Turkish citizenship Pakistan: investment guide for Pakistani citizens

Can Pakistani citizens get Turkish citizenship by investment?

Yes. Turkish citizenship by investment is open to Pakistani citizens on the same terms as other foreign nationals. Under Article 12/1-b of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 and Article 20 of its Implementing Regulation, it is enough to complete one of the qualifying investments and obtain an investor residence permit; citizenship is then granted by Presidential decision. There is no prior-residence or Turkish-language requirement.

• Real estateAt least USD 400,000, with a three-year no-sale annotation on the title deed. The most common route.
• Bank deposit, government bonds, fund shares, private pensionAt least USD 500,000 each, held for three years.
• Fixed capital investmentAt least USD 500,000, confirmed by the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
• Job creationEmployment of at least 50 people, confirmed by the Ministry of Labour.

Under Article 35 of the Land Registry Law No. 2644, foreigners may buy property in Türkiye if their country is among those designated by the President, outside military and security zones and within area limits. Eligibility of the nationality and the specific property should be confirmed before any payment. We are not aware of any nationality-based restriction on property purchases by Pakistani citizens; eligibility is still confirmed at the land registry before payment.

Property types, payment rules, the Currency Purchase Certificate (DAB) and the certificate of conformity are explained in detail in our Turkish citizenship by investment guide; this page focuses on what is specific to Pakistani citizens.

Dual citizenship under Pakistani law

Türkiye allows dual citizenship. Pakistan allows it only with certain countries:

• Section 14(1) of the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951: a Pakistani citizen who is at the same time a citizen of another country ceases to be a citizen of Pakistan unless he renounces the other nationality. Under section 14(1A) this does not apply to a person under 21.
• Section 14(3) exempts the United Kingdom and the countries notified by the Federal Government. The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGIP) lists 22 countries: the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Finland, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the USA, Sweden, Ireland, Bahrain, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Luxembourg. Türkiye is not on the list.
• A dual-nationality arrangement between Pakistan and Türkiye has been reported as under preparation, most recently in 2025, but no notification adding Türkiye has been published. Claims that Türkiye is already “recognised” should be checked against the DGIP list.

Alternative: residence through property

Owning a home in Türkiye can support a short-term residence permit without affecting Pakistani citizenship; for homes bought on or after 16 October 2023 the title deed price must be at least USD 200,000. See residence permit in Turkey.

Pakistani documents: apostille

Pakistan acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention on 8 July 2022, and it has been in force for Pakistan since 9 March 2023. Türkiye did not object to Pakistan’s accession. Apostilles are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan through its online apostille service.

• According to the Consulate General of Türkiye in Karachi, apostilled Pakistani documents are recognised in Türkiye without additional attestation; a notarised Turkish translation is still required.
• Family ties are usually proved with the NADRA Family Registration Certificate (FRC) and birth certificates; marriage with the registered nikah nama and NADRA marriage certificate.
• Names must match the passport exactly. Where a name has no family name, or the father’s name is used as a surname, the spelling should be fixed consistently across all documents before translation.

Visa, travel and power of attorney

Pakistani ordinary passport holders need a visa for Türkiye. According to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, those holding a valid Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa or residence permit can obtain a one-month, single-entry conditional e-visa; others apply for a visa at a Turkish mission. Check the current conditions on evisa.gov.tr before travel.

• Embassy of Türkiye in IslamabadDiplomatic Enclave, G-5.
• Consulate General in KarachiSindh and Balochistan.
• Consulate General in LahorePunjab.

Because travel requires a visa, many Pakistani investors handle the purchase and paperwork through a power of attorney signed at a Turkish mission or before a Pakistani notary and apostilled, and travel only for fingerprints and the citizenship stage.

Transferring funds from Pakistan

This is the point where Pakistani investors most often need planning:

• Residents of Pakistan: under the State Bank of Pakistan’s Foreign Exchange Manual, authorised banks sell foreign exchange only for approved transactions. The general permissions for individuals’ investment abroad (Chapter 20) do not include buying property abroad, so a remittance for a Turkish property normally requires specific SBP approval. Assets held abroad must also be declared under the Foreign Assets (Declaration) Regulation 1972.
• Overseas Pakistanis paying from funds already held abroad (for example salaries in the Gulf, the UK or Europe) are not making a remittance from Pakistan and are generally outside these rules.
• On the Turkish side, the price must be a documented bank transfer in the investor’s name, the foreign currency is sold to a Turkish bank and a Currency Purchase Certificate (DAB) is issued. Cash, hawala or third-party payments are not accepted for citizenship.

Spouse and children

Under Article 12/1-b of Law No. 5901, the investor’s foreign spouse and the minor (under 18) or dependent children of the investor and spouse are included in the same file without additional investment. Parents and siblings are not covered and need their own investment.

• Where there is more than one spouse, only one spouse can be included, because of Turkish public order.
• For children from another marriage, the other parent’s consent or a custody document may be requested.
• For a child close to 18, the file should be prepared early, as the process can take time.

Under section 14(1A) of the Pakistan Citizenship Act, the loss rule does not apply to persons under 21; the position of children who later turn 21 should be checked with a Pakistani lawyer.