Turkish Citizenship by Bank Deposit: A Comprehensive 2026 Guide for Foreigners

To get Turkish citizenship through a bank deposit, you place at least USD 500,000 (or the convertible-currency equivalent) in a bank operating in Turkey, undertake not to withdraw it for three years, and obtain a certificate of conformity from the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK). You then take a short-term residence permit based on the investment and file the citizenship application, which is decided by the Ministry of Interior and granted by Presidential decree. This guide covers the legal threshold, the currency-conversion step, the all-in cost, a realistic timeline, and how the deposit route compares with the USD 400,000 real estate route. Last reviewed June 2026.

The legal basis for citizenship by bank deposit

Foreigners can become Turkish citizens by way of an exception under Article 12 of the Turkish Citizenship Law (Law No. 5901), which lets the President grant citizenship to investors who meet conditions set by the executive. Those conditions are detailed in the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law. One of the qualifying investment routes is keeping a fixed deposit in a bank operating in Turkey.

Under this route, a foreign national who deposits at least USD 500,000 (or its equivalent in convertible foreign currency) in a bank operating in Turkey and undertakes not to withdraw it for three years can apply for citizenship. The deposit is verified by the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK), which issues a certificate of conformity (uygunluk belgesi) confirming the deposit qualifies.

This is a path to a second passport for the whole family, but it runs as an administrative process with strict documentary and timing rules. A mistake at the deposit, currency-conversion or certificate stage can delay or derail the file, so most applicants have a lawyer handle the steps end to end. See our guide to all Turkish citizenship by investment routes for the full picture.

How the deposit route compares with the other investment routes

The bank deposit is one of several qualifying routes under the same Article 12 framework. They carry different thresholds and different risks, so the right choice depends on whether you want liquidity, property exposure, or an operating business in Turkey.

The deposit route appeals to investors who want a clean, liquid position: no property to manage or resell, no business to run, and your capital returned after three years. The trade-offs are that the money is locked for the period and the threshold is measured in USD, so currency movement is a real risk. The USD 400,000 real estate route has a lower entry point and a tangible asset that may appreciate, while the fixed-capital company investment suits investors who already plan to trade in Turkey — see our guide to establishing a business in Turkey. For a fuller treatment of the alternatives, read our legal insights on citizenship through investment.

How much do you need to deposit?

The minimum is USD 500,000 or the convertible-currency equivalent, placed in a bank operating in Turkey and held for a minimum of three years. A few practical points decide whether a deposit actually qualifies:

• Convertible currency: the amount must be in convertible currency and worth at least USD 500,000 at the exchange rate used on the deposit/conversion date. US dollars, euros and Turkish lira are all accepted, but a non-USD deposit is measured against the USD line.
• Three-year commitment: you give a written undertaking not to let the principal fall below the threshold for three years. The three-year clock runs from the certified commitment date, not from when money first arrived in the account.
• Eligible banks: the deposit can sit in a deposit bank or a participation (Islamic) bank, as long as it operates in Turkey under BDDK supervision. A participation account earns a profit share instead of interest.
• Joint accounts: a joint account can be used if the co-holder gives explicit written consent not to withdraw the funds during the three-year period.

The currency-conversion step (Döviz Alım Belgesi)

Many foreign investors miss a procedural step that the certificate of conformity depends on. In current practice, the bank documents the purchase of Turkish lira against your incoming foreign currency with a currency-purchase document (Döviz Alım Belgesi). This sets the USD-equivalent value used to confirm the deposit clears the USD 500,000 line on the conversion date.

The exact mechanics — whether the qualifying balance is held in lira or kept in foreign currency, and how the USD equivalent is fixed — are sensitive to current banking-regulation practice. Your bank and your lawyer should confirm the precise structure before you transfer funds, because the certificate of conformity is issued on the basis of that conversion.

Can you earn returns on the deposit?

Yes. During the three-year holding period you keep the interest, profit share, or similar returns arising from the deposit or participation fund. The hard limit is that the qualifying principal must not fall below the USD 500,000 equivalent at any point during the three years.

If the balance drops under the threshold — whether through withdrawal or currency depreciation — the investment no longer qualifies, and citizenship granted on its basis can be reviewed and, in some cases, revoked. That makes the buffer above the line a practical safeguard, not just a formality.

