, geographic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, as well as relatively lenient naturalization conditions. The Turkish passport provides visa-free access to over a hundred countries worldwide, grants the right to do business in a country with a strong economy and offers the possibility of expedited EB-5 immigration visa processing to the United States due to a bilateral trade agreement. The country’s legislation in 2026 continues to improve, particularly regarding the investment citizenship program, naturalization requirements, and application review procedures, making it essential to thoroughly review all legal ways to acquire a Turkish passport.
Turkish citizenship is a legal status that grants a person the full range of rights and obligations of a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, including the right to vote, the right to employment without restrictions, access to the state healthcare and education system, as well as the right to pass on status to children by inheritance. The issue is regulated by the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 and subordinate regulations, which are periodically updated by the Ministry of the Interior.
Among the key benefits of the Turkish passport, one should highlight visa-free or simplified visa regimes with over 110 countries, including Japan, South Korea, and most South American countries. Additionally, Turkey officially allows dual citizenship, which means that a person is not obliged to renounce their original country’s passport during naturalization. This significantly distinguishes Turkish legislation from several other states that require renouncing previous citizenship.
Another advantage is the strategic location of the country: Turkey is a member of the G20, a candidate for EU membership, and a participant in the Customs Union with the EU, which simplifies trade activities. Possessing a Turkish passport also provides favorable taxation for non-residents investing in real estate, and allows for obtaining residency permits for family members without additional investment requirements.
It is also worth noting that Turkish citizenship gives access to the SGK social security system, which covers medical services, pension provision, and unemployment assistance, which is a significant factor for families planning long-term residence in the country.
Main Ways to Obtain Citizenship
The legislation of the Republic of Turkey provides several official ways to acquire citizenship, each with its own criteria, processing times, and applicant requirements. As of 2026, the following main mechanisms remain in effect:
- Citizenship by birth — automatically granted to a child if at least one parent is a Turkish citizen at the time of the child's birth, regardless of the child's place of birth.
- Citizenship through naturalization — the standard pathway for foreigners who have lived in the country legally for at least five continuous years.
- Citizenship through marriage — a simplified procedure for foreign citizens who have been in a registered marriage with a Turkish citizen for at least three years.
- Citizenship through investment — an accelerated program that allows obtaining a passport within a few months provided a legally defined investment is made.
- Citizenship for exceptional merit — granted by decision of the Council of Ministers to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development of science, culture, sports, or the economy of the country.
- Restoration of citizenship — for individuals of Turkish descent who have previously lost their citizenship for various reasons.
Each of the listed methods has its own set of required documents and review procedures, so the choice of the optimal path depends on the individual applicant's situation, available capital for investments, marital status, and duration of prior residence in the country.
Citizenship through Investment: Program Conditions
The Turkish economic citizenship program, launched in 2017 and repeatedly adjusted, remains the fastest legal way to acquire a Turkish passport. As of 2026, the minimum investment threshold for real estate, established by government decree, is $400,000, which results from raising the initial threshold of $250,000 to regulate the market and prevent speculative price inflation.
The applicant has the right to choose one of several qualified investment options, including:
- Purchasing one or more real estate properties with a total value of at least $400,000 with a mandatory commitment not to sell the property for three years.
- Making a deposit in a Turkish bank of at least $500,000, which must remain in the account for at least three years.
- Purchasing government bonds or shares in investment funds for an equivalent amount with the same three-year sales restriction.
- Establishing a business that provides jobs for at least fifty Turkish citizens, confirmed by a certificate from the Ministry of Labor.
- Making a capital investment in essential production means for an amount determined by the relevant ministry.
The advantage of the investment pathway is the application processing time, which usually does not exceed three to six months provided the document package is correctly completed. An applicant choosing the property option must obtain an official appraisal of the property from a certified appraiser accredited by the General Directorate of Land Registry, and the purchase and sale transaction must be registered in the real estate registry. Citizenship acquired through investment also extends to the investor's spouse and children under eighteen included in the application.
Naturalization and Marriage as Grounds for Obtaining Citizenship
The standard naturalization procedure requires a foreigner to reside legally in Turkey for at least five uninterrupted years, without breaks exceeding six months. The applicant must confirm a stable source of income, have no criminal record in Turkey or the country of origin, and undergo an interview during which their level of Turkish language proficiency and basic knowledge of the country’s social structure are assessed.
A separate procedure is provided for foreign citizens married to a citizen of the Republic of Turkey. In this case, the minimum waiting period is reduced to three years of cohabitation in marriage, after which the foreign spouse has the right to apply for citizenship through a simplified procedure. Meanwhile, legislation establishes additional requirements: the marriage must not be fictitious, which is checked through separate interviews of the spouses, shared household management must be documented, and the marriage must not be terminated at the time of application submission, except in cases of the Turkish spouse's death, where the right to citizenship is preserved if the fact of cohabitation is proven.
It is important to note that obtaining citizenship through marriage is not automatic, and the final decision is made by the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs after a thorough investigation. Refusal is possible even with formal compliance with the marriage terms if signs of the union being formed solely for legal status are identified.
Procedure for Submitting Documents
The procedure for submitting an application for Turkish citizenship is carried out through the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü) or through the relevant provincial offices at the applicant's place of residence. For investment citizenship, a separate digital platform allows some documents to be submitted electronically, reducing processing time.
The standard document package required for application submission includes:
- Completed application form of the established sample in Turkish.
- Passport of the applicant and its notarized translation.
- Certificate of no criminal record issued by the competent authorities of the country of origin, legalized by apostille.
- Documents verifying the legal source of income or the availability of capital.
- Medical certificate confirming the absence of socially dangerous diseases.
- Marriage certificate or birth certificates of children in case family members are included in the application.
- Documents confirming the investment fact — purchase and sale contract of the property, bank statement, or founding documents of the business.
All documents of foreign origin must be legalized by apostille and officially translated into Turkish, certified by a notary accredited in Turkey. After submitting the complete package of documents, the applicant receives a notice of acceptance of the application, and the case is submitted for review by a commission that checks compliance with all legislative requirements, including verification through security bodies. The processing period for a standard naturalization application ranges from one to two years, while investment applications are processed much faster due to the simplified procedure.
Reasons for Refusal of Citizenship
Despite formal compliance with all requirements, the competent authorities of the Republic of Turkey reserve the right to refuse the applicant citizenship based on various grounds established by national legislation. The most common reason for refusal is the discovery of false information in the submitted documents, including forged income certificates, fictitious employment contracts, or the declared value of the property not matching its real market price based on repeated expert appraisal results.
Another significant ground for refusal is the threat to national security, which is established based on checks by the country's intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Applicants on international wanted lists, who have unserved convictions for serious crimes, or who are associated with organizations recognized as terrorist within Turkey automatically receive refusal without the right to appeal.
In cases of marital naturalization, the basis for refusal is often the discovery of the fictional nature of the union, established based on inconsistencies in the couple's testimonies during separate interviews, the absence of a shared residence or financial transactions characteristic of a real family couple. In the case of investment citizenship, refusal may be caused by non-compliance with the three-year term for keeping the asset, early sale of the property, or withdrawal of funds from the deposit account before the legally established term.
Refusal is also possible in case of non-compliance of the applicant's health status with sanitary legislation requirements, particularly in the presence of active forms of infectious diseases that pose a threat to public health. In all cases of refusal, the applicant has the right to appeal to the administrative court of Turkey within sixty days from the date of receiving the official decision, but practice shows that successful challenges are only possible in case of procedural violations by the authorities during the case review.
Overall, although this procedure is not simple, going through it can provide a good and long-term status. This option is also suitable for Ukrainians.