Turkish citizenship law

Many people wonder about the Turkish citizenship law and what conditions must be met to get Turkish citizenship and passport, that is due to the many advantages this nationality offers its holder and the broad horizons that open to him/her.

This article tells us how to get Turkish citizenship, besides the steps for getting it, and a significant set of additional information on this topic.

How to get Turkish citizenship

It is obtained through:

Turkish/Ottoman origins

The Turkish government has stated that every foreigner of Turkish origin has the right to get Turkish citizenship, given that providing documents that prove his/her kinship to Turkish ancestors.

To complete the transaction the required documents must be provided, translated, and certified. Then an application must be submitted to the Directorate of Population and Nationality, according to specific conditions.

Turkish Citizenship Law by Continuous Residence in Turkey

Article 11 of the Turkish Nationality Law stipulates that a foreigner who wants Turkish citizenship must meet specific conditions for getting citizenship through residency in Turkey.

He is granted citizenship only after making sure that he does not represent a threat to Turkey's national security and public order, besides his pledge to respect the laws in force in Turkey.

What are the conditions] that must be met for getting Turkish citizenship:

1. The applicant for naturalization has the legal capacity to act according to the law of his home country. In the case of statelessness, the capacity is according to Turkish law.
2. The condition of continuous residence in the Turkish Republic territory for five years should be met with a formal work permit; this person is allowed to leave the Turkish territory for no more than one year during the total residence duration.
3. The applicant must prove his intention to reside permanently in Turkey, as evidenced by purchasing a property or performing a commercial activity in the country.
4. The ability to speak Turkish so he/she can communicate with others and have daily conversations.
5. Having an income that enables him/her to provide for himself/herself and his/her family in Turkey.
6. He/she is safe from infectious and contagious diseases.
7. He/She has not been sentenced to any court ruling. He/she has not been imprisoned on a criminal ground.

Citizenship through marrying a Turkish citizen

Article 16 of the Turkish Nationality Law states that a foreigner married to a Turkish citizen can apply for Turkish citizenship.

However, this person does not get citizenship simply by marrying a Turkish citizen, but rather it is ensured that the marriage does not pose a threat to national security or the public order in the country.

Therefore, specific conditions must be met under law, which are:

• The marriage is based on the intention of having a true and continuous family.
• The spouses have a harmonious family, compatible with each other and far from discord. That is evidenced by having children, living in one house, and the absence of disputed lawsuits between the two parties.
• The continuation of the married life between the spouses for at least three years and proving that the relationship still exists.

Turkish citizenship by adoption

Turkish law permits adoption, so a foreign minor who has been adopted can get Turkish citizenship immediately upon documenting the adoption at the relevant government departments.

Turkish citizenship law by decision of the competent authority

Article 12 of the Turkish Nationality Law states that the competent authority can grant exceptional Turkish citizenship to specific categories of foreigners eligible for citizenship.

That shall be through a resolution by the President of the Republic, based on a proposal from the Ministry of Interior.

These categories are as follows:

• People who have the ability or are expected to provide great services to Turkey in one of the scientific, technological, economic, social, sports, cultural, or even artistic fields.
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• People covered by international protection law.
• People whom the government deems a necessity to naturalize.

Re-acquisition of Turkish citizenship

According to the Turkish Nationality Law, specific categories of those who have lost their Turkish citizenship are entitled to apply for Turkish citizenship without considering the length of stay in Turkey, and they are:

1. People who have lost Turkish citizenship by renunciation.
2. People who have lost Turkish citizenship as a result of renouncing one of their parents their Turkish citizenship, and have not exercised the right granted to them by law to choose between their current and Turkish citizenships within three years of reaching the age of majority.

Turkish Citizenship by Investment

The Turkish Nationalization Law also stipulates that a foreign investor has the right to apply for Turkish citizenship, provided that:

1. Purchasing a property with a minimum value of 400,000 US dollars or equivalent in currencies or Turkish lira, with a pledge not to sell before three years.
2. A bank deposit of $500,000 for three years, in one of the operating banks in Turkey.
3. Investing 500,000 US dollars or equivalent in currencies or Turkish lira in an investment project in Turkey.
4. Establishing an investment business, industrial or commercial, within Turkey, provided that a minimum of fifty Turkish workers are legally employed and registered in the Social Affairs Department.

In conclusion, according to the above-mentioned information, foreigners who want to get Turkish citizenship and aspire to get the strong passport of Turkey, who meet the conditions, can apply to acquire Turkish citizenship.

In case the applicant is candidated, full investment conditions are met, or marriage is proven... an interview is made with the nominated person and his/her family (spouse and children who are under 18 years old), then the files are passed through several stages, including the security investigation and verification of the authenticity of documents and Applicant information.

 After investigating the files and the related documents and making sure that the necessary conditions for getting Turkish citizenship are met, the files are submitted to the Presidency of the Republic, which makes the final decision.

The Turkish government has absolute power to approve the application and grant or reject Turkish citizenship.

For more information, you may also be interested in Turkish Citizenship

Edited by: Binaa Investment ©

Source: Turkey + Al Jazeera