Turkish Citizenship by Property: The $400,000 Rule and the 3-Year Hold

Turkish citizenship by property is the legal route to a Turkish passport that, as of 2026 when this article was written, requires buying real estate worth at least 400,000 US dollars and committing not to sell it for three years. Your spouse and children under 18 are included in the same application, and the program does not require you to actually live in Turkey. Below we explain exactly what the $400,000 rule covers, what the three-year hold requirement means in practice, and the process step by step.

Who does Turkish citizenship by property suit?

Turkish citizenship by property suits investors who want to make a lasting investment in Turkey while adding a strong second passport in a relatively short time. Because the program carries no physical residence requirement, it is often chosen by people who keep running a business in their home country, by families applying together, and by anyone looking to widen their visa-free travel options. Weighing it against Turkey's other citizenship by investment options makes it clear whether this route genuinely fits your budget and goals. If you want a full side-by-side, our guide comparing all seven Turkish citizenship investment routes in 2026 (Turkish Citizenship by Investment: Comparing All 7 Routes in 2026) sets the budgets and holding periods out directly.

As an independent consultancy that has handled more than 2,000 citizenship and residence applications from over 40 countries since 2018, we see the file stall most often at the valuation and title deed stage. The real estate side of this route runs far more safely when it is assessed through the eyes of a licensed Turkish real estate advisor: a correct valuation, a clean title deed record and a realistic resale horizon decide both the application and the return on the investment. Our founder, Burak Unal, is himself a licensed real estate advisor, and we run the whole file through a single senior point of contact.

What exactly does the $400,000 threshold cover?

The $400,000 threshold is the combined value, stated in a formal appraisal report prepared by a Capital Markets Board (CMB) licensed valuer, of one or more properties. This figure must be proven by the appraisal report regardless of the price written in the sale contract, and it is converted to US dollars using the Central Bank exchange rate on the day the title deed is transferred.

The threshold was raised from $250,000 to $400,000 by a presidential decree in mid-2022, and that figure is current as of 2026, when this article was written. Rules like this change from time to time, so confirm the current amount with an advisor before you apply. You can follow the decree text itself through the Official Gazette of Turkey.

Several units can be combined into one application, so you do not have to reach $400,000 with a single property. The most common mistake among people pursuing citizenship through this $400,000 property rule is treating the purchase price as the threshold; what actually counts is the independent appraisal figure.

Housing, commercial premises, land, and new or resale properties are generally eligible. What matters is not the type of property but whether there is any legal bar on selling it to a foreign buyer and whether the appraisal clears the threshold. Paying the full price by bank transfer, from abroad or from your own Turkish account, and in the buyer's own name, is the most heavily audited point in the whole process; cash payment and irregular transfers put the file at direct risk.

The three-year no-sale rule and the title deed annotation

The three-year property hold rule is your commitment not to sell the property used for the citizenship application for three years from the date the title deed is transferred. This is not a verbal promise: an annotation reading "may not be sold for three years" is entered directly in the land registry, and the property cannot be transferred to anyone else until that annotation is lifted.

When you are pursuing Turkish citizenship by investment through a title deed, this annotation is the foundation your application rests on; selling the property early puts the citizenship application itself at risk. During the three years you may rent the property out, live in it, and collect rental income; only the transfer of ownership is restricted. The valuation and annotation steps run through the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre.

The same property must not have been used for a citizenship application before; a property can only be used for this purpose once. This is why, when buying a resale unit, it is critical to check whether the seller already obtained citizenship through that same property and whether an old annotation remains on the title deed record. Even if you buy the property jointly with your spouse, running the application through a single main applicant simplifies the process.

Step-by-step process and realistic timelines

The process generally runs through several sequential stages, from choosing the eligible property to receiving the passport. Each stage's length depends on how complete the file is and how busy the relevant institutions are, so the timeframes below are typical ranges, not binding commitments.

1. Choosing a property eligible for sale to foreigners and obtaining the appraisal report from a CMB-licensed valuer.
2. Getting a tax number and opening a Turkish bank account; transferring the purchase price formally, bank to bank.
3. Transferring the title deed and entering the three-year no-sale annotation on it.
4. Obtaining the conformity certificate, then filing the residence permit and citizenship application together.
5. Review by the Ministry of Interior and population authorities, approval, and passport issuance.

End to end, most files take anywhere from a few months to a little over half a year. In practice, the items that most often bounce back during file review are an incomplete or outdated appraisal report, bank receipts that do not clearly show the buyer's name, and missing apostilles or translations; preparing these documents completely from the start is what actually determines how long the whole process takes. For a closer look at how the real estate route itself is run, see our guide on how to secure citizenship through real estate investment.

