Turkey citizenship by investment and the U.S. E-2

Wang Law Firm, LLC · David Wang, Managing Attorney · Attorney-reviewed · Updated October 2026

Information checked: October 2026. Program rules and amounts change often; check the country's current official rules.

Turkey has an E-2 treaty with the United States: according to the State Department treaty country list, Turkish nationals have been eligible for E-1 since February 15, 1933, and for E-2 since May 18, 1990. Turkey also offers citizenship through investment, of which the real estate route is the best known. As a result, "first acquire Turkish nationality, then apply for the U.S. E-2 on a Turkish passport" is a route that investors from non-treaty countries such as China often ask about.

Three points up front: first, Turkish citizenship is a discretionary decision by the Turkish government under its law, and meeting the investment threshold only makes you eligible to apply; second, a person who acquires Turkish nationality through investment must meet the U.S. AMIGOS Act 3-year continuous domicile requirement before applying for E-2; third, China does not recognize dual nationality. This article covers, in order, how the Turkish side works, how the U.S. side connects to it, and where the risks lie.

1. Legal basis

• Article 12 of the Turkish Citizenship Law (Law No. 5901): Allows citizenship to be granted by way of exception, by presidential decision, to qualifying foreigners, including investors holding a residence permit under Article 31(1)(j) of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection (Law No. 6458), together with their foreign spouses and minor or dependent children, provided there is no obstacle in terms of national security and public order.
• Article 20 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law: Sets out the amounts and holding periods for each investment route and the authorities that issue the "certificate of conformity" (uygunluk belgesi).

The investment amounts are set in the regulation, not the statute, and can be changed by presidential decision. According to public sources, the real estate threshold was lowered to $250,000 in 2018 and raised to $400,000 in 2022; from December 2023, the types of property that can be used for citizenship were also restricted. Rule changes are the norm for this route, so build in some room when planning.

2. The real estate route

The points below are compiled according to 2026 public sources — check the Turkish government's current rules:

• Amount: Purchase property worth at least $400,000 (or the equivalent in foreign currency). The value is determined by the valuation report from an authorized valuation firm, not the contract price. The valuation process has been adjusted in recent years; check the land registry's current requirements.
• Holding period: A commitment not to transfer the property for 3 years is annotated on the title deed (tapu). Transfers during the 3 years will not be processed; according to public sources, selling after the period ends does not affect nationality already acquired.
• Payment: The purchase price must be wired in foreign currency through a bank and converted at a bank in Turkey, with a foreign exchange purchase certificate (Döviz Alım Belgesi, DAB) obtained. Cash payments or unexplained transfers will prevent issuance of the certificate of conformity.
• Property type: According to public sources, since December 12, 2023, only property with condominium ownership or construction servitude, or land with a building already on it, can be used for citizenship; vacant land and farmland no longer qualify. According to public sources, off-plan property can also be used if conditions are met, such as full payment, a notarized promise-to-sell agreement, and annotation of the 3-year no-transfer commitment.
• Multiple properties: According to public sources, several properties can be combined to reach the threshold, but each must meet the conditions above; rely on the land registry's and your lawyer's opinion.
• Other restrictions: Foreigners buying property in Turkey are also subject to regional quotas, military and security zone restrictions, and so on.

After the purchase is complete, the competent authority (the land registry system under the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change) issues the certificate of conformity, and the residence permit and citizenship application process begins. Transactions usually also involve title transfer tax, valuation fees, translation and notarization costs and so on; rely on your Turkish lawyer and tax professional for specifics.

3. Other investment routes

According to 2026 public sources, Article 20 of the Implementing Regulation also provides for the following routes (check the Turkish government's current rules). Generally, each route must meet its threshold on its own; amounts from different routes cannot be added together.

A special reminder: according to public sources, for financial routes such as bank deposits and government debt instruments, the foreign currency must first be sold to the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey through a Turkish bank and converted into Turkish lira before being invested and held. Taking government debt instruments as an example, procedural documents published by Turkey's Ministry of Treasury and Finance require purchasing lira-denominated government bonds or lease certificates worth at least the equivalent of $500,000, with the 3-year holding period running from the date the minimum amount is met; if the market value later falls below the threshold due to price fluctuations, this does not affect the application or nationality already acquired. This means the amount you actually recover on these routes depends on the lira exchange rate, which calls for careful assessment.

