TURKISH CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT FROM DUBAI
Turkish citizenship from $400,000 in property.Plain facts on cost, travel and risk.
Visa Doctor explains how Turkish citizenship by investment works for clients in Dubai, what the passport allows and what it does not, and the 2026 enforcement drive every buyer should understand.
- USD 400,000 in approved property, kept for 3 years
- The passport needs a visa for Schengen, the UK, the USA, Canada and the UAE
- No minimum stay, but some steps are done in person in Turkey
A Turkish passport does not give Schengen, UK or US visa free access.
If Schengen visa free access is your main goal, Turkey is the wrong programme. Our Caribbean and Argentina pages cover passports that give it. Turkey suits clients who want a second nationality backed by real estate, no residence requirement and a US E-2 treaty option. Thousands of citizenships were cancelled in 2025 and 2026 for sham property sales, so every purchase must be genuine and fully documented.
You apply for a Schengen visa exactly as you do today. Citizenship does not change this.
A UK visa is still needed for visits.
A US visitor visa is still needed.
Turkey is an E-2 treaty country, but investors who gained citizenship by investment must show 3 years of domicile in Turkey and a substantial US business investment.
A Canadian visa is still needed.
Turkish citizens need a UAE visa. Keep entering the UAE on your current passport.
Japan, Hong Kong and Malaysia 90 days, Singapore 30 days.
Stay lengths vary by country. Confirm before you book.
Where a Turkish passport takes you
Tap or hover any country to see the entry rule for Turkish passport holders. Use the buttons to zoom into a region or filter by visa type.
Tap or hover a country to see the entry rule for Turkish passport holders.
Entry rules change often and each country sets its own conditions, such as passport validity and stay length. Checked 3 November 2026 against official government and industry sources. Always confirm before you travel. Montenegro requires visas for Turkish citizens from 1 November 2026.
See the full list of countries (192)
Visa free (71)
- Albania90 days
- Angola30 days
- Antigua and Barbuda180 days
- Argentina90 days
- Azerbaijan90 days
- Bahamas240 days
- Barbados180 days
- Belarus30 days
- Belize90 days
- Bolivia90 days
- Bosnia and Herzegovina90 days
- Botswana90 days
- Brazil90 days
- Brunei30 days
- Chile90 days
- Colombia90 days
- Costa Rica90 days
- Dominica21 days
- Dominican Republic90 days
- Ecuador90 days
- El Salvador90 days
- Equatorial Guinea90 days
- Eswatini30 days
- Fiji120 days
- Gambia90 days
- Georgia360 days
- Guatemala90 days
- Haiti90 days
- Honduras90 days
- Indonesia30 days
- Iran90 days
- Jamaica90 days
- Japan90 days
- Jordan90 days
- Kazakhstan30 days
- Kenya90 days, ETA
- Kyrgyzstan90 days
- Malaysia90 days
- Mauritius90 days
- Micronesia30 days
- Moldova90 days
- Mongolia30 days
- Morocco90 days
- Nicaragua90 days
- North Macedonia90 days
- Oman30 days
- Panama90 days
- Paraguay90 days
- Peru183 days
- Philippines30 days
- Qatar90 days
- Sao Tome and Principe15 days
- Serbia90 days
- Seychelles90 days
- Singapore30 days
- South Africa30 days
- South Korea90 days
- St Kitts and Nevis90 days, ETA
- St Lucia42 days
- St Vincent and the Grenadines90 days
- Suriname90 days
- Syria90 days
- Thailand60 days
- Trinidad and Tobago90 days
- Tunisia90 days
- Ukraine90 days
- Uruguay90 days
- Uzbekistan30 days
- Vanuatu120 days
- Venezuela90 days
- Zambia90 days
Visa on arrival or eVisa (57)
- Armenia120 days, on arrival
- Bahrain14 days, on arrival
- Bangladesh30 days, on arrival
- Benin30 days, eVisa
- Bhutan90 days, eVisa
- Burkina FasoeVisa
- Burundi30 days, on arrival
- Cambodia30 days, on arrival
- CamerooneVisa
- ChadeVisa
- Comoros45 days, on arrival
- Cuba90 days, eVisa
- Djibouti90 days, eVisa
- DR Congo7 days, eVisa
- Egypton arrival
- Ethiopia90 days, on arrival
- Gabon90 days, eVisa
- Guinea90 days, eVisa
- Guinea-Bissau90 days, on arrival
- GuyanaeVisa
- IraqeVisa
- Ivory Coast90 days, eVisa
- Kuwait90 days, on arrival
