Turkish Citizenship by Investment for Pakistanis in the UAE (2026): Cost, Rules and the Dual Nationality Risk

Turkey is close to home, culturally familiar and one of the most searched second citizenship options among Pakistanis in the Gulf. It is a real programme with a real passport, but it is often sold with promises it cannot keep. This guide sets out the cost, the process, what the passport allows and the dual nationality question every Pakistani applicant must answer first.

Can a Pakistani keep Pakistani citizenship and become Turkish?

Turkey itself allows dual citizenship. The question is Pakistani law. Under the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951, a Pakistani who takes another nationality keeps Pakistani citizenship only for countries on the government’s dual nationality list. The list reported in 2025 covers 22 countries, including the UK, the USA, Canada and Germany, and Turkey is not on it. A dual nationality agreement with Turkey was reported in 2025 as being at draft stage.

Until Turkey is added, taking Turkish citizenship can put your Pakistani citizenship at risk. Confirm the current list with the Ministry of Interior or NADRA before you buy anything. Our guide to the best second passport options for Pakistanis explains the rule in full.

How much Turkish citizenship costs from Dubai

Full details and sources are in our Turkish citizenship by investment guide.

What a Turkish passport does and does not give you

• Schengen Area: a visa is still required.
• UK and USA: visas are still required. Turkey has an E-2 treaty with the US, with conditions.
• Living in Turkey: full rights to live, work and study as a citizen.
• No minimum stay and no language test, but the residence permit and biometric steps are done in Turkey.

If your goal is easier travel to Europe, a residence permit from a Schengen country does more for travel and does not affect your Pakistani nationality.

The 2026 enforcement drive

Turkey is actively policing this programme. In August 2026 the Interior Ministry said 6,134 people had lost citizenship or had it withdrawn, mostly over sham sales and inflated valuations, and a second wave in September 2026 targeted 1,070 more. Buy at real market value, pay by traceable bank transfer, take independent legal advice, and never accept cash back or side agreements.

Better options if you want Schengen travel

• Latvia: residence from about $67,100 through your own company.
• Malta: permanent residence for about $110,700 in government payments plus a home.
• Greece: property from about $279,500, parents included.

All three are residence, not citizenship, so Pakistan’s dual nationality rule does not apply.

How Visa Doctor helps

We check the dual nationality position for your family, compare Turkey with the residence routes honestly, and, if you decide to go ahead, help you reach independent lawyers and licensed professionals. Visa Doctor FZC is a UAE registered immigration services company (trade licence 4417571.01, Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone) and is not a government authorised agent for any programme. We give our fee in writing before you pay anything.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and last check

Checked on 7 November 2026. Sources: Turkish Citizenship Law 5901 and its regulation; the Turkish Interior Ministry announcements of August and September 2026; the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951 and reporting on the 2025 dual nationality amendment (22 countries); our Turkey guide with its full source list. This is general information, not legal advice.