4. The process (overview)

1. Due diligence and planning: A Turkish lawyer reviews the title or investment product; at the same time, you organize your source of funds documentation (which will also be used later for the U.S. E-2).
2. Complete the investment: Wire and convert funds through the required channels and obtain the DAB and other records; for real estate, complete the transfer of title and annotate the 3-year no-transfer commitment.
3. Obtain the certificate of conformity: Issued by the relevant competent authority.
4. Apply for a residence permit: Apply to the provincial migration management office for a short-term residence permit under Article 31(1)(j) of Law No. 6458; family members can apply at the same time, and you usually must appear in person for biometrics.
5. File the citizenship application: File with the provincial directorate of population and citizenship affairs or a Turkish embassy or consulate; a lawyer holding a special power of attorney can file for you. After a security review, the President decides whether to grant citizenship.
6. Collect your identity card and passport.

Processing time varies by case and review; rely on the Turkish authorities and your Turkish lawyer for timing. Our firm makes no commitment about processing times in other countries.

5. Eligible family members

• Can apply together: A foreign spouse, minor children, and adult children who are dependent because of disability or similar reasons (Turkish law refers to "minor or dependent children"; the age of majority in Turkey is generally 18).
• Minor children: According to public sources, the other parent's consent is usually required; if consent cannot be obtained, a court order may be needed.
• Not covered: Adult children who are not dependent must apply separately; parents and siblings cannot be included as family members.

Note that eligible family members differ under the two countries' rules: U.S. E-2 dependents are a spouse and unmarried children under 21, and dependents themselves do not need Turkish nationality. A child aged 18 to 20 who did not acquire Turkish nationality with the family may still be able to go to the U.S. as an E-2 dependent, but must change status after turning 21.

6. Residence and the AMIGOS Act

Turkish citizenship by investment requires obtaining a residence permit first, but according to public sources, citizenship itself does not require living in Turkey for a set number of days. That is a separate matter from the U.S. law requirement:

• Section 5902 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263), signed December 23, 2022 (incorporating the AMIGOS Act), provides that a person who acquired nationality through a financial investment and has never previously been granted E status must have been domiciled in their country of nationality for a continuous period of at least 3 years at any point before applying for an E visa in order to apply for an E visa on that nationality.
• Turkish citizenship by investment is a typical case of "acquiring nationality through a financial investment." Holding a Turkish residence card and visiting occasionally does not mean you are domiciled in Turkey.
• Domicile usually means the place where you actually live and treat as your principal, long-term home. You might consider preparing a long-term lease or owner-occupied home, entry and exit records, local bank and household bills, tax records, children's school enrollment, employment or business records and so on. As of the date this article was checked, we did not find a specific definition of domicile in the public State Department manual (9 FAM 402.9); the State Department's practice controls.
• Living in Turkey long term may make you a Turkish tax resident and raise issues such as worldwide income reporting; whether naturalized males (including boys naturalized with the family) are subject to military service obligations and related exemptions should also be checked with a Turkish lawyer in advance.

The 3-year no-transfer holding period for the property and the 3-year domicile period may partly overlap, but they start at different times and have different requirements, and one cannot substitute for the other. For the meaning of the AMIGOS Act provision and preparing evidence, see How investors from non-treaty countries such as China can apply for the U.S. E-2 through a third-country nationality.