Using existing or transferred funds

Can you use money already in a Turkish bank?

Yes. A deposit already sitting in a bank operating in Turkey can form the basis of the application. The time the money was already in the account does not earn you a head start, though: the three-year undertaking runs from the certified commitment date for the application. Confirm with counsel how your bank dates the commitment, as practice can vary between institutions.

Can you transfer funds from abroad?

Yes. You can transfer USD 500,000 (or the equivalent) from abroad into a bank operating in Turkey and use it for the application. Keep clean records of the transfer and the source of the funds, because banks apply anti-money-laundering and customer-due-diligence checks.

Step-by-step procedure

To acquire Turkish citizenship through a bank deposit, you fund the qualifying deposit, obtain the certificate of conformity, take a residence permit, and file the citizenship application. The typical sequence is:

1. Open the account and place the deposit specified in the Regulation (USD 500,000+, with the three-year undertaking), completing the currency-conversion step.
2. Obtain the certificate of conformity from the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK).
3. Apply for a short-term residence permit on the basis of the investment. This is procedural — you are not required to physically live in Turkey.
4. Prepare, translate and legalise the documents for the citizenship file.
5. Submit the citizenship application to the Presidency of Migration Management (Istanbul or Ankara).
6. The Ministry of Interior reviews the application and decides.
7. If favourable, the file is referred onward for the Presidential decree.
8. Citizenship is granted by Presidential decree and the family is registered.

Cost and timeline

Beyond the USD 500,000 deposit, which you get back after three years, the all-in cost is modest relative to the investment. Budget for these items, which vary by family size and provider:

• Government and application fees for the residence permit and citizenship file, plus the residence-permit card fee.
• Translation, notary and apostille costs for each applicant's documents (passport, birth, marital-status and population records).
• Legal fees for managing the deposit structure, certificate, permit and citizenship application.
• FX spread on converting your foreign currency to lira — a real, often-overlooked cost on a half-million-dollar transfer.

We do not quote fixed prices or compete on fee in this guide; ask us for a written quote scoped to your family. On timing, public guidance and current practice point to roughly six to twelve months from deposit to Presidential decree, depending on document completeness and the workload of the authorities.

Documents you will need

For the short-term residence permit

You must hold a residence permit before the citizenship application. The residence-permit file typically requires:

• Valid visa, where applicable.
• Notarised Turkish translation of the passport.
• Four passport-sized (biometric) photos.
• Private health insurance valid for the permit period.
• Address information.
• BDDK certificate of conformity for the deposit.
• Evidence of payment of the fee and card cost.
• Power of attorney (if represented by a lawyer).
• Completed residence-permit application form.

For the citizenship application

• Citizenship application form.
• Notarised passport translation.
• Two biometric photographs per applicant.
• Apostilled population/registration document.
• Apostilled birth certificate.
• Apostilled marital-status certificate.
• Additional documents depending on marital status (e.g. marriage certificate, spouse's consent).
• Receipt showing payment of the service fee.

Foreign documents must be apostilled (or consular-legalised) and accompanied by notarised Turkish translations to be accepted by Turkish authorities.

Who is included, and does Turkey allow dual citizenship?

Your spouse and children under 18 are generally included in the same file on your approval, without a separate investment. Dependent adult children with a disability can also be included; an adult child without a qualifying ground applies in their own right. Confirm exactly who qualifies as a dependent for your family before filing.

Turkey permits dual citizenship. In most cases you keep your existing nationality and add Turkish citizenship — but check your own country's rules, because some states restrict or do not recognise dual nationality. A small number of professions and security-cleared roles in your home country may also be affected.

How Lexin Legal helps

Citizenship by bank deposit is straightforward in theory but document- and timing-sensitive in practice. We manage the whole process for international clients, including:

• Translation, notarisation and apostille handling for all documents.
• Assistance opening a Turkish bank account and structuring the qualifying deposit, including the currency-conversion step.
• Obtaining the BDDK certificate of conformity.
• Filing the short-term residence permit and the citizenship application.
• Liaising with the Presidency of Migration Management and tracking the file to the Presidential decree.

We do not promise outcomes — the decision rests with the Turkish authorities — but we make sure the file is complete, compliant and correctly timed. Compare the deposit route with the alternative thresholds in our overview of Turkish citizenship by investment, or get in touch to start.

Frequently asked questions