New Regulations in the Turkish Citizenship and Residency through Investment Process

The process of obtaining Turkish citizenship and residency through investment has recently undergone some important changes. These new regulations aim to streamline the application process and ensure the authenticity and accuracy of the documentation submitted. In this blog post, we will discuss the key changes that have been implemented and how they affect investors and their spouses.

1. Fingerprint Verification and Criminal Record:

During the residency permit application, investors are required to provide their fingerprints and submit a notarized translation of their apostilled criminal record, along with a copy of the original document. However, during the citizenship application, the investor must submit the translated criminal record again, along with the original document. While fingerprints are not taken when submitting the citizenship application, their verification will be conducted. Therefore, the investor will need to be present for fingerprint verification.

2. Criminal Record for Investor and Spouse:

Both the investor and their spouse must provide the original criminal record and a notarized translation during the citizenship application process.

3. Active Residence Permit for the Spouse:

The investor's spouse must have an active residence permit during the citizenship application process. Even if their fingerprints have already been taken, their verification will be conducted again. Currently, criminal record is required for the spouse's residence permit as well. It would be advantageous for the spouse to submit the criminal record along with the residence permit application, just like in the investor's case.

4. Residence Permit Type for the Spouse:

The type of residence permit required for the spouse is 31/j, and if it is already obtained, a transition to 31/j is not required.

5. Submission of Spouse's Residence Permit Application:

The investor's office can accept the residence permit application for the spouse, but if preferred, it can also be submitted to the automatic system.

6. Requirement for Spouse to Stay in Turkey:

The spouse is not required to stay in Turkey until the approval is received, same as the investor, the spouse can leave the country after the spouse's application is submitted.

7. Processing of Applications:

The review of applications is conducted in Ankara for some of the applications, and the same process applies to spouses. An investigation will be conducted only for countries or individuals that meet certain criteria. This investigation usually takes around 2-3 months for a decision to be reached after the application is submitted. Currently, the investor's office is able to accept and review both the investor's and the spouse's application simultaneously before sending them to Ankara. During this stage, the spouse is allowed to leave the country.

Conclusion:

The new regulations implemented in the process of obtaining Turkish citizenship and residency through investment aim to strengthen the application process and ensure the authenticity and accuracy of the documentation provided. As an investor, understanding these regulations and requirements can help streamline your application and make the process smoother. While the spouse's presence and active residence permit are still required, the changes in the process offer more flexibility for the investor. It is important to stay updated with any further changes that may arise in the future.