Law No. 5901 on Turkish Citizenship
Law No. 5901, the Turkish Citizenship Law (Türk Vatandaşlığı Kanunu), governs how Turkish citizenship is acquired, lost, and reacquired. For foreign nationals, it sets out the main routes to becoming a Turkish citizen — through residence, investment, or marriage to a Turkish citizen.
What It Governs
Law No. 5901 covers acquisition of citizenship both at birth and after birth; loss of citizenship and the conditions under which it may be renounced or forfeited; reacquisition by former citizens; and the Blue Card status, which preserves certain rights for those who held Turkish citizenship and renounced it with official permission.
Key Provisions for Foreign Nationals
Ordinary naturalisation under Article 11 requires, among other conditions: five years of uninterrupted residence in Turkey; legal capacity; conduct and behaviour that confirms an intention to settle in Turkey; no risk to public health; sufficient command of Turkish; adequate means of financial support; and no national-security or public-order obstacle. Each of these conditions is assessed at the time of the application.
Exceptional citizenship under Article 12 is granted by Presidential decision without the residence requirement. It is the legal basis for citizenship by investment. The current thresholds are set by Presidential regulation and include: fixed capital investment of at least USD 500,000; purchase of real estate worth at least USD 400,000, subject to a three-year no-sale annotation; a bank deposit of at least USD 500,000 held in a Turkish bank for three years; or the creation of employment for at least 50 persons as certified by the Ministry of Labour.
Citizenship through marriage is governed by Article 16. A foreigner who has been married to a Turkish citizen for at least three years and whose marriage is subsisting may apply. Marriage to a Turkish citizen never grants citizenship automatically; a formal application must be made and approved. The authorities assess whether the marriage is genuine — a sham marriage is a ground for refusal, cancellation, and further legal consequences.
The Blue Card under Article 28 is granted to Turkish citizens who renounce their citizenship with ministerial permission, preserving certain inheritance, property-ownership, and entry rights. It is relevant to those who have taken foreign citizenship and wish to maintain a connection with Turkey.
Official source: the official text of Law No. 5901 on mevzuat.gov.tr.
This is a concise summary for general information only and is not an official translation. For the binding legal text, consult the official source above. This page is not legal advice.