Immigration & Citizenship

An immigration and citizenship lawyer is a specialist legal professional who manages the legal processes applicable to foreign nationals who wish to live, work, invest in or become citizens of Türkiye, and who prevents the loss of rights.

In a globalised world, more flexible borders and Türkiye's geopolitical and economic position have made the country a major centre of attraction for investors, professionals and those wishing to build a new life.

This requires procedures such as residence permits, work permits, property acquisition and citizenship applications to be carried out flawlessly and on a sound legal footing.

The relevant legislation — above all the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 and the Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458 — is dynamic, frequently updated according to state policy and bound by very strict formal requirements.

The slightest procedural error in applications to the Presidency of Migration Management or the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs can delay the process for months, lead to rejection and even result in the person being deported and placed in administrative detention.

Having administrative procedures concerning immigration law managed by specialist lawyers therefore prevents irreversible harm.

Whenever you need professional guidance — to build a new life in Türkiye, secure high-value investments, speed up citizenship processes or resolve administrative sanctions through legal channels — Bursa Mudanya Law Office stands by you with its experienced team.

What Is Immigration and Citizenship Law?

Immigration and citizenship law is the legal discipline governing the rules a state applies to foreign nationals in its territory and the processes for acquiring or losing that state's citizenship.

In Türkiye, this field is shaped within the framework of the state's sovereign rights, in order to protect public order and manage the demographic structure.

This branch of law is divided into two main parts:

1. Immigration law: Covers visas, residence permits, work permits, freedom of movement, property acquisition, inheritance rights and deportation of foreigners in Türkiye.
2. Citizenship law: Sets the legal rules for a person subsequently becoming a Turkish citizen (through marriage, investment or general application) or renouncing or being deprived of Turkish citizenship.

Services of an Immigration and Citizenship Lawyer

An immigration and citizenship lawyer provides advice and representation across a very wide range, from securing foreigners' legal status in Türkiye to resolving deportation crises.

The main services Bursa Mudanya Law Office offers its clients are:

• End-to-end management of Turkish citizenship applications by investment, property purchase or marriage,
• Short- and long-term residence permit applications and annulment actions against refusals,
• Work permit applications for foreigners and legal follow-up of companies' recruitment of foreign staff,
• Annulment of unlawful deportation orders and objections to administrative detention,
• Removal of restriction codes (G-87, Ç-114, V-160, etc.) recorded against passports through administrative actions,
• Lawful handling of company formation, property purchases and inheritance transfers by foreigners in Türkiye,
• Legal advice on Turquoise Card and Blue Card applications.

How Can Turkish Citizenship Be Obtained?

Turkish citizenship may be acquired automatically by birth (by descent or place of birth), or later (by administrative decision) by fulfilling the conditions set out in the law.

The legislator provides several legal routes for foreigners to obtain Turkish citizenship.

Conditions for Turkish Citizenship by Investment

To encourage foreign direct investment, Türkiye offers investors fast-track citizenship under the exceptional citizenship scheme.

Under current 2026 legislation, the main conditions for Turkish citizenship by investment are:

• Real estate investment: Purchasing property (a home, workplace, land, etc.) worth at least USD 400,000 (or the equivalent in foreign currency) outright, with a "cannot be sold for 3 years" annotation registered in the land register.
• Bank deposit: Depositing at least USD 500,000 with banks operating in Türkiye and not withdrawing it for 3 years.
• Capital investment or employment: Making a fixed capital investment of at least USD 500,000 or creating employment for at least 50 people.

Together with the main applicant who meets the investment condition, their spouse and children under 18 also become entitled to citizenship through the immigration and citizenship lawyer handling the process.

Citizenship by Marriage

Marrying a Turkish citizen does not automatically give a foreigner the right to citizenship. To acquire citizenship by marriage:

• The marriage must have lasted for at least 3 years,
• The spouses must live together as a family,
• There must be no activities incompatible with the marital union (e.g. no sham marriage),
• There must be no obstacle in terms of national security and public order.

