Turkish Citizenship by Investment for Pakistani Citizens

Turkish Citizenship by Investment for Pakistani Citizens

Turkish citizenship by investment has become a recognised route for internationally mobile families, and Pakistani nationals are among those who qualify. This advisory sets out the legal basis on which a Pakistani citizen may acquire Turkish citizenship through investment, the two principal qualifying pathways, and — importantly — the question of Pakistani foreign-exchange law that a Pakistani applicant must resolve independently before proceeding. It is written as general information. It is not legal advice on Pakistani foreign-exchange law, which falls outside Turkish attorney practice and is noted here so that it is not overlooked.

Are Pakistani Nationals Eligible for Turkish Citizenship by Investment?

Yes. The Turkish citizenship-by-investment framework does not restrict eligibility by nationality. A Pakistani passport holder applies on the same statutory basis as an applicant from any other country. The standard conditions apply to every applicant regardless of origin: the principal applicant must be over eighteen, must maintain the qualifying investment for the statutory period, must hold a valid residence permit (İkamet) at the point of application, and must be able to document a lawful source of the invested funds. Spouses and dependent children under eighteen may be included in the same application.

Because the framework is nationality-neutral, the practical question for a Pakistani applicant is not about admission to the Turkish program — it is about compliance with Pakistani law on the point a Turkish attorney cannot resolve for the client: the cross-border movement of capital. This is addressed below.

The Legal Framework: Law No. 5901 and the Implementation Regulation

Turkish citizenship by investment is granted under Article 12 of the Turkish Citizenship Law (Türk Vatandaşlığı Kanunu) No. 5901, which permits the acquisition of citizenship by foreign nationals whose investment is determined to be in the national interest. The qualifying investment thresholds and categories are set under Article 12 of Law No. 5901 and the Implementation Regulation (2010/139), Article 20, which is the reference point used throughout this advisory.

The framework is administered by the Turkish authorities — principally the Provincial Directorates of Migration Management, the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs (Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık İşleri — NVİ), and, for the qualifying investment itself, the relevant supervisory bodies (the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency, BDDK, for bank deposits; the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre, TKGM, for real estate). Final approval is issued by Presidential Decree. Timelines reflect the workload of these institutions and are not within attorney control.

The Two Principal Pathways

Two pathways account for the majority of applications from Pakistani investors. Both require the investment to be held for a minimum of three years, evidenced by a formal undertaking not to dispose of it during that period — the holding period running from the blokaj date for a deposit and from the Tapu transfer date for real estate.

The Bank Deposit Pathway — USD 500,000

Under this pathway the applicant places a deposit of at least USD 500,000 (or equivalent foreign currency) with a Turkish bank and undertakes to maintain it for three years. Compliance is confirmed by a certificate of eligibility issued through the BDDK process. In our practice the deposit is typically placed with a Turkish state bank, and the client is provided with online banking access so that the funds can be monitored independently throughout the holding period. This pathway suits clients who prefer a liquid, transparent, capital-preserving position rather than the market exposure of property.

The Real Estate Pathway — USD 400,000

Under this pathway the applicant acquires Turkish property with a minimum value of USD 400,000, confirmed by an appraisal report from a licensed valuer, and registers a three-year restriction on sale against the title (Tapu Şerhi). Foreign-buyer transactions carry additional formalities, including the Foreign Currency Purchase Certificate (Döviz Alım Belgesi — DAB) required under the Central Bank capital-movements circular before title transfer. Real estate has historically been the more common route among the investor clients this firm has represented, and it carries its own diligence, valuation, and title considerations.

Moving Investment Capital From Pakistan — A Matter of Pakistani Law

The qualifying investment must be funded from a lawful, documented source; Turkish banks and the BDDK apply anti-money-laundering and source-of-funds scrutiny to every applicant under Law No. 5549 and the MASAK framework. That documentation requirement is a Turkish-side matter that this firm coordinates.

The separate question of how funds lawfully leave Pakistan is a matter of Pakistani foreign-exchange law, administered by the State Bank of Pakistan under its Foreign Exchange Manual and the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act 1947. Pakistan operates exchange controls on the outward movement of capital by residents. The lawful transfer of investment funds abroad is the client's own responsibility under Pakistani law, and a Pakistani applicant should obtain guidance from an authorised dealer bank and, where appropriate, Pakistani counsel on the permissible channels available to them. This advisory does not provide, and this firm does not provide, any method of moving funds outside the lawful Pakistani framework. Where a client's capital already sits lawfully offshore — for example, funds held by an overseas Pakistani in the Gulf, the United Kingdom, or North America — different considerations apply, and those are assessed individually.

