Freedom FilesFreedom Files
← All destinations
Middle EastCitizenship

Turkey

Turkish citizenship through a $400K property investment in three to six months, paired, under Law No. 7582 gazetted June 2026, with a 20-year exemption on foreign-source income for new tax residents. The longest non-dom regime currently active anywhere, alongside a passport that opens roughly 110 destinations.

Population
85 million
Language
Turkish (English in business)
Currency
Turkish Lira (TRY)
Time zone
TRT (UTC+3, no DST)
Capital
Ankara (Istanbul is the major city)
GDP per capita
~US$10K
  1. A property-backed citizenship

    Turkey is one of the few citizenship-by-investment programs whose primary route is a real estate investment rather than a non-refundable donation. The $400K minimum buys an asset that retains underlying value, can generate rental yield during the qualifying three-year period, and remains saleable after the qualifying period. For families who prefer recoverable capital to outright donation, this is structurally distinctive.

  2. Twenty-year foreign-income tax shelter (new in 2026)

    Law No. 7582, gazetted June 4, 2026, exempts new Turkish tax residents from Turkish tax on foreign-source income and capital gains for twenty years from the date of becoming resident. Qualification turns on one test: no Turkish domicile or tax liability in the three calendar years before relocation. The window also brings a 1% inheritance rate (versus a progressive schedule that reaches 10%) on assets transferred on death during the period, and an asset-repatriation amnesty through July 31, 2027. For families pairing the CBI passport with eventual Turkish tax residency, the regime is materially longer than any active European non-dom equivalent (typically 10-15 years).

  3. Geographic bridge between continents

    Turkey stands at the corner of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Istanbul is one of the world's most strategically connected cities, with Turkish Airlines flying to more countries than any other carrier. For families building a Plan-B with exposure to Europe, the Levant, the Gulf, and Central Asia, no other jurisdiction matches this geographic position.

  4. Three-to-six-month timeline

    Engagement to oath of allegiance typically spans three to six months for clean files. The Turkish program is mature, well-staffed, and has processed thousands of files since the program restructure in 2018. Process predictability is materially better than newer-entrant CBI programs.

  5. Zero physical-presence requirement

    No minimum visit before applying. No minimum visit after applying. No requirement to live in Turkey to maintain citizenship. The status is granted for life regardless of where you live, with the oath administered remotely or through one trip to a Turkish consulate.

  6. Family in one application

    Spouse, dependent children under 18, and disabled adult children qualify under a single application. Family pricing is included in the principal investment rather than added on a per-dependent basis, which makes Turkey one of the most family-efficient CBI programs on cost.

  7. An established expat community in Istanbul

    Beşiktaş, Şişli, and the European-side Bosphorus districts host substantial American and Western expat communities. International schools, English-speaking healthcare, and bilingual legal services are all well established. Most engagements arrive into existing infrastructure rather than building it.

Programs

One route into Turkey

Each route below is a live client engagement we have advised. Figures and timelines reflect the current state of each program; we update them whenever policy moves.

  • Citizenship by Investment

    Citizenship

    Direct citizenship through a $400K qualifying property purchase, with a minimum three-year ownership period before resale. The underlying real estate retains value as an asset and can generate rental yield during the qualifying period. Family inclusion across spouse and dependents is built into the principal investment.

    Financial requirement
    $400K in property
    Timeline
    3 to 6 months
  • Turkey editorial photograph
  • Turkey editorial photograph

Several routes, several ideal profiles. Which is right for you? The Freedom Consult is where we figure out your ideal path forward, and whether Turkey is even the right country.

Get my Blueprint

A taste of Turkey

Turkey editorial photograph 1
Turkey editorial photograph 2
Turkey editorial photograph 3
Turkey editorial photograph 5Turkey editorial photograph 6Turkey editorial photograph 7

How does the property investment route work?

The applicant purchases qualifying Turkish real estate with a market value of at least $400K, demonstrated by an independent valuation. The property must be owned for a minimum three-year period; sale before three years voids the citizenship retroactively. After the three-year have, the property can be sold without affecting citizenship status. We work with vetted Turkish real estate counsel to identify properties with both qualifying valuations and resaleable market characteriztics.

Will my $400K be recovered after the three years?

