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Turkey Country Profile

Passport
For more details visit Turkey Passport Ranking
  • Passport Grade
    C
  • Passport Ranking
    95/198
  • Passport Score
    74.9/198
  • Visa-free Countries
    113
  • Visa-required Countries
    85
  • Access to the World's GDP
    23%
  • Access to the World's Surface Area
    38%
  • Access to the World's Population
    35%
  • Access to the Unesco Sites
    38%
Citizenship and Naturalization
Birthright citizenship (Jus Soli)
  • Birthright citizenship (Jus Soli)
    No
    No provisions
Naturalization - Standard Conditions
  • Minimum residency period
    5 years
  • Physical presence requirement
    –
  • Language test
    Yes, Turkish
  • Need to renounce original citizenship?
    No
  • Can minor children naturalize?
    –
  • Can naturalized parents pass citizenship to a child born abroad?
    Yes
  • Can you lose naturalization due to prolonged absence/ naturalization elsewhere?
    –
Naturalization - Your Spouse is a Citizen
  • Living IN the country: Residency/marriage requirement
    0 years / 3 years
    Must be married for 3 years. No in-country residency requirements.
  • Living ABROAD: Marriage requirement
    3 years
    Can reside abroad during 3 years of marriage.
  • Language test
    No
  • Need to renounce original citizenship?
    No
Naturalization - Other Beneficial Provisions
  • Your child is a citizen
    No provisions
  • Citizens of specific countries
    No provisions
"–": The provision has not been analysed.
Visas and Residencies
Visas and Residencies
Taxation
For more details visit Cost of Living
  • Taxation Type
    Residence-based
A tax resident of a country with a RESIDENCE-BASED tax system pays taxes on their WORLDWIDE income. However, if you lose tax residency status there (e.g., by moving out), the country will generally stop taxing you.
Schiff Sovereign's Take on Turkey
At Sovereign Man, we are avid students of history. And it's hard to find a country on the planet where every stone is imbued with more history than in Turkey. 

Istanbul in particular, is a magnificent city that served as a capital to three mighty empires – the Roman, Byzantine and the Ottoman Empire. (Yet, it is NOT the capital of Turkey today.)

Many people also enjoy Turkish culture, coffee, food, and the gorgeous views of the Aegean Sea.

We would definitely recommend visiting the country. It also doesn't hurt that Turkey is extremely cheap today, especially considering how developed it is.

And we like Turkey for another reason, too: It is home to a Citizenship By Investment (CBI) program that allows you to become Turkish in return for a $400,000 investment. (Until April of 2022, the threshold was even lower, at only $250,000).

For that amount, you are free to purchase any property you want (or a combination of properties) in order to qualify for citizenship. Compare that to the Caribbean CBIs, where you are allowed to invest in special government-approved projects only – and the latter tend to be overpriced.

Sure, a Turkish passport is a subpar travel document, but the country itself compensates for it generously – it’s livable, inexpensive, and boasts a mild Mediterranean climate. 

Also, a Turkish passport serves well as a political diversification tool for Westerners, as Turkey pursues a very independent foreign policy.

Several of our subscribers have successfully become Turkish citizens through this program. And they did it cheaper than anyone else in the world, thanks to the deep CBI discounts we negotiated for our Total Access members.

(If you are considering participating in any CBI program, you will definitely do yourself a favor by joining Total Access. The discount you will receive will match or exceed the price you’ll pay for the membership.)

But there are downsides in Turkey too.

President Erdogan is rather authoritarian, and has no qualms about silencing his opponents.

Inflation also runs high in the country. That makes things cheap for people spending their dollars and euros, but impoverishes the locals. At some point, this could lead to serious unrest.

Also, we wouldn't keep any serious money in Turkish banks.

