Turkish Citizenship by the General Route
Legal Assessment of the Residence Period and Application Requirements
Foreign nationals who have been legally residing in Türkiye for a long period may apply for Turkish citizenship by the general route if they meet the requirement of five years of uninterrupted residence counting back from the date of application, together with the other statutory requirements.
In these applications, holding a residence permit for five years is not sufficient on its own. The type of residence or work status, the intention to settle in Türkiye, and the lengths of entries to and exits from Türkiye during the five-year period are assessed together. Acquiring real estate in Türkiye and working in Türkiye subject to a work permit are counted among the factors that demonstrate a decision to settle.
Canaydın Law Firm provides legal services before the application by reviewing the residence and work permit history, the entry and exit records for Türkiye and the other citizenship requirements, in order to determine the application date, prepare the documents and follow the citizenship process.
- Assessment of Citizenship Eligibility
- Review of Residence and Entry-Exit Records
Who Can Apply for Turkish Citizenship by the General Route?
01 — Holders of a Real Estate-Based Residence Permit
Foreign nationals who hold a residence permit on account of real estate they own in Türkiye may have a citizenship application by the general route considered if they meet the required five years of residence and the requirement of presence in Türkiye. Owning real estate in Türkiye is accepted in the citizenship legislation as one of the conduct patterns that indicate an intention to settle in Türkiye.
02 — Work Permit Holders
The work and residence history of foreign nationals who work in Türkiye subject to a work permit may be assessed for citizenship by the general route. A citizenship application can be made if the required five-year period counting back from the application date and the requirement of physical presence in Türkiye are met. Working in Türkiye subject to a work permit is also among the factors that indicate an intention to settle.
03 — Those Who Changed Their Status After Student Residence
A student residence permit alone is not accepted as one of the valid grounds of residence indicating an intention to settle in Türkiye for the purposes of citizenship by the general route. However, if a person staying in Türkiye on a student residence permit later moves to a real estate-based residence permit, a work permit or another residence status accepted as valid for citizenship, the earlier periods of residence may also be taken into account within the framework of the relevant conditions. This assessment is different for tourist residence.
For this reason, the entire residence history of persons who have moved from student residence to another status must be reviewed separately before the application.
Five Years of Residence and Day Count
For an application for Turkish citizenship by the general route, five years of uninterrupted legal residence counting back from the date of application is required.
Under Article 15 of Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, a foreign national may spend a total of up to twelve months outside Türkiye during the residence period required for the application. These periods are assessed within the five-year residence period.
In practical terms:
- At least four years must actually be spent in Türkiye within the five-year period.
- Dates of entry to and exit from Türkiye
- Total time spent abroad
- Types of residence permits
- Durations of work permits
- Status changes after student residence
- Gaps between residence permits
- Current residence or work status on the date of application
Five years of residence does not equal automatic citizenship. In addition to the length of residence, the type of residence, the period of physical presence in Türkiye and the other statutory requirements must also be met. Meeting the requirements set out in the law does not give a person an absolute right to acquire citizenship.
Other Requirements for Citizenship by the General Route
In addition to the five-year residence requirement, the applicant must:
- Be of legal age and have the capacity to discern
- Show through their conduct that they have decided to settle in Türkiye
- Not have a disease that poses a danger to public health
- Be of good moral character
- Be able to speak Turkish at a sufficient level
- Have an income or a profession that can support themselves and the persons they are obliged to support
- Not be in a situation that would constitute an obstacle in terms of national security and public order
What We Do for You
Assessment of the Type of Residence
The effect of past and current residence or work permits on the citizenship application is reviewed.
Five-Year Period and Day Count
The five-year residence period and the days spent outside Türkiye are calculated on the basis of the entry and exit records.
Review of Status Changes
The effect on the citizenship period of transitions between student residence, real estate-based residence, work permits and other statuses is assessed.
Assessment of the Intention to Settle
Real estate, work, companies, family, education and other social or economic ties in Türkiye are reviewed within the scope of the file.
Income and Profession Documents
The documents showing the applicant's income or professional situation are identified and prepared appropriately for the citizenship file.
Family and Marital Status Documents
Birth, marriage, divorce, child, custody and other marital status documents are reviewed; the required apostille or consular certification, translation and notarial procedures are coordinated.
Application and File Follow-Up
The citizenship file is prepared; the application, the commission, requests for additional documents and the subsequent administrative stages are followed.
How the Process Works
- 01
Review of the Residence History
Past residence and work permits and the reasons for being in Türkiye are reviewed.
- 02
Entry-Exit Records and Day Count
The time spent outside Türkiye in the last five-year period is calculated to determine whether the required residence period has been completed.
- 03
Assessment of the Application Requirements
The intention to settle, income or profession, Turkish language proficiency and the other statutory requirements are assessed.
- 04
Preparation of the Document Plan
The documents to be obtained from Türkiye and from abroad are identified according to the applicant's personal and family situation.
- 05
Preparation of the Citizenship File
Application forms, residence and entry-exit records, income or profession documents and marital status documents are prepared appropriately for the file.
- 06
Citizenship Application
The application is made at the governorate in the place where the applicant has their residence in Türkiye.
- 07
Commission and Review Process
After the application, the review, investigation and commission processes concerning the citizenship file are followed.
- 08
Ministry Assessment
Once the relevant reviews and investigations are completed, the citizenship file is assessed by the competent authority.
- 09
Post-Citizenship Procedures
Once the application is concluded favorably, the procedures for population registration, the Turkish identity card and the passport follow.
Situation of Spouses and Children
Acquiring Turkish citizenship by the general route does not automatically grant citizenship to the spouse. The spouse's citizenship status is assessed separately within the framework of their own legal requirements.
Whether minor children can acquire citizenship through a parent is reviewed by taking into account age, custody, the situation of the other parent and, where necessary, the requirements of consent.
Do You Have a Pending Citizenship Application?
For citizenship applications by the general route that were made earlier, the current stage of the file, requests for additional documents and the ongoing administrative process can be reviewed and the necessary follow-up procedures carried out.
Has Your Citizenship Application Been Rejected or Left Pending for a Long Time?
Where a citizenship application has been rejected, has not been concluded for a long time, or there is another administrative dispute concerning the application, the administrative and judicial remedies that may be applied are assessed separately.
Explore Citizenship Refusal, Delay and Administrative Lawsuit Procedures