Applications are examined meticulously by a commission, and the genuineness of the marriage is verified through interviews.

General and Exceptional Routes to Citizenship

Other routes to citizenship besides investment and marriage are:

Citizenship by General Application

Foreigners who have lived in Türkiye continuously for 5 years with a legal residence permit (for work or property) can apply under the general provisions.

Applicants must speak sufficient Turkish, show through their conduct that they have decided to settle in Türkiye and have income sufficient to support themselves.

Exceptional Citizenship

Foreigners who bring industrial facilities to Türkiye, who have rendered (or are expected to render) outstanding service in science, technology, the economy, social affairs, sport or culture, and holders of the Turquoise Card can exceptionally be granted citizenship without long waiting periods.

Short-Term Residence Permit

In immigration law, short-term residence permits are mainly applied for for tourism, investment, ownership of property in Türkiye or scientific purposes.

Documents required for a short-term residence permit application:

• Completed residence permit application form, criminal record certificate,
• Documents showing that the applicant can support themselves during their stay (bank statements, etc.)
  Health insurance covering the period of the residence permit,
• Biometric photographs,
• Copy of passport or equivalent document,
• In immigration law, the short-term residence permit is limited to 2 years, except for investment purposes and citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
  After this period, short-term residence permits are granted again for two-year periods.

Residence and Work Permits

Foreigners who come to Türkiye to stay longer than the visa or visa-exemption period (usually 90 days) must obtain the appropriate residence permit or work permit to be legally present in the country.

Staying without a permit (illegally) leads to fines and direct deportation proceedings.

Types of Short- and Long-Term Residence Permit

The Presidency of Migration Management issues different types of residence permit according to the foreigner's purpose of stay:

Short-Term Residence Permit

Granted to those who come to Türkiye for tourism, business meetings, medical treatment or property acquisition.

It is usually issued for 1 or 2 years. (Particularly for property-based residence permits, the minimum title deed valuation limits set under current 2026 legislation must be met.)

Long-Term Residence Permit

Granted to foreigners who have stayed in Türkiye continuously for at least 8 years with a legal residence permit, have not received social assistance in the last 3 years and have sufficient regular income.

It is indefinite and gives the foreigner most of the rights granted to Turkish citizens (except voting, standing for election and military service).

Other Types

Family residence permits for those married to Turkish citizens, student residence permits for university students and humanitarian residence permits for exceptional circumstances are also available.

Work Permit Applications and Extensions

For foreigners to work lawfully in Türkiye, whether for an employer or on their own account, they must obtain a work permit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

A work permit also serves as a residence permit.

• Application: As a rule, applications are made not by the foreigner but by the employer in Türkiye who will employ them. The employer must meet strict conditions, such as employing 5 Turkish citizens for every foreign employee (the 5-to-1 rule) and paid-up capital criteria.
• Duration and extension: The first work permit is usually granted for 1 year. If the person continues to work for the same employer, extensions of 2 and then 3 years may be granted. Foreigners who have worked continuously for 8 years with a work permit can apply for an "Indefinite Work Permit".

Turquoise Card and Blue Card

Turquoise Card

A scheme to attract qualified workers and investors to Türkiye. It is granted to foreigners with high levels of education, professional experience, scientific contribution or capital.

It gives the holder the right to work and reside in Türkiye indefinitely and, after a certain transition period, the opportunity to acquire Turkish citizenship directly.

Blue Card

Granted to people who were Turkish citizens by birth but later voluntarily renounced Turkish citizenship to acquire the citizenship of another country (e.g. Germany).

Blue Card holders continue to enjoy all the commercial, employment and inheritance rights granted to Turkish citizens, except the rights and obligations to vote, stand for election, enter public service and perform military service.

Property Acquisition and Inheritance Rights of Foreigners in Türkiye

To encourage foreign investment, Türkiye has removed the reciprocity requirement in the Land Registry Law. Under current legislation, citizens of 183 countries designated by the Presidency may acquire real estate in Türkiye.