Family, passport, and dual citizenship

When you acquire a Turkish passport through investment, your spouse and children under 18 gain citizenship in the same file; a single $400,000 investment covers your entire immediate family. Children over 18 and parents are not automatically included and are assessed separately.

Turkey allows dual citizenship, so you do not have to give up your current nationality, though it is worth checking your own country's rules on dual nationality separately. Source-of-funds documentation and a security review are carried out on every file; these steps cannot be skipped, and preparing a complete file from the outset is what saves the most time.

Acquiring citizenship does not automatically make you a tax resident of Turkey. Tax residency follows from spending more than 183 days in Turkey in a calendar year, not from holding a passport; because your tax obligations in your home country may continue as well, it is worth reviewing your cross-border tax position with a specialist before you invest.

Once citizenship is approved, a Turkish ID number and passport are issued; as of when this article was written, that passport offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to a large number of countries. Citizenship is not, as a rule, revoked even if you sell the property after the three years are up; the requirement applies only to the application and the three years that follow it. Even so, keep your documents on file and keep your declarations consistent for any future review.

Costs, taxes, and line items people overlook

The real cost is not limited to $400,000; on top of it come the title deed fee, VAT (unless exemption conditions are met), appraisal and translation fees, and advisory and government application fees. Clarifying these line items up front lets you build an accurate budget. For the full cost breakdown across every route, our Turkish Citizenship by Investment for Foreign Buyers guide is a useful companion to this article. The table below compares Turkey's main citizenship investment routes by threshold and holding requirement; the figures are current as of when this article was written and should be confirmed.

Investment route	Minimum amount	Hold / condition
Real estate purchase	$400,000	No sale for 3 years
Bank deposit	$500,000	Held for 3 years
Government bonds	$500,000	Held for 3 years
Fixed capital investment	$500,000	Approval by the relevant authority
Job creation	Employing 50 people	Determined by the Ministry of Labor

The real estate route is the one most investors choose, both because it has the lowest threshold and because it leaves you with a tangible asset. To talk through your situation and which route fits you, you can book a free initial consultation through our contact page.

Common mistakes and risks to watch

The most common risk is a property that is overvalued or priced well above the market. Even if the appraisal clears the threshold, if the true market value is lower, you may find the resale price after three years falls short of what you expected; choose the investment as a sound asset, not only as a route to a passport.

The second risk is documentation: incomplete source-of-funds records and bank transfers are the most frequent reason a file bounces back. Exchange-rate movement matters too, because the threshold is measured in dollars; the gap between the transfer date and the title deed date can mean paying more Turkish lira than you planned.

Finally, you cannot apply for citizenship on the strength of a preliminary sale agreement; the application rests on a completed title deed transfer with the annotation entered. Knowing these distinctions before buying property for Turkish citizenship prevents a months-long process from stalling at the last step.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum amount for Turkish citizenship by property?

As of 2026, when this article was written, the minimum is $400,000, proven by a formal appraisal report. This threshold is based on the independent appraisal, not the sale price, and because rules can change, you should confirm the current amount with an advisor before applying.

What exactly does the 3-year no-sale rule mean?

The three-year no-sale rule is your commitment not to sell the property used for citizenship for three years from the date the title deed is transferred, and it is recorded as an annotation on the title deed itself. During this period you can rent the property out and use it; you simply cannot transfer ownership to someone else.

Do I need to live in Turkey?

No, this program does not require physical residence or a minimum number of days in Turkey. A residence permit is still issued during the application, but approval of citizenship does not oblige you to live in Turkey.

Can my family become citizens too?

Yes, your spouse and children under 18 gain citizenship through the same application. Children over 18 and parents are not automatically included and are assessed separately.

Do I have to give up my current citizenship?

Because Turkey allows dual citizenship, there is no requirement to give it up on the Turkish side. It is still worth separately checking how your own country treats dual nationality, so you do not run into a surprise later.

How long does the process roughly take?

Depending on how complete the file is and how busy the relevant institutions are, the process typically runs from a few months to a little over half a year for most applications. These are typical ranges, not binding commitments; missing documents or unverified source of funds are the most common causes of delay.

If I sell the property after the three years, does it affect my citizenship?

No. Once the three years have passed and the annotation is lifted from the title deed, you may sell the property freely, and doing so does not reverse citizenship already granted. The requirement applies only to the application period and the three years that follow it.

Disclosure: This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal, tax, immigration, or investment advice. Programs and amounts can change; confirm current details and your personal eligibility with a qualified advisor before taking action.