Turkey’s citizenship by investment program attracts thousands of foreign nationals. At first glance, the procedure may seem simple: an investor purchases a property, meets the state’s financial requirements, and submits an application for a passport. In reality, however, obtaining citizenship is a multi-stage legal process where every mistake can cost not only time, but also money. In this article, we explain the main risks investors face and why it is so difficult to obtain a Turkish passport without legal support.
Laws Change Without Warning
One of the main challenges of the program is the constant updating of regulations. Turkish authorities regularly revise investor requirements, document submission rules, and property eligibility criteria. Moreover, new regulations often come into force immediately after official publication, without any transition period.
For a foreign buyer, this creates serious risks. A transaction that fully met the program requirements just recently may suddenly no longer comply with the current rules. As a result, the investor may lose time, money, and the opportunity to obtain citizenship.
Lawyers specializing in investment law monitor such changes on a daily basis. This makes it possible to assess risks in advance, adjust the transaction structure, and avoid situations where the client only discovers a problem after purchasing the property.
A Realtor Is Not Responsible for Transaction Security
Buyers often rely entirely on realtors and expect the intermediary to verify the legal status of the property. In practice, however, an in-depth document review is not always part of an agent’s responsibilities. As Özer Tuncay, a leading attorney at the Alanya-based law firm Tuncay & Barcın Law Office, notes, problems with a property can be identified by a legal specialist who acts as an independent party and conducts a comprehensive audit of the property through government authorities. To use the services of a lawyer, visit https://tuncaybarcinlawoffice.com/.
During the due diligence process, an attorney may identify the following issues:
- The property has already been used to obtain citizenship. Under Turkish regulations, the same property cannot be used in the investment program more than once. If a previous foreign owner has already obtained citizenship through this apartment, the next buyer automatically loses this right.
- The property is subject to restrictions. Sometimes a property may be under seizure, pledged as collateral for a bank loan, or connected to the owner’s tax debts. For the buyer, this means a potential risk of losing the property even after the transaction has been completed.
- There are violations in the construction documentation. The absence of an Iskan, illegal alterations, or violations of building regulations can seriously affect the official valuation of the property.
Discrepancy in the Appraised Value
When reviewing an application, the Turkish Migration Management authorities rely exclusively on the property value stated in the official expert appraisal report. The problem, however, is that Turkish developers often reduce the cadastral value of a property in order to lower their own tax burden. If an investor signs documents under such conditions, the final official appraisal may turn out to be below the legal threshold. To eliminate this risk, an attorney coordinates the state appraisal process before the purchase agreement is signed and ensures that all documents fully comply with the requirements of the investment program.
Documents as a Common Reason for Rejection
Many people believe that once the transaction is completed, all that remains is to wait for the passport. In reality, this is where the most extensive bureaucratic work begins. To submit an application, the investor must prepare a full package of documents both for themselves and for their family members. These documents must be apostilled, translated by certified translators, and notarized in Turkey. An error in even a single certificate can delay the process for months.
A lawyer handles the submission of documents, case support at the Migration Management authorities, and responses to official requests. This means the investor does not have to navigate Turkey’s complex bureaucratic system on their own or risk being rejected because of the smallest mistake.
To fully protect your investment and secure approval of your application by the Migration Management authorities, you can use the qualified assistance of the attorneys at Tuncay & Barcın Law Office. The firm’s experts will verify the legal integrity of the transaction and support you at every stage of obtaining Turkish citizenship.