Underlying market value is recoverable through resale after the qualifying period. Recovery depends on Turkish real estate market conditions, lira-USD exchange rates at sale, and the specific property's appreciation trajectory. Past clients have generally recovered between 70% and 110% of original USD outlay over the three-year period, depending on entry timing and asset selection. We model the conservative case during the consult; we do not promise appreciation.

How strong is the Turkish passport?

The Turkish passport currently grants visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to roughly 110 destinations, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and most of Latin America. Schengen and UK access requires a visa for Turkish nationals. The passport is materially weaker on Europe-direction mobility than European or Caribbean-CBI passports, but stronger on Asia and Latin America than most.

Do I have to visit Turkey at any point?

One visit is required to handle the property purchase, biometric enrollment, and oath. The visit can typically be compressed to a single week. After the citizenship is granted, no further presence is required to maintain it. The oath can be administered at a Turkish consulate in some cases if travel is impractical.

Who counts as family for one application?

Spouse and dependent children under 18 are included under the principal investment with no per-dependent fee, plus disabled adult children regardless of age. Adult children over 18, dependent parents, and other relatives are not eligible under the standard CBI framework. This makes Turkey one of the most family-efficient CBI programs for nuclear families.

Will I have to give up my US citizenship?

No. Turkey has permitted dual citizenship since 2009, and the United States permits dual citizenship in practice. You have both passports indefinitely.

What is the new 20-year foreign-income tax exemption?

Law No. 7582, gazetted June 4, 2026, exempts new Turkish tax residents from Turkish tax on foreign-source income and capital gains for 20 years from the date of becoming resident. The qualification test is simple: no Turkish domicile or tax liability in the three calendar years before relocation (with a carve-out for those who paid Turkish tax on local rental income, securities income, or capital gains). The window also brings a 1% inheritance rate (versus progressive rates reaching 10%) on assets transferred on death during the period, lifetime gifts fall outside it. A separate asset-repatriation amnesty lasts through July 31, 2027 with a 0-5% rate on declared cash, gold, foreign currency, and securities. The regime is materially longer than Europe's typical 10-to-15-year non-dom equivalents, and it pairs naturally with the CBI passport: naturalize, relocate, and shelter foreign income for two decades.

What about Turkey's political and economic environment?

Turkey has had volatile macroeconomic conditions and an active political environment over the past decade, with lira depreciation and high inflation as recurring features. The CBI program itself has remained operational and policy-stable across multiple political cycles since the 2018 restructure, and Law No. 7582 (June 2026) materially strengthens the program's structural value by adding a 20-year foreign-income tax exemption alongside the passport. The recoverable-asset structure of the property route partially insulates against macro volatility relative to non-refundable donation programs. We monitor the program closely and brief active clients on any material movement.

How life compares

Eight factors, against the US baseline

The dimensions that decide whether a place is workable once the visa lands.

English

Strong in business and expat zones

Istanbul's European-side districts (Beşiktaş, Şişli, Nişantaşı), the major business contexts, and the tourism economy all default to English in most professional and service levels. Outside those zones, basic Turkish becomes necessary.

Cost of living

Dramatically lower than US

Turkey comes in 50-70% below US coastal-city benchmarks despite premium-property pricing in Istanbul. A comfortable expat-zone life for a couple costs $2,500 to $4,500 a month including premium housing and household help.

Taxes

20-year foreign-income shelter for new residents

Law No. 7582 (gazetted June 2026) gives new Turkish tax residents a 20-year exemption on foreign-source income and capital gains. Qualification: no Turkish domicile or tax liability in the three prior calendar years. Inheritance during the window is taxed at a flat 1% (versus a progressive schedule reaching 10%). The regime is longer than any active European non-dom equivalent. US worldwide-income filing continues regardless; the shelter eliminates the Turkish-side overlay for the duration. We coordinate with Turkish and US-licensed counsel.

Quality of life

Underrated, particularly Istanbul

Istanbul is one of the world's great cities, with depth of food, culture, history, and a working-capital infrastructure that consistently surprises first-time visitors. The Aegean and Mediterranean coasts (Bodrum, Antalya, Fethiye) deliver resort-grade living.

Safety

Major-city expat zones secure

Major-city expat neighborhoods are statistically safer than many US small cities. The southeastern border regions and certain rural areas require care. We steer engagements toward the established expat hubs during onboarding.