7. Connecting to the U.S. E-2

• Two sums of money: The Turkish citizenship investment and the U.S. E-2 investment are two separate sums. Turkish real estate or deposits cannot count toward the E-2 investment.
• Ownership and nationality: At least 50% of the U.S. business must be owned by Turkish nationals; if you have dual nationality, you must choose to apply as a Turkish national, and employees working in E visa status must also have Turkish nationality.
• Consistent source of funds: Both the Turkish citizenship review and the U.S. E-2 review look at source of funds. The explanations, wire paths and documents on both sides should be consistent; ideally, organize them from the start to meet both sides' requirements.
• The E-2's own requirements: A real operating business, non-marginality, funds at risk, you developing and directing the business and so on; see the E-2 hub and E-2 business plan.
• Where to file and visa validity: In recent years the State Department has made many procedural changes, such as to where nonimmigrant visa interviews take place (in principle, you apply in your country of nationality or residence); verify the latest rules before filing. E-2 visa validity is set by the reciprocity arrangement between Turkey and the United States; check the State Department's current reciprocity schedule.
• Citizenship documents: The E-2 application usually requires proof of how you acquired Turkish nationality and evidence of 3 years of domicile. For translation requirements for foreign-language documents, see Translation requirements for immigration applications.

8. Main risks

Property valuation

Citizenship eligibility is based on the official valuation, but the price you actually pay may be well above the market resale price. Some properties marketed as "citizenship properties" are priced high, and there is no guarantee you can sell at the original price after 3 years. According to a statement issued by Turkey's Ministry of Interior in August 2026 (reported by multiple media outlets), a total of 6,134 people who acquired nationality through investment have had their nationality revoked, including 1,413 principal applicants, with the rest being spouses and children. Most cases involved collusive or improper transactions uncovered through land registry, tax and police verification (media reports have often linked them to inflated valuations), with some on public order and national security grounds. Under Turkish nationality law, if the principal applicant's nationality is revoked, the spouse and children who acquired nationality through them are affected as well. Before buying, have an independent Turkish lawyer and valuation firm check the deal; don't rely only on a valuation provided by the seller.

Liquidity

The property cannot be transferred for 3 years; resale after that depends on the local market, location and property type. Financial routes must be held in lira for 3 years, so the amount you recover depends on the exchange rate.

Policy changes

Thresholds, eligible property types and review methods have been adjusted several times in recent years. Nationality already acquired can be revoked under the law if it is found to have been obtained through misrepresentation or concealment of material facts. On the U.S. side, the treaty list, visa procedures and how the AMIGOS Act is applied may also change.

Nationality law and family arrangements

Article 3 of the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China provides that dual nationality for Chinese citizens is not recognized; Article 9 provides that a Chinese citizen who has settled abroad and voluntarily acquires or obtains a foreign nationality automatically loses Chinese nationality. Before naturalizing, assess the effect on your household registration (hukou), Chinese passport, assets in China and family arrangements; we recommend consulting a professional in Chinese law.

9. Common misconceptions

• "Once I have a Turkish passport, I can apply for E-2 right away." You must first meet the 3-year continuous domicile requirement (unless you have previously been granted E status).
• "The property I bought in Turkey can count as my E-2 investment." No. The E-2 investment must go into an actually operating business in the United States.
• "Just put $400,000 in the contract." Eligibility is based on the official valuation, and the payment path and foreign exchange conversion certificate must also be in order.
• "Once I'm naturalized, my nationality is secure." Turkey's large-scale revocations in 2026 show that citizenship obtained through problematic transactions can be pursued after the fact, with consequences for family members too.
• "The whole family can get citizenship." Adult children who are not dependent, and parents, are not within the family members covered.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• U.S. Department of State: Treaty Countries (E-1/E-2 treaty country list)
• U.S. Department of State: Visa reciprocity schedule (by country)
• U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual, 9 FAM 402.9 (E visas)
• U.S. Government Publishing Office: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263, Section 5902)
• Turkey General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (NVİ)
• Turkey Ministry of Treasury and Finance: Procedures and principles for exceptional citizenship through government debt instruments (in Turkish)
• Turkey Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi)
• Turkey General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM)

Related reading

• How investors from non-treaty countries such as China can apply for the U.S. E-2 through a third-country nationality
• E-2 hub: requirements, ways to invest and documents
• Grenada citizenship by investment and the U.S. E-2
• How to write an E-2 business plan

This article is general information, not legal advice. Our firm provides U.S. immigration legal services only and is not an authorized agent for any citizenship-by-investment program; for citizenship or residence matters in other countries, please consult a locally licensed lawyer or a government-authorized agent.