Citizenship certificate of conformity
Certificate of conformity: when does the 3-year lock end?
Enter the date of the title deed transfer or of the annotation. You will see the earliest date on which the property can be sold without affecting citizenship.
General calculation only. Before any sale, check with the Land Registry that the annotation has been lifted and how the citizenship file stands.
Citizenship certificate of conformity: 3-year lock, requirements and process
Citizenship certificate of conformity (uygunluk belgesi) is the document in which the Land Registry and Cadastre Directorate (TKGM) confirms, after reviewing a property purchase, that the investment meets the conditions for Turkish citizenship by investment. The main conditions are an appraised value of at least 400,000 USD, payment of the full price through banks, sale of the foreign currency to a Turkish bank and a 3-year no-sale annotation on the title deed. Without this certificate, a citizenship application based on property cannot be filed.
What is the citizenship certificate of conformity?
On the property route, buying a property is not enough on its own. The Land Registry checks whether the value, the payment method and the title deed conditions meet the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law, and records the result in the certificate of conformity. The certificate is the basis of the citizenship application filed with the civil registry or the citizenship authority.
The certificate confirms the investment only. The citizenship decision is taken after security and document checks, and no outcome is promised. The full process is explained on Turkish citizenship by investment.
Requirements for the certificate of conformity
- Value: at least 400,000 USD according to the valuation report registered in the system.
- Full payment: the whole price has been paid to the seller through a bank before the application.
- Currency sale: the foreign currency has been sold to a Turkish bank and a Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate (DAB) has been issued. See documenting investment payments.
- Declared price: the price declared at the Land Registry is not lower than the appraised value.
- No-sale annotation: the undertaking not to sell the property for 3 years is registered on the title deed.
- History: the property has not already been used for another citizenship application.
The 3-year no-sale annotation
At the investor's request, an annotation (satılamaz şerhi) is entered on the title deed stating that the property will not be sold for 3 years. A sale or transfer before the end of this period is not possible, and breaching the undertaking can lead to the loss of citizenship. The calculator above shows the earliest possible date.
- The annotation remains in force after citizenship is granted until the 3 years have passed.
- Renting the property out is generally possible during the lock.
- Registering a mortgage should be checked legally in advance.
Documents for the certificate of conformity
- the investor's passport with a notarised Turkish translation,
- the title deed (tapu) or the notarised promise-to-sell contract,
- the valuation report registered in the system,
- bank receipts (dekont) of the payment to the seller,
- the Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate (DAB),
- the request to register the 3-year no-sale annotation,
- a power of attorney if a lawyer acts on your behalf; see power of attorney from abroad.
After issuance: residence permit and citizenship application
Residence permit
The investor and family members obtain a residence permit.
Application
The citizenship application is filed with the certificate of conformity at the competent office.
Checks
Security and document checks follow, and the file is forwarded to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs.
Decision
Citizenship is granted by presidential decision; then the ID card and passport are issued.
Certificates on the other investment routes
On the other investment routes, the confirmation is issued not by the Land Registry but by the competent authority:
- Bank deposit of 500,000 USD: Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK), 3-year holding obligation,
- Government bonds: Ministry of Treasury and Finance, 3-year holding obligation,
- Fund shares: Capital Markets Board (SPK), 3-year holding obligation,
- Fixed capital investment: Ministry of Industry and Technology,
- Employment of 50 people: Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
Questions about the certificate of conformity
Who issues the certificate of conformity?
The Land Registry and Cadastre Directorate (Tapu ve Kadastro), after checking the purchase conditions.
Can I sell the property before 3 years have passed?
No. The annotation prevents the transfer, and a breach can affect the citizenship.
What if I pay in instalments?
As long as the minimum amount has not been paid in full, the certificate is not issued.
Does the certificate cover my family?
Yes. The spouse and children under 18 are included in the same application. See spouse and children.
Does the certificate mean citizenship will be granted?
No. It confirms the investment only; the decision is taken after further checks.
This guide is based on the official legislation of the Republic of Türkiye and was last updated on .
This page provides general information and is not a substitute for legal advice on a specific case. No particular outcome of any application or proceeding is promised.
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