Türkiye CBI 2026: Overview of the Citizenship by Investment Programme from $400,000

Türkiye’s CBI programme in 2026 remains one of the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes most sought after by international investors, thanks to its reasonable investment threshold, fast processing time and broad visa-free access. The programme is issued by the Government of Türkiye under Article 12 of Citizenship Law No. 5901, allowing foreign investors to obtain citizenship directly without a residence requirement or a language test.

According to data from Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management, the programme currently runs with 4 main investment options, with minimum thresholds from $400,000 for real estate and $500,000 for the other options. This article provides an overview of the Turkish citizenship by investment programme, including eligibility conditions, investment options, processing time, passport benefits, and the pathway combined with the US E-2 visa.

Background to the Türkiye CBI programme 2026

Türkiye’s citizenship by investment programme was introduced by the Government in January 2017, with an initial real estate investment threshold of $1,000,000. The programme’s goal was to attract foreign direct investment into the real estate sector and boost economic growth.

In September 2018, the Turkish Government lowered the real estate investment threshold to $250,000 to increase competitiveness. This decision drove a large inflow of capital into the real estate market, particularly in Istanbul. However, due to rising demand and fluctuations in the Lira exchange rate, the threshold was raised to $400,000 in June 2022 and has remained stable since, through to 2026.

As of early 2026, the $400,000 threshold remains unchanged, making Türkiye one of the lowest-cost CBI programmes in the world compared with programmes in Europe. In addition, Turkish economy continues to attract significant foreign investment during 2024-2025, reinforcing the programme’s strategic position.

Legal framework of the Türkiye CBI programme 2026

The core legal basis of the programme lies in Article 12 of Citizenship Law No. 5901. This article allows the President of Türkiye to grant citizenship directly to foreign investors who meet the economic requirements.

Alongside the main law, the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law (Article 20) sets out in detail the eligible investment options and the specific thresholds. This regulation has been amended over several stages, with the most recent significant revision made in 2022.

Three main bodies implement the programme. The Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management is responsible for processing residence permit and citizenship applications. The Land Registry and Cadastre Directorate (TKGM) confirms real estate investments. The Ministry of Treasury and Finance, together with the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (TCMB), confirms the financial investment options.

4 eligible investment options under the Türkiye CBI programme 2026

The current regulations for the Türkiye CBI programme 2026 recognise the 4 main investment options below.

Option 1: Real estate investment from $400,000

This is the most popular option, accounting for over 90% of applications approved each year. The investor buys one or more properties in Türkiye with a total value of at least $400,000 based on the official valuation. The property may be an apartment, a villa, commercial premises, or a plot with a building on it.

The property must be independently valued by an appraiser licensed by the Capital Markets Board of Türkiye (SPK). The valuation report must confirm a value of at least $400,000. The investor commits not to sell the property for 3 years from the date of transfer — this commitment is noted directly on the title deed (TAPU).

The entire transaction must be paid through the Turkish banking system. The investor is required to transfer USD or EUR into an account and convert it to Lira at TCMB, then pay the seller. The DAB (Döviz Alım Belgesi – Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate) is a mandatory document in the application. Details of this option are set out in the article $400,000 real estate investment for Türkiye CBI.

Option 2: Government bonds from $500,000

The investor buys Turkish government bonds worth at least $500,000 and commits to holding them for 3 years. The bonds are issued by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, with a nominal interest rate that moves with market rates — during 2024-2026 this has ranged between 7-10% per year depending on the term.

This option suits investors who prioritise high liquidity and capital preservation. After 3 years, the investor can sell the bonds on the secondary market or hold them to maturity to receive the principal. Details in the article US$500,000 government bond Türkiye CBI.

Option 3: Bank deposit account from $500,000

The investor opens a deposit account at a Turkish commercial bank with a minimum balance of $500,000 and commits to maintaining it for 3 years. The deposit can be in USD, EUR or Lira, at the investor’s choice.

Deposit interest rates at Turkish banks vary considerably by currency — Lira rates are typically higher than USD/EUR rates due to tight monetary policy aimed at controlling inflation. This option does not generate genuine investment cash flow but offers the highest liquidity and capital security. See details in the article US$500,000 bank deposit Türkiye CBI.

Option 4: Investment creating jobs for 50 Turkish employees

This option requires the investor to set up or acquire a business in Türkiye and create formal jobs for at least 50 Turkish national employees. All employees must be registered with the Turkish Social Security Institution (SGK) and remain employed for 3 years.

The Turkish Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Services is the body that confirms the employment condition. This is the least popular option, as it requires actually running a business and carries higher legal risk than the passive options. Detailed analysis in Türkiye CBI 50-employee job creation option.

Besides the 4 options above, the regulations also allow investment in real estate investment funds, venture capital funds, or contributions to the private pension system, at the same $500,000 threshold and 3-year holding period.

Eligibility conditions for the Türkiye CBI programme 2026

The main investor must meet the following basic conditions to join the programme.

• Being at least 18 years old at the time of filing
• Having a clean criminal record in the home country and in every country lived in for over 6 months during the last 10 years
• Not being on an international sanctions list or Türkiye’s security risk list
• Having lawful financial resources and being able to prove the source of the investment funds
• Not being a national of a country excluded from the programme under national security rules (including Armenia, Cuba, Cyprus, Nigeria and North Korea)

As for accompanying family members, the programme allows the inclusion of a lawful spouse and dependent children under 18. Children over 18 who live with the family and hold a disability certificate are also included at no extra investment. Other relatives such as parents or siblings are not classed as dependants and must file separate applications under other categories if they wish to reside in Türkiye.

