Nearly 7,000 foreigners get Turkish citizenship via purchasing real estate

Duvar English

Nearly 7,000 foreigners have been granted Turkish citizenship after they purchased real estate in the country since 2017, with Iranians topping the list.

According to data obtained from General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre, a total of 6,694 foreigners obtained certificates of conformity in order to become Turkish citizens.

The lower limit for granting citizenship via real estate purchases was decreased to $250,000 in September 2018 from one million dollars in 2017, prompting an increase in foreign investments.

Some 6,085 of the 6,694 certificates of conformity were issued last year and the applicants are from 101 countries, data showed.

A total of 1,475 Iranians, of whom 1,321 in last year, were granted citizenship and ranked first in the list, who were followed by Iraqis with 842 people and Afghans with 812 people.

Yemen ranked fourth with 658 people and Palestine came fifth with 390 people. Jordan, Libya, China, Egypt and Pakistan followed in the list.