Legal Limits on Property Acquisition

• A foreign individual may acquire a maximum of 30 hectares of real estate throughout Türkiye.
• The total area of property acquired cannot exceed 10% of the privately owned area of the district in which it is located.
• Title cannot be transferred to foreigners in military restricted zones and security zones.

Inheritance Rights

Whoever owns real estate in Türkiye, Turkish law applies to its inheritance. When a foreigner dies, the real estate they leave in Türkiye passes to their statutory heirs under the Turkish Civil Code.

A foreign heir has the right to register the property in their own name within the statutory limits.

However, if the inherited property is in a military restricted zone or exceeds the 30-hectare limit, it must be sold and the proceeds paid to the heir.

International Protection and Temporary Protection

Because of its geographical location, Türkiye experiences heavy migration flows.

Under Law No. 6458, international protection status (refugee, conditional refugee and subsidiary protection) is granted to foreigners who would face persecution, torture or death if returned to their country.

In addition, the Temporary Protection regime applies to foreigners who arrive in a mass influx and for whom individual international protection status determination is not possible (for example, Syrian nationals).

People with this status receive a temporary protection identity document. Although it gives the foreigner the right to stay legally in Türkiye and access basic services such as health and education, it does not grant a direct path to citizenship.

Deportation and Administrative Detention

Governorates or the migration authority issue a deportation order against foreigners who have no legal right to stay in Türkiye, breach their visa or residence permit, use forged documents or pose a threat to public security or health.

Holding the foreigner in Removal Centres (GGM) to prevent them from fleeing or disappearing until deportation is completed is called administrative detention.

Administrative detention lasts at most 6 months and can be extended by at most a further 6 months where necessary.

Challenging Deportation Orders and Annulment Actions

A deportation order is an extremely urgent matter: the foreigner or their lawyer must file an annulment action before the Administrative Court within 7 days of service.

From the moment the action is filed until the case concludes, the foreigner cannot be deported. To end administrative detention (being held in a GGM), it is vital to file a separate objection with the Criminal Judgeship of Peace.

So that these deadlines are not missed, the process must be taken over immediately by an immigration and citizenship lawyer.

Removal of Restriction Codes

Restriction codes made up of various letters and numbers are recorded against the passports of foreigners banned from entering Türkiye or deported. These codes prevent the foreigner from entering the country or obtaining a residence permit.

There are two legal routes to remove restriction codes:

1. Annotated visa (exceptional visa): The entry ban can be overcome with a specially approved visa obtained from consulates on special grounds such as education, work, medical treatment or family reunification.
2. Annulment action: Where the code was recorded unjustly or unlawfully, an action for annulment of the administrative act before the Administrative Courts can have the code removed from the system entirely.

Advisory Services in Immigration Law

Immigration law is a field in which an incorrect or incomplete application can have very serious consequences, such as deportation.

Determining foreigners' legal status in Türkiye, obtaining residence and work permits smoothly, carrying out investments worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in compliance with the legislation for citizenship, and intervening legally in a race against time in crises such as deportation orders all require professional advice.

A specialist lawyer overcomes bureaucratic obstacles and ensures the process is concluded as quickly, lawfully and safely as possible.

Conclusion

Immigration and citizenship law is a vital discipline that sets the rules for building a new life in another country, investing safely and obtaining legal status.

Every step — from residence and work permits and international protection to the annulment of deportation orders and citizenship through high-value investment — requires flawless application of current legislation and administrative practice.

Given frequently changing migration policies and strict time limits, managing procedures with a legal strategy rather than hearsay is the only way to prevent loss of rights and irreversible sanctions.

To secure your investments in Türkiye, protect your right to stay legally and resolve administrative disputes in your favour, Bursa Mudanya Law Office continues to be your legal strength at every stage of the process with its specialist team.

Frequently Asked Questions