Travel connectivity

Turkish Airlines' global network

Istanbul Airport is one of the world's busiest, with Turkish Airlines flying to more countries than any other carrier. Direct service to most major US cities, every European capital, and across Asia and the Middle East. The connectivity advantage is among the program's structural assets.

Infrastructure

Modern in major cities

Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir deliver modern utilities, fast residential internet, well-developed transit, and modern healthcare facilities. Rural infrastructure varies. The Istanbul-Ankara high-speed rail is well-built.

Healthcare

Strong private system, medical-tourism destination

Major private hospitals in Istanbul and Ankara are international medical-tourism destinations, with outcomes and pricing competitive with the strongest Asian and European centers. Comprehensive private insurance costs $150 to $350 per month per adult.

Read & watch on Turkey

Deeper coverage of Turkey from the Freedom Files library - long-form articles and short video deep-dives.

Articles

Videos

  • 23 min

    7 Ways to Get a Second Passport in 2026: Citizenship by Descent, Birth, Marriage, Naturalization, Investment, and Merit

    There are 7 ways you can get a second passport in 2026: Through citizenship by descent, birth, marriage, naturalization, a preferred nationality fast track, citizenship by investment, and citizenship by merit, and 4 of them cost almost nothing. This breakdown covers how each one works, how long it takes, and which ones fit your goals. The last route is the one I expect to replace citizenship by investment in the future.

    • Citizenship
  • 35 min

    Pay Zero Tax on Foreign Income in These 19 Countries: Residency and Citizenship Routes for 2026

    If you're not a US citizen and don't have a green card, you can drop your tax bill to zero by establishing tax residency in a zero-tax jurisdiction; if you're a US person, these countries simply won't add a second tax bill to your US one. This breakdown covers 19 tax-friendly countries worldwide across 4 systems, zero income tax (UAE, St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Vanuatu, Nauru), territorial tax (Costa Rica, Georgia, Paraguay, Grenada, Panama), tax holidays from 3 to 20 years (Chile, Uruguay, Cyprus, Turkey), and conditional non-dom systems (Dominica, St Lucia, the Dominican Republic, Ireland, Malta), plus how to get residency or citizenship in each and reduce your total tax bill to as close to zero as possible.

    • Residency
    • Citizenship
    • Tax
  • 20 min

    8 Countries Where a Bank Deposit Gets You Residency or Citizenship in 2026

    You can simply move your money from one domestic bank account to an international one and walk away with legal residency in 6 countries and even direct citizenship in 2 more. This breakdown covers residency by bank deposit in Panama ($200,000 Friendly Nations Visa or the $750,000 Qualified Investor Visa), the Dominican Republic ($200,000 CD with a 2-year citizenship clock), Ecuador ($48,000, the cheapest deposit residency anywhere), Latvia (€280,000, Europe's last bank-deposit golden visa, closing soon), the UAE (2 million dirhams for a 10-year Golden Visa), and Thailand ($100,000 LTR visa), plus citizenship by bank deposit in Egypt and Turkey at $500,000 each, and the currency fine print that decides whether those two make sense. This is likely the easiest way to qualify for residency overseas, apart from simply showing your income.

    • Residency
    • Citizenship
    • Banking
  • 16 min

    How Americans Open Offshore Bank Accounts Legally in 2026: FBAR, FATCA, CRS, and the 6 Steps

    The price of doing offshore banking wrong can reach $165,000 per account, per year. This breakdown shows how Americans open foreign bank accounts 100% legally in 2026: What an offshore account really is, why wealthy investors bank abroad (from the 2023 US bank failures to the Cyprus bail-in), the FBAR, FATCA, and CRS reporting rules that define the game, the 5 reasons offshore banking might be wrong for you, and the 6 steps to open an account that fits your profile, from defining the job of the account to the filings that follow the deposit.

    • Tax
    • Banking

The Turkey briefing

The facts, programs, and comparison

A PDF briefing covering everything on this page plus the comparison framework we use internally. Delivered direct to your inbox.

No spam ever! Unsubscribe in one click.

Click for access to a full Turkey briefing

Get your custom Plan B Blueprint

Most people spend 100+ hours researching residency and citizenship options before they realize they were looking at the wrong programs. We compress that into 10 questions, 90 seconds, and a single report.

“You come across as very genuine, authentic, and easy to deal with. Most experiences I've had with others are like, 'Send me money and I'll tell you what to do.'”
Tony · California