One of the exceptional ways to acquire Turkish citizenship is investments to be made in Turkey under certain conditions.
WHAT IS THE LEGAL REGULATION?
The conditions for exceptional acquisition of Turkish citizenship are shown in Article 20 of the Turkish Citizenship Law Implementation Regulation.
However, in addition to this, according to Article 12 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, the foreigner who can exceptionally acquire Turkish citizenship must "NOT HAVE ANY CONDITIONS THAT WILL CONSTITUTE AN OBSTACLE IN TERMS OF NATIONAL SECURITY AND PUBLIC ORDER".
In exceptional cases, foreigners can acquire Turkish citizenship by the decision of the President and in cases specified in the law.
WHAT ARE THE INVESTMENTS TO BE MADE TO ACQUIRE CITIZENSHIP?
According to the relevant regulation article, foreigners can acquire Turkish citizenship with the investments listed below;
1- FIXED CAPITAL INVESTMENT:
It is determined by the Ministry of Industry and Technology that a fixed capital investment of at least 500,000 US Dollars or equivalent foreign currency has been made.
2- PURCHASING REAL ESTATE OR MAKING A PROMISED SALE AGREEMENT:
He/she has purchased real estate, which is a land with a building on it or on which a condominium or floor servitude has been established, for an amount of at least 400,000 US Dollars or the equivalent foreign currency, on the condition that an annotation is placed in the land registry not to sell it for three years, or a condominium or floor servitude has been established, for an amount of at least 400,000 US Dollars or the equivalent foreign currency. It is determined by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change that the sale of the real estate is promised with a contract drawn up at the notary, provided that the amount is deposited in cash and the commitment that no transfer or cancellation will be made for three years is annotated in the land registry.
3- PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT:
It has been determined by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security that employment has been created for at least 50 people.
4- DEPOSITING MONEY TO THE DEPOSIT ACCOUNT:
Deposits of at least 500,000 US Dollars or equivalent foreign currency must be deposited in banks operating in Turkey, provided that they are kept for three years and determined by the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency.
5- GOVERNMENT DEBT INSTRUMENTS:
Purchase of government debt instruments worth at least 500,000 US Dollars or equivalent foreign currency, provided that they are kept for three years, as determined by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance.
6- REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT FUND OR VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENT FUND:
Purchase of real estate investment fund participation share or venture capital investment fund participation share of at least 500,000 US Dollars or equivalent foreign currency, with the condition of holding it for at least three years and determined by the Capital Markets Board.
7- INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT SYSTEM:
Keeping the contribution amount of at least 500,000 US Dollars or equivalent foreign currency in the funds whose scope is determined by the Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency, and depositing it into the private pension system on the condition that it remains in the system for three years, as determined by the Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency.
PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED TO ACQUIRE CITIZENSHIP
The path that a foreigner who meets any of the above-mentioned conditions must follow consists of 3 steps;
1-Meeting one of the investment conditions of the relevant regulation mentioned above and obtaining the CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMITY from the relevant ministry,
2- Obtaining a SHORT TERM RESIDENCE PERMIT in accordance with Article 31 of the Foreigners Law No. 6458 (YUKK),
3-Making the application after these conditions are met.
An important issue here is that the certificate of conformity that must be obtained from the relevant ministries in order to acquire citizenship through the investment instruments listed above is subject to separate procedures and principles for each investment path.
In order to obtain the eligibility certificate, the foreigner must first have made one of the investments listed and obtained a short-term residence permit.
CAN THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF A FOREIGNER WHO GAINED CITIZENSHIP EXCEPTIONALLY BECOME TURKISH CITIZENS?
The spouses and minor children of foreigners who have made the above-mentioned investments and whose applications have been successful and have acquired Turkish citizenship can also acquire Turkish citizenship.
WHAT CAN BE DONE IF THE CITIZENSHIP APPLICATION IS REJECTED?
The decision-making authority for acquiring citizenship through exceptional means is the President. The decision to be made by the President is, of course, an administrative action, and a lawsuit can be filed against administrative actions in the Administrative Judiciary, requesting the annulment of the rejection decision.
However, the point that should be noted here is that, according to the legislation, lawsuits against the President's decisions are filed in the Council of State, not the Administrative Courts, as the first instance court.
Unless a period of time is specified in special laws, the period for filing a lawsuit in the Council of State, as the first instance court, against the cancellation of the citizenship by investment application is 60 DAYS from the date on which the rejection decision is notified to the foreigner or his representative.
DOES A FOREIGN NEED TO COME TO TURKEY IN PERSON TO APPLY?
It is not mandatory for foreigners to be in Turkey in person to apply for Turkish citizenship through investment. From the Turkish consulates in their country.