- Laos30 days, on arrival
- Lebanon30 days, on arrival
- Liberia90 days, on arrival
- Madagascar90 days, on arrival
- Malawi30 days, eVisa
- Maldives30 days, on arrival
- Marshall Islands90 days, on arrival
- Mauritania30 days, eVisa
- Mexico180 days, eVisa
- Mozambique30 days, on arrival
- Myanmar28 days, eVisa
- Namibia90 days / 90 days, on arrival
- Nepal90 days, on arrival
- Nigeria30 days, eVisa
- Pakistan90 days, eVisa
- Palau30 days, on arrival
- Papua New Guinea60 days, eVisa
- Russia30 days, eVisa
- Rwanda30 days, on arrival
- Samoa90 days, on arrival
- Saudi Arabia90 days, on arrival
- Senegal30 days, on arrival
- Sierra Leone90 days / 30 days, on arrival
- Somalia30 days, eVisa
- South SudaneVisa
- Sri Lanka30 days, on arrival
- Sudan30 days, on arrival
- Tanzania90 days, on arrival
- Timor-Leste30 days, on arrival
- Togo15 days, eVisa
- Tonga31 days, on arrival
- Tuvalu30 days, on arrival
- Uganda90 days, eVisa
- Zimbabwe30 days, on arrival
Visa required (64)
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Andorra90 days
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- China
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Kiribati
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Mali
- Malta
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Niger
- North Korea
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic of the Congo
- Romania
- San Marino
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Vatican City
- Yemen
Turkish Citizenship by Investment at a Glance
- Programme
- Citizenship by investment under Law 5901. Final approval is a Presidential decision.
- Cheapest route
- USD 400,000 in approved real estate, kept for 3 years (title deed annotation).
- Other routes
- USD 500,000 in fixed capital, a Turkish bank deposit, government bonds, fund units or private pension (3 year hold), or 50 jobs created.
- All in cost, one adult
- About USD 415,000 to 425,000 on the property route, including deed tax, valuation, passport, translations and legal fees. New build VAT can add to this.
- Family
- Spouse and children under 18 on one investment. Parents and adult children are not included.
- Timeline
- Typically 6 to 12 months from purchase to passport. There is no statutory deadline.
- Presence
- No minimum stay and no language test. The residence permit and biometrics steps are done in Turkey.
- Dual citizenship
- Turkey allows it. Your home country may not. Pakistani passport holders should read Turkish citizenship for Pakistanis first.
- Schengen, UK or US visa free
- No. A visa is still required.
The 2026 Enforcement Drive You Should Know About
Turkey is actively policing this programme. On 4 August 2026 the Interior Ministry said 6,134 people (1,413 investors and their families) had lost citizenship or had it withdrawn, mostly through sham property sales and inflated valuations. A second wave on 21 September 2026 targeted 1,070 more people. The programme remains open and no increase to the USD 400,000 threshold has been announced.
What this means for you: buy at real market value, pay by traceable foreign currency bank transfer, take independent legal advice, and never accept cash back, side agreements or an inflated valuation. A cancellation can extend to your spouse and children.
Investment Options and Minimums
Real estate
- Minimum
- USD 400,000
- Hold
- 3 years, no sale annotation on the deed
- Certified by
- Land Registry (TKGM)
- Notes
- Apartments, buildings and construction servitude units only. No bare land.
Capital and financial routes
- Minimum
- USD 500,000 each
- Options
- Fixed capital investment, Turkish bank deposit, government bonds, fund units, private pension
- Hold
- 3 years for deposits, bonds, funds and pension
- Certified by
- The relevant ministry or regulator for each route
Job creation
- Requirement
- 50 employees, no capital minimum
- Check
- Employment continuity is verified
- Certified by
- Ministry of Labour
What It Costs
- Property
- USD 400,000 minimum. The foreign currency transfer, the declared sale price and the valuation must each reach this amount.
