Citizenship application
Every step of your Turkish citizenship application explained in Chinese, with documents complete the first time
If you want to apply for Turkish citizenship through investment, long-term legal residence or marriage to a Turkish citizen, we manage the process for you from start to finish. We prepare your document checklist, handle Chinese–Turkish translation and notary procedures, arrange appointments and accompaniment, and take care of all coordination with your lawyer, the valuation company and the bank.
What Chinese applicants should know before applying for Turkish citizenship
Investment, residence, marriage: the main routes to citizenship
There are generally several main routes for foreigners to acquire Turkish citizenship. The first is citizenship by investment: purchasing real estate, making a fixed capital investment, holding a bank deposit or creating a certain number of jobs, each with a minimum requirement set by law. The second is the general citizenship application, made after legally residing in Türkiye for a certain period and meeting the other requirements. The third is an application made after being married to a Turkish citizen for a certain period. The law also provides narrow exceptional routes, each assessed case by case.
The minimum amount, residence period, length of marriage and other requirements for each route are set by laws and regulations and are updated from time to time. That is why we begin every application by checking the current rules and work with you to identify the most suitable and fastest route.
Why are a valuation report and a title deed annotation needed for citizenship through real estate?
In a citizenship application through real estate purchase, the value of the property is generally proven not only by the price in the sale contract but by a valuation report prepared by an authorized valuation company. The buyer is also usually required to undertake not to sell the property for a certain period, with this undertaking recorded as an annotation in the Tapu (Land Registry) records. The legislation in force determines the exact period and amount requirements.
Once the purchase is complete, a certificate of conformity showing that the investment meets the requirements must be obtained from the competent authority; which authority issues it depends on the type of investment. For example, land registry and cadastre offices are usually involved for real estate, while other competent authorities handle capital investments or deposits; confirm this with your lawyer. Then, with this certificate and other documents, and after completing interim steps such as a residence permit, the citizenship application is submitted to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (NVİGM).
The document chain: notary and apostille in China, sworn translation in Türkiye
Citizenship applications usually require official documents from China, such as birth certificates, marital status certificates and criminal records. These documents are generally first notarized in China and then apostilled; they are then translated into Turkish by a sworn translator in Türkiye and certified by a notary. If the order is mixed up or a link is missing, the document is often rejected and has to be obtained again from China.
In addition, documents such as criminal records usually have a validity period; the Latin-alphabet spelling of names must be identical on the passport, residence card, title deed and translation, and details such as parents' names must match population records. Before you start in China, we give you a list showing which document to obtain, in what format and when; once the documents arrive, we complete the translation and notary procedures.
Investors, long-term residents and spouses of Turkish citizens
Individuals and families considering citizenship by investment
Whether through real estate, capital investment or a deposit, you need to understand the current requirements and process before investing. We support the preliminary eligibility assessment together with your lawyer and provide translation and explanations in Chinese at the valuation report, title deed annotation and certificate of conformity stages. The investment decision and legal assessment rest with you and your lawyer.
Long-term legal residents of Türkiye
Those who have lived in Türkiye for many years and are considering the general citizenship route need to document uninterrupted residence and the other requirements. We help you organize your residence history and required documents and handle translation and appointments. Whether you meet the requirements is determined by the competent authority's review.
Chinese citizens married to Turkish citizens
Applications through marriage usually require the marriage to have lasted a certain period, and an assessment of family unity may be carried out. We support the preparation of marriage and birth certificates from China and provide Chinese-speaking accompaniment at interviews and procedures. The exact requirements are determined by current legislation and the competent authority's requests.
Those including family members in the application
Whether a spouse and children can be included in the application, and which additional documents are needed, depends on the application route and family situation. Children's birth certificates and custody or consent documents often also need notarization and an apostille in China. We help you track the whole family's documents together on a single list.
What we handle, from preliminary check to application submission
Preliminary eligibility check with your lawyer
We turn your situation into a summary in Turkish and discuss the suitable route and potential issues with your lawyer. We relay every discussion clearly to you in Chinese. The legal assessment is made by a licensed lawyer.
