The Turkish passport is gaining prominence; according to the Henley Passport Index 2024, which calculates the number of countries allowing visa-free entry, the number of such countries for Turkish citizens has reached 118 this year (+7 from the previous year).
There is an additional list of countries where visas are issued upon border crossing without any hassle. In alphabetical order, this list includes: Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burundi, Cambodia, Comoros, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Madagascar, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Rwanda, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Although island nations are not included in this list, many of them also welcome Turkish citizens.
Just recently, an announcement was made allowing entry to Greece without obtaining a Schengen visa, although it is limited to 10 islands for now. The expansion is still under discussion. Over time, the visa on arrival may become available in the entire Greece. This is great news since the country is a beloved resort destination, and it is easily accessible from Turkey by ferry, in just one hour.
In this article, we will discuss how else the Turkish passport can be useful-it is one of the few passports globally available through investment.
It is worth reminding that Turkish citizenship can be obtained through real estate purchase by two methods: the long and short ways. The long way involves buying property worth at least $200,000 and getting a residence permit through the title deed (TAPU). Subsequently, this document needs to be renewed regularly, and one must reside in Turkey for 5 years with short exits, a maximum of 180 days throughout the period (!). After 5 years, one can apply for citizenship, but it is not guaranteed. Moreover, you must pass a Turkish language and history exam, present a clean criminal record, etc. Moreover, if multiple owners, or an owner and their family members, share a purchased apartment or house, a TAPU residence permit is granted to only one applicant; others receive a tourist residence permit, which does not make you eligible for citizenship in the future.
The short way is citizenship through investment. It is processed within a few months. However, the property acquired through this method cannot be sold for several years.
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Benefits of the Turkish passport
In Turkey
- Employment opportunities: Turkish passport holders can easily secure various positions, unlike residence permit holders (and non-residents) who require a work visa. This is often the reason for job rejections: citizens are preferred for jobs since costs associated with work visas are quite high.
- Access to exclusive positions: Some job openings require citizenship, as opposed to merely holding a residence permit and obtaining a contract. Typically, these positions come with significantly higher salaries.
- Easier travel: Turkish passport holders benefit from visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to various countries and regions (refer to the list above).
- Simplified tourist trips: Easier and quicker processing of tourist visas, particularly for obtaining Schengen visas with longer durations.
- Potential ease in Schengen travel: Rumours suggest a possible simplification of the Schengen visa process for Turkish passport holders, with potential visa-free access within 1–2 years-even if Turkey does not become part of the EU.
- Business opportunities: Ease of opening and conducting business in Turkey, including collaborations with partners from EU countries.
Outside the country
The Turkish passport may be considered as a springboard to Europe. Why? Because it serves as an intermediate stage allowing individuals to address various issues related to obtaining European and other citizenships, pursuing education, working, and travelling worldwide. In other words, if one does not perceive Turkey as the final destination in emigration, both the Turkish passport and, in some cases, the Turkish residence permit offer holders a range of opportunities that are not available through their original citizenship.
With a Turkish passport, it becomes easier to find employment in Europe and the United States. For instance, it enables individuals to relocate and obtain a US E-2 visa, allowing work and study. Although this is a non-immigrant visa, it can eventually be converted into an EB-5 visa, offering more prospects. As an immigrant visa, EB-5 leads to obtaining a Green Card, which, in turn, makes you eligible for US citizenship after 5 years.
More opportunities arise in Europe as well. For example, with a Turkish passport, you can obtain a 1-year visa in the United Kingdom, with the possibility of extending it for an additional 3 years. After regularly renewing the visa for 5 years, you can attempt to apply for British citizenship.
In other European countries, having a Turkish passport allows you to conduct business, use banking services, and transfer money across borders.
Benefits of Turkish citizenship through investment
- It is possible to keep your original citizenship. However, obtaining Turkish citizenship through property ownership after 5 years of residence does not guarantee this. In the standard procedure, you may be asked to renounce your original citizenship, and then the choice is yours as to which one is preferable.
- With investments starting from $400,000, instead of opting for Turkish citizenship, you can choose to obtain permanent residency in the country. It provides almost the same rights, except for the ability to vote in elections. In addition, you will not have to deal with the renewal of documents every year or several years, spend money, etc. In some cases, this may be more convenient.
- You can obtain citizenship for the whole family. Moreover, after 3 years, you can sell the property, and the passports will still be retained. In essence, these investments are “returnable”: you can sell the purchased real estate in Turkey, often with a good profit, and take these funds to any country in the world.
Therefore, we recommend taking advantage of the opportunity to quickly obtain Turkish citizenship through investment while the minimum investment amount continues to be at $400,000. Rumours suggest that from early 2024, it may be raised to $600,000. As demonstrated by recent events (in the autumn, the minimum purchase price for obtaining a TAPU residence permit was adjusted from $75,000 to $200,000, essentially retroactively), it is evident that the authorities in Turkey can modify financial requirements at any time.