And since Turkey is predominantly a Muslim country, albeit on the liberal side, you will need to learn to abide by social and official codes and mores. (Istanbul is quite liberal in this regard, however.)
Schiff Sovereign's Rolodex
Service Providers available in Turkey
  • Immigration (residency, citizenship)
  • Tax advice (attorneys and/or accountants)
  • Corporate services (company formation, etc.)
  • Real Estate (agents, lawyers)
  • Banking contact
  • Citizenship by Investment
Obtain access to our Rolodex by signing up for Sovereign Confidential Join Sovereign Confidential Today

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Turkey Overview
  • Region
    Asia
  • Capital City
    Ankara
  • Largest City
    Istanbul
  • Currency
    Turkish lira
  • Languages
    Turkish, Kurdish
  • Population
    84.7 million (18th)
  • Life Expectancy
    76.2 years (103rd)
  • GDP (Nominal)
    $853.5 billion (20th)
  • GDP/Capita
    $10,079 (88th)
Useful Data
For more details visit Cost of Living
  • Cost of Living
    Very cheap (2/7)
  • Climate
    Very comfortable (1/5)
  • Safety
    Safe (3/7)
  • Pollution
    Polluted (4/5)
  • English Proficiency
    Low (4/5)

Sovereign Global Explorer

Benefiting from over a decade of our team’s boots-on-the-ground experience, Global Explorer is where your international journey begins.
Explore Now
Found a mistake /
Have a suggestion ?
Please let us know if you spot any inaccuracies on this page or have a suggestion on how to make it even more useful.
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PREMIUM REPORTS
Turkey inside Schiff Sovereign resources
Resource TitleProductTypeDate
Turkey as a Medical Tourism Hotspot: Viktorija’s Firsthand ExperienceSovereign ConfidentialSMCAlert09-Oct-2410/09/24
The Return of Conscription in Europe: Are New Citizens at Risk?Sovereign ConfidentialSMCBlack Paper18-Jul-2407/18/24
June 2024 SC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A28-Jun-2406/28/24
January 2024 SC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A30-Jan-2401/30/24
TA Members Monthly Call Recording: Turkish CBI Program, Taxation Requirements, and Other Topics with CIP TurkeySovereign Total AccessTAMonthly Calls22-Feb-2302/22/23
Next TA Service Provider Call: Send Us Your Questions On Turkish CBI Program and MoreSovereign Total AccessTAMonthly Calls02-Feb-2302/02/23
The Most Critical Changes to Citizenship By Investment Programs in 2023Sovereign ConfidentialSMCAlert25-Jan-2301/25/23
August 2022 SMC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A29-Aug-2208/29/22
“Food Secure” Countries in the World — One Might be Right for YouSovereign ConfidentialSMCMonthly Letter15-Aug-2208/15/22
May 2022 SMC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A30-May-2205/30/22
April 2022 SMC Q&ASovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A29-Apr-2204/29/22
March 2022 SMC Q&A (Live Call Recording)Sovereign ConfidentialSMCQ&A31-Mar-2203/31/22
Total Access Special Report - Country Profile: TurkeySovereign Total AccessTAOther24-Feb-2202/24/22
Economic Citizenship Programs (2024 Edition)Sovereign ConfidentialSMCBlack Paper20-Jan-2201/20/22
Turkish CBI: The Citizenship By Investment Program offering the Best Value in the WorldSovereign ConfidentialSMCAlert25-May-2105/25/21
Reporting requirements when applying for residency/citizenship programsSovereign ConfidentialSMCBlack Paper25-Jan-2101/25/21
Sovereign Man Country Rankings: The Right Country for YOU, with Simon's insightsSovereign ConfidentialSMCBlack Paper06-Apr-1704/06/17

Articles featuring Turkey

Turkey CBI Changes 2023
Second Citizenship

Important new changes to Turkey's CBI Program for 2023

For the past five years, Turkey’s Citizenship By Investment (CBI) program has enjoyed massive popularity, despite a 2022 price increase to $400K on the RE option. Yet in 2023, there are a number of important new program changes to be aware of. Let’s get into the details below… Turkey is a phenomenal country in many […]
International Diversification Strategies

Our Sovereign Woman explores Turkey’s Citizenship by Investment program

[Editor’s note: This letter was written by Viktorija, our Sovereign Woman] If Simon were writing this letter, I have no doubt he would start off telling you a wonderful tale dating back thousands of years to Turkey’s ancient history… probably something about the Trojan War. I’ve always been a fan of Simon’s historical stories. But […]

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