- Title deed tax
- 4% of declared value, normally split between buyer and seller: about USD 8,000 for the buyer half, up to USD 16,000 if the buyer pays all.
- Valuation report
- From about USD 370 for units up to 250 sq m, plus VAT.
- Citizenship service fee
- About USD 3 per person.
- Turkish passport
- About USD 325 for 10 years from 1 January 2026.
- Residence permit
- Card fee about USD 20 plus a residence duty that depends on category. Confirm before filing.
- Translations, notary, apostille
- About USD 1,000 for the main applicant and USD 250 per extra family member (estimate).
- Legal fees
- USD 1,500 to 5,000 depending on the firm (estimate).
- Realistic total, one adult
- About USD 415,000 to 425,000, before any new build VAT. The property remains an asset you own.
Government fees and exchange rates change. Figures are approximate and were checked on 3 November 2026. Property value risk and lira inflation are yours.
Is the Money Refundable?
- You own the property. The $400,000 buys real estate in your name, and you must keep it for 3 years. After that you can sell it.
- Not everything comes back. Deed tax, valuation, legal and passport costs, roughly $15,000 to $25,000 in total, are not recovered when you sell.
- Value and revocation risk. The property price can fall or the sale can take time. Citizenships tied to sham or inflated property sales have been revoked, so the purchase must be genuine and fully documented.
Rules and amounts can change. Confirm the current terms with your Turkish lawyer before you pay anything.
How the Process Works
- Choose a qualifying property or route and confirm your nationality is not restricted.
- Pay by foreign currency bank transfer. The currency is sold to a Turkish bank and a Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate is issued. No cash and no loans.
- A valuation report is requested through the Land Registry system. Since late September 2026 any licensed valuer registered in the system can value, and reports are reported to be valid for 12 months.
- The Land Registry issues the amount determination certificate and the deed carries the 3 year no sale annotation.
- The Land Registry issues the Certificate of Conformity.
- You obtain a short term residence permit.
- The citizenship file is filed with the provincial population office for you, your spouse and children. Police and intelligence checks follow, and the President decides.
- You receive your ID card and passport.
Typical total time is 6 to 12 months. Claims of 3 to 4 months are optimistic. There is no guaranteed approval.
Who Can Be Included
- Spouse and children under 18 are covered by one investment, each with their own procedure and fees.
- Minors need the other parent's consent.
- Dependent adult children are assessed case by case. Do not assume they are included.
- Parents and siblings are not included. Parents can apply for residence permits.
Presence, Tax and Military Service
- Presence: no minimum stay and no language test for this route.
- Tax: becoming a citizen does not make you a Turkish tax resident. Spending more than 6 months a year in Turkey does. A new 20 year exemption on foreign income applies only to people who become Turkish tax residents from 2026 with no Turkish residence or tax history in the previous 3 years. Take tax advice before relocating.
- Military service: men who become citizens at 22 or older are treated as having served. Younger men can request a deferral. Wartime call up remains possible.
- UAE side: keep entering and leaving the UAE on the passport your residence is linked to. Turkish citizens need a UAE visa.
What the Turkish Passport Gives
A Turkish passport is useful for Turkey itself and for visa free travel to parts of Asia, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Latin America. It is not a Schengen, UK or US passport. Henley ranked Turkey 46th with about 113 destinations in January 2026, counting visa on arrival and eTA, so check the latest figure before you decide.
The E-2 US investor visa is possible in principle because Turkey is a treaty country. For people who became citizens by investment the US requires 3 years of domicile in Turkey, and the E-2 itself needs a substantial real US business investment.
How it works, and how we handle it for you
From the first chat to your passport, we coordinate your Turkish lawyer, your bank and your documents so you are not chasing anyone. See the step by step process
Risks to Weigh Before You Decide
- Revocation: thousands of citizenships were cancelled in 2025 and 2026. Only genuine, fully documented purchases are safe.
- Discretion: meeting the conditions gives no automatic right to citizenship. Refusals are often unexplained and fees are not refunded.