6-9 month processing timeline

Total processing time for the Türkiye CBI programme 2026 is typically 6-9 months, from completing the investment to receiving the passport. The timeline is divided into the following main stages.

Stage 1 — Preparing documents and transferring funds (1-2 months): the investor completes identification documents and a Turkish tax number, opens a local bank account, and transfers the investment funds through the banking system to obtain the DAB certificate.

Stage 2 — Completing the investment and obtaining the Certificate of Conformity (1-2 months): the investor completes the transaction (buying property, buying bonds, opening a deposit, etc.) and files an application with the relevant authority to obtain the Certificate of Conformity for the investment condition.

Stage 3 — Applying for a short-term residence permit under the investment category (15-30 days): the application is filed through the electronic system of the Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management. The investor must be present in Türkiye at least once to provide biometric data.

Stage 4 — Filing the citizenship application and vetting (3-4 months): the application is forwarded to the General Directorate of Civil Registration and Citizenship for vetting. This is the longest stage, as security agencies cross-check the investor’s information against international databases.

Stage 5 — Approval and passport issuance (15-30 days): once the President signs the citizenship decision, the investor receives a Turkish national ID card and completes the passport application procedure. The passport is valid for 10 years for those over 18.

Türkiye passport benefits 2026

The Turkish passport ranks among the mid-to-strong passports in the world. According to the Henley Passport Index for Q1 2026, it allows visa-free entry, visa on arrival or e-Visa access to over 110 countries and territories. Some other index data (the Passport Index by Arton Capital) records a higher figure, of up to 121 destinations.

Notable destinations on the visa-free list include Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, most Central American and Caribbean countries, some Southeast Asian countries and much of Africa. Turkish citizens also benefit from a multiple-entry Schengen C-2 visa valid for up to 5 years — a special provision under the bilateral EU-Türkiye agreement.

For the United States, Turkish citizens can apply for a B-1/B-2 visa valid for up to 10 years. More importantly, Türkiye is an E-2 treaty country with the United States, opening a pathway to applying for the US E-2 visa for the purpose of business investment in the United States. Details of the passport benefits and the US E-2 pathway are analysed in the article the Turkish passport and the US E-2 pathway.

Rules on dual citizenship and citizenship inheritance

Türkiye allows unrestricted dual citizenship under Article 7 of Citizenship Law No. 5901. The investor does not have to give up their current citizenship when acquiring Turkish citizenship, but is obliged to notify the civil registration authority of other citizenships so that records are kept accurate.

As for citizenship inheritance, Türkiye applies the principle of citizenship by descent (jus sanguinis). Children born after a parent has acquired Turkish citizenship automatically receive citizenship with no further investment required — regardless of place of birth. This inherited right applies indefinitely to every subsequent generation, turning the Türkiye CBI programme 2026 into a long-term asset and legacy planning tool for investors.

For tangible assets, Turkish citizens have the right to inherit assets and property in Türkiye under the Civil Code, without any of the restrictions that apply to foreigners. Inheritance tax in Türkiye is progressive, from 1% to 10%, depending on the value of the assets and the degree of kinship.

Comparing the Türkiye CBI programme 2026 with other programmes

Compared with Caribbean CBI programmes such as Saint Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica hay Saint Lucia, the Türkiye CBI programme 2026 has several notable differences.

On the investment threshold, Caribbean programmes have a lower national development fund (NDF) contribution — from $200,000 to $240,000. However, this is a non-refundable contribution, whereas the investment in Türkiye is an asset that can be recovered after 3 years.

On processing speed, Caribbean programmes are usually faster (3-4 months) due to their smaller scale and simpler process. The Türkiye CBI programme 2026 takes 6-9 months but in return offers a far larger economy. On visa-free benefits, Caribbean passports (Saint Kitts in particular) usually rank higher thanks to short-term visa-free access to the Schengen area.

The greatest strategic advantage of the Turkish passport over Caribbean passports is its status as an E-2 treaty country with the United States. Within the Caribbean bloc, only Grenada is an E-2 treaty country. A detailed comparison is set out in the article comparison of Turkish CBI and Caribbean CBI.

Conclusion and next steps

The Türkiye CBI programme 2026 remains an attractive citizenship by investment programme for Vietnamese investors, thanks to its reasonable investment threshold, fast processing, dual citizenship rights, and above all the door it opens to the US E-2 visa. The four investment options let investors choose according to their risk appetite and financial goals: real estate ($400,000) suits investors who want to hold a tangible asset; bonds, deposits and job creation ($500,000) suit investors who prioritise liquidity or running a business.

Investors considering the programme should also look into the 6-step process for applying for Türkiye CBI and list of documents to prepare before proceeding. These are the two factors that determine the quality of the application and the processing time.

An important point for Vietnamese investors is the rule on document legalisation. The Hague Apostille Convention will formally take effect in Vietnam from 11 September 2026 — before this date, documents still require 3-step consular legalisation (certification by the Ministry of Justice, legalisation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and certification by the Turkish Embassy). Timing the application to align with the Apostille milestone can save considerable time and notarisation cost.