Turkey Streamlines Citizenship by Investment

The Istanbul Directorate of Migration Management has updated the procedure for participants in the citizenship by investment program. As of February 9, 2026, investors can complete biometrics for a residence permit and apply for citizenship on the same day.

How It Worked Before

Previously, the process required multiple visits to the country or a waiting period. First, the applicant had to travel to Turkey in person, submit documents for a residence permit, and provide biometrics. Then, they had to wait for the residence card to be approved before proceeding with the citizenship application. For many investors, this meant additional expenses, delays, and the need to plan two separate trips.

How It Works Now

Now, within a single visit, an investor can:

• Complete biometrics without queues
• Receive residence permit approval on the same day with a full set of documents
• Submit a citizenship by investment application on the same day or the next day

In essence, this is one of the most convenient options available: several weeks are saved, and instead of two trips to Turkey, in many cases only one is required. This reduces both time and organisational costs for the entire family.

However, there are additional fees for the accelerated process:

• $1,000 — main applicant
• $500 — each additional applicant

Important: the investment requirements and program conditions remain unchanged — this update applies only to administrative acceleration of the process.