- 3 year hold: you cannot sell the property for 3 years. Selling early risks the passport.
- No Schengen access: competitors who imply otherwise are wrong.
- Restricted nationalities: Turkey publishes no list and some nationalities face extra review or are blocked in practice. We confirm before you commit funds.
- Home country rules: some countries, such as India, do not allow dual citizenship.
- Property limits: general foreign ownership rules still apply, for example military and strategic zones.
Turkey Compared With Other Passport Routes
Turkey
- From
- USD 400,000 in property
- Capital
- Stays in the asset, 3 year hold
- Schengen visa free
- No
- Main risk
- Revocation enforcement
Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis
- From
- USD 244,000 and USD 260,000 all in
- Capital
- Non refundable contribution
- Schengen visa free
- Yes today
- Main risk
- EU asked for closure by 1 June 2028
Argentina
- From
- USD 350,000 contribution
- Capital
- Non refundable contribution
- Schengen visa free
- Yes
- Main risk
- Applications expected in Q4 2026
Is Turkey Right for You?
It may suit you if you want a second nationality backed by real estate, no residence requirement, a possible E-2 route later, and you accept a visa for Schengen, the UK and the USA.
It is not for you if your goal is visa free Schengen, UK or US travel, a quick sale of the asset, or anything that depends on tax savings without advice.
How Visa Doctor Will Help
Visa Doctor FZC is a UAE registered immigration services company (trade licence 4417571.01, Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone). We are not a government authorised agent for any programme. We explain the options, check your eligibility questions up front and coordinate the process from Dubai. The Turkish legal, valuation and Land Registry work is carried out by licensed Turkish lawyers and valuers. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. We give our fee in writing before you pay anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Turkish citizenship by investment cost?
From USD 400,000 in approved property (about AED 1.47 million). With deed tax, valuation, passport, translations and legal fees the realistic total for one adult is about USD 415,000 to 425,000, and new build VAT can add to that. Other routes start at USD 500,000.
How long does it take?
Typically 6 to 12 months from purchase to passport. There is no statutory deadline, and claims of 3 to 4 months are optimistic.
Can UAE residents and people in Dubai apply?
Yes. UAE residence does not affect eligibility. Some steps can be done by power of attorney, but the residence permit and biometrics steps are done in Turkey.
Does a Turkish passport give visa free access to Schengen, the UK or the USA?
No. A Turkish passport needs a visa for the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. Citizenship does not change this.
Is the UAE visa free for Turkish citizens?
No. Turkish citizens need a UAE visa. Keep entering the UAE on the passport your residence is linked to.
How many countries can a Turkish passport visit without a visa?
Henley ranked Turkey 46th with about 113 destinations in January 2026, counting visa on arrival and eTA. The figure changes, so check the latest index before you decide.
Does Turkey allow dual citizenship?
Yes, Turkey does not ask you to give up your current nationality. Your home country decides separately, and some, such as India, do not allow it.
Do I have to live in Turkey?
No minimum stay applies to this route. Spending more than 6 months a year in Turkey makes you a Turkish tax resident, so plan your time and take tax advice.
Can I sell the property after I get citizenship?
Not for 3 years. The deed carries a no sale annotation, and selling early can put the citizenship at risk.
Can Turkish citizenship be revoked?
Yes. In 2025 and 2026 thousands of investor citizenships were cancelled, mostly for sham sales and inflated valuations. A genuine, fully documented purchase at market value is the protection.
Can the US E-2 investor visa be used with a Turkish passport?
Turkey is an E-2 treaty country, but people who gained citizenship by investment must show 3 years of domicile in Turkey, and the E-2 needs a substantial real US business investment.
Is Visa Doctor licensed to handle citizenship by investment applications?
Visa Doctor FZC is a UAE registered immigration services company (trade licence 4417571.01). We are not a government authorised agent for any programme. The Turkish legal, valuation and Land Registry work is done by licensed Turkish professionals, and we give our fee in writing before you pay anything.
Sources and Last Check
Last checked 3 November 2026. Government fees, exchange rates and processing times change.
Related: Second passport hub | Grenada citizenship | St Kitts and Nevis citizenship | Argentina citizenship