A Quick Guide on Acquiring Turkish Citizenship for Indians

Migrating from one place to another is often useful for increasing exposure and discovering new opportunities. As a result, Indians often move to beautiful countries like Turkey for studying or work purposes. Getting citizenship in Turkey enables them to live and work there free of restrictions. Moreover, a Turkish passport allows you to travel visa-free across 110 countries.

Do you want to know more about getting Turkish citizenship for Indians? Keep reading for a complete guide.

For getting Turkish citizenship, applicants must meet the required eligibility criteria. These are listed below.

• Applicants must have lived in Turkey for at least five years.
• They need to show healthy medical conditions.
• Showing an excellent moral character is mandatory for getting citizenship.
• Applicants must show proficiency in understanding and speaking the Turkish language.
• They must show adequate financial stability.
• Additionally, they must avoid criminal activities and prove that they are not a threat to the national security of Turkey. 

There are various ways of getting Turkish citizenship. One of the most common ways is to be born in Turkey with at least one Turkish parent. Another way is by naturalisation. It requires individuals to live in Turkey for about five years and meet other conditions. Apart from that, there is citizenship by marriage. If you have been married to a Turkish spouse for at least three years, you can apply for citizenship.

Individuals can also get Turkish citizenship by investment. For example, with a fixed capital investment of ₺7,819,123.45, an applicant can get citizenship within three months. Similarly, investing ₺7,819,123.45 in Turkish real estate can also generate citizenship. Moreover, the Turkish Government also provides citizenship to people who successfully created jobs for at least 50 people in Turkey.

Now, you must be wondering how to get Turkish citizenship for Indians. The following steps will help you complete the same.

Step 1: Start checking the eligibility and make sure you meet these. Download and print Form VAT 4.

Step 2: Fill out the application form with all the accurate information. Gather all the required documents.

Step 3: Submit the form, the documents and application fees to the Turkish Provincial Directorate of Immigration office. Wait for them to revert.

Step 4: Once the authorities approve your citizenship, apply for a Turkish passport.

While applying for Turkish citizenship, applicants must submit various documents to verify their information. These are as follows.

• Passport or equivalent ID proof
• Marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Birth certificate
• Civil registration document
• Employment certificate
• Receipt to show payment of service fees

Fortunately, the Turkish government supports dual citizenship. Hence, if you are from a foreign country and are planning to become a Turkish citizen, you can easily do so without renouncing your previous nationality. However, as the Indian government does not allow dual citizenship, the Indian applicants will have to sacrifice their Indian nationality before becoming Turkish citizens.

If you are a Turkish citizen, you can get a Family Residence Permit for your family and relatives. They can then follow the above-mentioned criteria to be eligible to apply for a Turkish citizenship.

However, you can become a sponsor for another person to move here as a citizen if they meet the eligibility conditions. Moreover, if you get Turkish citizenship through investment, your spouse and children can get citizenship automatically.

While children of Turkish parents can get Turkish citizenship by descent, this is not the case for the parents of Turkish citizens. You cannot apply for the citizenship of your parents. You can only help your spouse get citizenship after becoming a citizen yourself.

Children born in Turkey to both or at least one Turkish parent become Turkish citizens by birth. Moreover, they can also become citizens if adopted by Turkish parents. If children have Turkish parents or grandparents but are born outside Turkey, they become Turkish citizens by descent. However, if both parents are non-citizens, children can apply for citizenship after turning 18.

Now that you know how to get Turkish citizenship for Indians, you must try to get approval on your first try. It would help avoid some of the common mistakes that can reject your citizenship application. These common mistakes are as follows.

1. Application errors

The application form and the data entered must be accurate. The applicants need to complete all the sections of the application form. Leaving any area incomplete or entering wrong information can ultimately reject the application. Hence, applicants must be aware of this issue.

2. Invalid documents

Every document submitted with the application must be valid and authentic. Any invalid record or fraudulent evidence can quickly come to the notice of the immigration experts while investigating your case. This is a significant reason behind the rejection of several citizenship applications in Turkey.

3. Financial instability

4. Criminal offence

Having a good and moral character is one of the eligibility conditions of becoming a Turkish citizen. Hence, applicants who have past or ongoing criminal records might face difficulties getting approval. Therefore, it is advisable to abide by Turkish law and avoid criminal offences.