18 advantages you’ll get if you hold the Turkish passport

At Alhuda Real Estate, we have helped hundreds of investors obtain a Turkish passport by investing in Turkey.

Contact us to speak with our naturalization consultants who can help you with your inquiries regarding obtaining a Turkish passport through investment.

It's a crystal-clear fact that Turkey is a hot spot for investors and expatriates. Turkey isn't only a great country to live in, with its vibrant lifestyle, cultural diversity, historical heritage, and natural wonders, but it also offers many opportunities.

The Citizenship by Investment program in Turkey allows you to take advantage of the myriad benefits of the Turkish passport, such as visa-free travel to 110 countries.

Read on to learn more about how to obtain a Turkish passport, the benefits of Turkish citizenship, and which countries are visa-free for the Turkish passport. This guide includes:

Turkish Passport Visa Free Territories and Countries: Key Takeaways

With a Turkish passport, you can enter 72 countries without a visa, 35 countries require you to apply for a visa upon arrival at your destination, and three countries require you to purchase an electronic travel authorization (eTA) online. Also, with a Turkish passport, you can obtain a C-2 Schengen visa or an E-2 visa to relocate and work in the United States.

How Turkish Nationals Can Travel Without a Visa

In some countries, Turkish nationals aren't required to have a visa to enter the country. In other countries, they can obtain either an electronic visa (eTA) before travel or a visa on arrival.

• Visa Free: Turkey has visa waiver treaties with 72 countries.
• Visa on Arrival: Travelers with a Turkish passport can travel to 35 countries by getting a visa on arrival. 
• ETA: This is an electronic visa that Turkish citizens acquire online before their trip. 

18 Advantages of Turkish Citizenship  

There are many advantages to being a Turkish citizen, some of which are as follows:

• Obtaining the Turkish passport, which ranks among the strongest passports in the world, as it ranks 39th in the list of countries with the best passports, for the advantages it provides for the holder, the most important of which is the ability to enter 72 countries in the world without a visa, most notably Russia, Ukraine, Malaysia, Thailand, Brazil, Venezuela Japan, South Korea, Qatar, and Morocco.

• The holder of a Turkish passport can obtain an entry visa to 42 countries upon arrival at the airport or one of the border points such as Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE.
• The ability to get the visa of 7 countries electronically, that is, through the Internet without the hassle of moving and submitting the file through the embassy of the country you want to travel to, such as Australia and the Sultanate of Oman.
• Enjoying the rights of citizenship, candidacy, and voting in the various elections
• Granting Turkish citizenship to the wife and children under the age of eighteen, while children over the age of 18 are subject to the same conditions as those who wish to obtain Turkish citizenship, which among them, as mentioned above, is to buy a property in Turkey with 250,000 USD.
• Those with Turkish citizenship can invite their relatives to visit Turkey and guarantee that they can obtain an entry visa to Turkey easily.
• A person who has Turkish citizenship by purchasing a property in Turkey can retain his original nationality. The Turkish state also gives him a turquoise card that allows him to enter and leave Turkey freely if he obtains the nationality of another foreign country, forcing him to give up Turkish citizenship.
• Turkish citizenship gives its holder the possibility of free treatment at state expense in all government hospitals, in addition to low-cost medication in private hospitals and clinics, not to mention the discounts that the Turkish citizen has for some medical prescriptions.
• Regarding the military service, which Alhuda Real Estate company’s consultants receive many questions about, it is worth noting that the Turkish law is clear in this respect for foreigners who have obtained Turkish citizenship and stipulates that:
• Persons who have obtained Turkish citizenship at the age of 22 and above are automatically exempted from military service, in addition to those who have previously performed their military service in their country of origin or have obtained a certificate proving their exemption.
• The possibility of postponing the performance of military service for two years, starting from the date of obtaining citizenship, allows the newly naturalized to settle and organize his affairs, and after the end of the postponement, he is treated like the Turks, where he is summoned directly.
• The possibility of Turkey joining the European Union, one of the largest markets in the modern economic world, in addition to the existence of the customs union agreement.
• Among the most important economic advantages of Turkish citizenship is the availability of job opportunities in government sectors and the ability to invest in all fields and all economic sectors, given that Turkey is a leading country in the sectors of tourism, services, manufacturing, and trade.
• The owner of the Turkish passport, who established a company in Turkey, benefits from the ability to employ whomever he wants in his institution, unlike the foreigner who is obligated to employ a certain number of Turks according to the legislation.
• A Turkish citizenship holder can own all kinds of real estate without any complications in the purchase procedures that the non-Turkish is subject to.
• Turkish citizenship also allows a foreigner to practice several professions that were previously prohibited to him, such as medicine, pharmacy, law, customs, and maritime jobs, etc. for example in medical professions, a holder of Turkish citizenship can work after graduating in various Turkish hospitals and clinics and can open his investment and has his clinic.
• Benefiting from the retirement system upon reaching the age of 60 or more, or after finishing 25 years of service.
• Enjoying public transportation services of all kinds, whether by land, sea, or railway lines for free, upon reaching the age of 65 and over.

Turkish Passport Benefits

Possessing a Turkish passport is beneficial in many ways, both in terms of visa-free travel and the ability to move abroad quickly and easily. Below are some of the advantages that distinguish the Turkish passport:

• It's among the highest ranking passports in the world.
• It allows the holder to enter 110 countries without visa requirement.
• It’s a long-term passport that doesn't need to be renewed more frequently than every 10 years.
• It allows you to obtain an E-2 business visa to move to the USA and start a business there without having to invest a certain amount. The E-2 business visa is valid for five years and provides the holder with the opportunity to obtain a green card and become a citizen of the US. Holders of a Turkish passport can visit Turkey at any time.
• Holders of a Turkish passport can visit Turkey at any time.
• They can obtain a C-2 visa, which allows them to enter and stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days.

How to Get a Turkish Passport

There are several ways to obtain a Turkish passport. Find your options here:

• By Descent: If you're of Turkish descent, that is, if one or more of your parents, grandparents or great-grandparents are Turks, you have the right to apply for Turkish citizenship and obtain a Turkish passport.
• By Naturalization: if you have been legally residing in Turkey for at least five years, you have the right to obtain a Turkish passport.
• Through Investment: this is the most efficient way to obtain a Turkish passport for people of non-Turkish descent. In this case, you can apply for a Turkish passport if you make a certain investment in the country.

Investment Options for Getting a Turkish Passport

To apply for Turkish citizenship and obtain a Turkish passport, you must make one of the following investments:

• Purchase of real estate valued at $400,000 or more
•  Making a business investment of at least $500,000 and employing at least 50 Turkish workers
• Deposit of at least $500,000 with a Turkish bank
•  Purchase of mutual fund shares worth at least $500,000
• Purchase of government bonds worth at least $500,000

Buying real estate is the most popular option because it's less expensive and more profitable. However, if you choose one of the latter three options, you should know that you'll not get your money back for at least 3 years.

How Do Turkish Citizens Enter Other Countries Visa-Free?

There are three options for visa-free entry into countries with Turkish passports. These options are as follows:

• Visa-free entry: There’s no visa requirement at all.
• Visa on arrival: You don't apply for the visa in advance but receive it when you arrive in the country. This type of visa is valid for travel purposes only.
• ETA: You can obtain an electronic visa online by paying a fee usually three to five days before travel.

Conclusion

​Turkish passport is very useful when you travel abroad or change your residence. If you're intrigued by the benefits of this passport, you can initiate the application process to obtain Turkish citizenship by making an investment.