Turkey

TUR

Turkey is a transcontinental country straddling Europe and Asia, with Istanbul serving as one of the world's great cultural and commercial crossroads. The country offers a low cost of living relative to Western Europe, a Mediterranean and continental climate, world-class healthcare facilities in major cities, and a rapidly growing digital economy. Turkey operates a citizenship-by-investment programme via real estate purchase ($400,000 minimum) and has become one of the most popular relocation destinations for expats from the Middle East, Central Asia, and Russia.

Naturalisation: 5 years
Tax system: Residence Based
Currency: Turkish Lira (TRY)
Dual citizenship: Allowed
Capital: Ankara
Region: europe
Population: 85,340,000
Cost-of-living: 27 /100

→ If you hold a Turkey passport, see the Turkey nationality guide

Passport Rank

#51

Visa-Free

109

destinations

Visa-free travel

A Turkey passport has visa-free access to 109 destinations. See the full Turkey passport breakdown →

Passports that enter Turkey without a prior visa (103)

Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Brazil

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria+85 more

Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.

24 approved English test centres in Turkey →

Country Details

Capital: Ankara
Currency: Turkish Lira (TRY)
Languages: Turkish
Population: 85,340,000
Tax System: Residence Based
Dual Citizenship: Allowed
Naturalisation: 5 years
Schengen / EU: No
Climate: Mediterranean / Continental
English Proficiency Rank: #69
GDP per capita: $18,599
Life expectancy: 77.42 yrs
Population growth: 0.42%/yr

GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).

Indices

Cost of Living

Safety

Healthcare

Quality of Life

140

Tax Summary

Tax System: Residence Based
Territorial Taxation: No — worldwide income taxed for residents
Naturalisation: 5 years of legal residency
Dual Citizenship: Allowed

Cost of Living by City

← scroll the table →

Monthly cost of living per major city in USD: rent, groceries, utilities, transit pass
City	Rent 1BR centre	Rent outside	Groceries	Utilities	Transit pass
Istanbul	$700	$480	$220	$90	$30
Ankara	$420	$300	$200	$85	$25

Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.

Climate

Istanbul

6°J

7°F

9°M

14°A

19°M

24°J

26°J

26°A

23°S

18°O

13°N

8°D

Rainfall range: 15–120 mm/month · Daylight 9h (winter) to 15h (summer)

Ankara

0°J

2°F

7°M

12°A

17°M

21°J

24°J

24°A

19°S

13°O

7°N

2°D

Rainfall range: 10–55 mm/month · Daylight 9h (winter) to 15h (summer)

Visa Categories & Immigration Authority

Major Visa Categories

Tourist eVisa
Short-term Residence Permit
Family Residence Permit
Student Residence Permit
Work Permit
Long-term Residence Permit
Investor Visa (Citizenship by Investment)
Humanitarian Residence Permit

Authority: Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi Genel Müdürlüğü)
Official Portal: www.goc.gov.tr
Phone: +90-312-157-1122
Email: info@goc.gov.tr

Naturalisation Details

Residence Years: 5
Language Test: Yes (Turkish (basic written + spoken))
Civic Test: Yes
Oath Required: Yes
Dual Allowed: Yes
Fee: $200
Processing: ~18 months

Real Estate

Avg price/sqm (capital): $3,000
Transaction taxes: 4%

Foreign buyers: Foreigners from most countries may purchase freely. Citizenship by Investment (CBI) requires minimum $400,000 real estate purchase (held 3 years). Istanbul prime districts $2,000-4,000/sqm; Beyoglu/Sisli $3,000-5,000/sqm. Title deed (tapu) transfer tax 4% (split 2% each). VAT exemption for foreign-currency purchases in first acquisition.

International Schools

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International schools by city, curriculum, and annual tuition
School	City	Curriculum	Tuition (USD/yr)
Robert College	Istanbul	US + IB	$12,000–$20,000
Bilkent University Preparatory School	Ankara	IB	$8,000–$14,000

Daily Life Logistics

Internet

60 Mbps median

55% fibre coverage

eSIM: Turkcell, Vodafone TR, Türk Telekom (TTNET)

Driving

IDP not required

Local licence required after 6 months

Exchange eligible: EU/EEA licences exchangeable; IDP valid for 6 months for tourists; bilateral exchange agreements with select countries

Pet Relocation

Quarantine: none

Rabies titre required

EU pet passport: not accepted

Safety

GPI Rank

#119

Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)

Common Risks

⚠carpet shop over-pricing scams in Sultanahmet
⚠taxi meter fraud at Istanbul Ataturk/Sabiha
⚠exchange-rate confusion scams in tourist areas
⚠shoe-shine drop scam

Examples of areas to avoid: Tarlabasi back streets late night, certain Gaziosmanpasa areas after dark

LGBTQ+ Legal Status

Same-Sex Marriage: Not legal
Civil Partnerships: Not recognised
Anti-Discrimination Law: No
ILGA Rank: #49

Religious Life

Halal Food: Widely available
Kosher Food: Limited
Prayer Facilities: Common

Sample Citizenship Test Questions

Q1. Who founded the Republic of Turkey?

Answer: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

Source: Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management

Q2. In what year was the Republic of Turkey proclaimed?

Answer: 1923

Source: Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management

Related Guides

Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave

Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.

Related on The Citizenship Desk

Min. Income

—

Citizenship

Verified 2026-06-01

Cities in Turkey

JCI

OncologyCardiologyNeurologyOrthopedics+2

4 languages35k intl. patients/yr

Citizenship by Investment

Turkish Citizenship by Investment

Turkey

From

$400,000

Processing

5mo

Visa-Free

110

Due Diligence

standard

Verified 2026-06-01

Citizenship by Descent

Turkish Citizenship by Descent (Article 43)

Turkey

Est. Cost

$2,000– $8,000

Processing

9–24mo

Verified 2026-07-07

Sources & last verified

Last verified 2026-04-20