A personalized document checklist
Based on your application route and family situation, we list separately the documents to be prepared in China and in Türkiye. The list specifies which documents need notarization, an apostille and translation. The competent authority's requests determine the final document requirements.
Chinese–Turkish document translation and notarization
Documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, criminal records and household registers (hukou) are translated directly from Chinese into Turkish by a sworn translator and submitted for notarization. Name spellings are kept identical to the passport and residence card. When needed, we also translate Turkish documents into Chinese for your information.
Appointments and accompaniment
We help you book appointments at institutions such as the civil registry office, Tapu (Land Registry) and Göç İdaresi (migration office), and interpret in Chinese by your side during the procedure. The official's questions and requests are explained to you instantly. If missing documents are requested, we note them and follow up.
Coordination with lawyer, valuation company and bank
The investment route involves documents from many parties, such as valuation reports, payment records and bank letters. We keep information flowing between the parties and translate correspondence and documents, working to prevent delays caused by miscommunication. Each party remains responsible for its own professional opinion.
Updates in Chinese at every stage
From application to awaiting the outcome, we tell you in Chinese where things stand and what comes next at every stage. Notifications and requests for additional documents are translated for you promptly. The outcome of the application depends on the competent authority's decision.
Service summary and requirements
| Competent authority | General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (NVİGM) |
|---|---|
| Process support | End to end, from document preparation to appointments and accompaniment |
| Language pair | Chinese ⇄ Turkish |
| Service languages | Chinese · Turkish · English |
| Cities served | Mainly Istanbul; also Ankara, Izmir and other cities |
The final price and timeline depend on your documents and scope; we send a clear quote within 2 hours.
What you need to provide
- Passport and, if you have one, your current Turkish residence card
- Birth and marital status documents (usually notarized and apostilled in China)
- Criminal record certificate (mind its validity period)
- For the investment route: title deed, valuation report, payment or bank documents (confirm with your lawyer)
Four stages of the citizenship application, all in Chinese
- 1
Initial consultation
Via WeChat or in person, we listen to your situation, goals and timeline. We explain in Chinese the application routes available to you and the institutions involved, and draw up your roadmap together.
- 2
Preliminary check and document checklist
Together with your lawyer, we confirm the suitable route and then create the document checklist and timeline. Documents to be prepared in China are prioritized. The list is updated as institutions' requirements change.
- 3
Document preparation and translation
Once your documents from China have been notarized and apostilled and have arrived in Türkiye, we complete the sworn translation and notarization. On the investment route, we also accompany you through the valuation report, title deed annotation and certificate of conformity stages. All documents are checked together before the application.
- 4
Application and follow-up
We help you book the appointment and interpret in Chinese at your side when the application is submitted to the competent authority. Afterwards, we track requests for additional documents and notifications and explain them to you in Chinese. The final decision is made by the competent authority; processing time depends on the authority's actual workload.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum amount for citizenship by investment?
The minimum amount is set by law and varies by investment type (real estate, capital, deposit, etc.). In our initial consultation, we confirm with you the current amount that applies and the investment route that suits you best.
Can I sell the property I bought for citizenship later?
In a real estate application, you undertake to hold the property for a certain period, and this is recorded on the title deed. We plan this period and your subsequent sale plans with you from the outset.
How should documents from China be prepared?
Documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates and criminal records are usually first notarized and apostilled in China, then given a sworn translation and notarized in Türkiye. We recommend getting our list and confirming the format and content before you start in China, so you do not have to obtain documents again and again. The competent authority's current rules determine the exact requirements.
Can I apply for citizenship right after marrying a Turkish citizen?
An application through marriage is made after the marriage has lasted a certain period. We plan with you the best time to apply, your residence status during this period and the required documents.
How long does the application process take?
The duration depends on the application route and document preparation. By preparing documents completely the first time, we speed up the process and keep you informed in Chinese at every stage.
Tell us what you need in Türkiye
Our Chinese-speaking consultant reviews it for free and gives you a clear price and timeline.