Passport Mobility: An Honest Comparison

For many Pakistani families, travel freedom is a central driver, and here the difference is substantial. On the Henley Passport Index for 2026, the Turkish passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to well over one hundred destinations, placing it around the 50th position globally. The Pakistani passport, over the same period, provides such access to roughly thirty destinations and sits near the 100th position. The gap represents a meaningful expansion of travel access, and it is one of the more concrete, verifiable advantages of Turkish citizenship for a Pakistani holder.

We frame this honestly: passport rankings change from index to index, visa-free access is subject to the receiving country's own rules, and no travel benefit should be presented as fixed or guaranteed. The figures above are drawn from the published index for 2026 and should be re-checked at the time of any decision.

Taxation Between Pakistan and Türkiye

Pakistan and Türkiye are parties to a bilateral treaty for the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income (signed in 1985, in force from the late 1980s), administered on the Pakistani side by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The existence of the treaty is relevant to any Pakistani who becomes tax-resident in, or derives income across, both jurisdictions, because it allocates taxing rights and provides relief mechanisms against being taxed twice on the same income.

Tax residency and tax planning are technical matters that depend on an individual's circumstances in both countries. This advisory notes the treaty's existence for completeness; it is not tax advice. A Pakistani investor with cross-border income should take coordinated advice from Turkish and Pakistani tax specialists.

Why Pakistani Families Consider Turkish Citizenship

Beyond mobility, the recurring, non-speculative drivers we observe among Pakistani clients are practical: broader business and banking access through a widely recognised citizenship; education and residence options for children; a family that acquires status together under a single application; proximity and cultural familiarity, given the long-standing ties between Pakistan and Türkiye; and, for real estate investors, exposure to the Turkish property market with a defined three-year horizon. These are individual considerations, and the weight each carries is a matter for the family, not for a general advisory.

How Turak Law Represents Pakistani Clients

Turak Law has focused on Turkish citizenship by investment since 2019, before the surge in program activity. Av. Abdulsamed Burak Turak is a member of the Istanbul Bar (İstanbul Barosu). The firm acts under Power of Attorney (Vekâletname) to coordinate the Turkish side of the matter end to end: pairing the client with an appropriate bank or property, preparing the residence permit (İkamet) application that is required before citizenship submission, assembling the source-of-funds and application documentation to the standard the BDDK and NVİ expect, and managing the file through to Presidential Decree. Client-facing communication is available in Urdu and English, among other languages.

What the firm does not do is advise on Pakistani foreign-exchange law — that remains with the client and their Pakistani advisers. This division is deliberate and is stated plainly so that a Pakistani client knows precisely which questions the firm answers and which it does not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Pakistani citizens get Turkish citizenship by investment?

Yes. Türkiye's citizenship-by-investment framework under Article 12 of Law No. 5901 does not restrict eligibility by nationality. Pakistani applicants qualify on the same basis as any other applicant, subject to the standard conditions (age, maintained investment, residence permit, lawful source of funds).

How much must a Pakistani invest for Turkish citizenship?

The two principal thresholds are USD 500,000 for the bank deposit pathway and USD 400,000 for the real estate pathway, each held for a minimum of three years. Government and professional fees are additional and are quoted on a case basis.

Which pathway is more suitable — bank deposit or real estate?

Neither is inherently superior; they suit different objectives. The bank deposit pathway offers a liquid, transparent, capital-preserving position with online monitoring. The real estate pathway offers property-market exposure with its own diligence and title considerations. The choice depends on the client's objectives and is discussed in consultation.

Can Pakistani investment funds be sent abroad for this?

The lawful movement of capital out of Pakistan is governed by Pakistani foreign-exchange law under the State Bank of Pakistan and the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act 1947, and is the client's own responsibility. Turak Law does not provide any method outside the lawful Pakistani framework. Overseas Pakistanis whose funds are already lawfully offshore are in a different position, assessed individually.

How much stronger is the Turkish passport than the Pakistani passport?

On the 2026 Henley Passport Index, the Turkish passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to well over one hundred destinations (around 50th globally), compared with roughly thirty for the Pakistani passport (near 100th). Rankings and visa rules change and should be re-checked at the time of a decision.

Is there a tax treaty between Pakistan and Türkiye?

Yes. The two countries are parties to a bilateral double-taxation avoidance treaty on income, signed in 1985 and in force since the late 1980s, administered on the Pakistani side by the FBR. It is relevant to cross-border income and residency, but specific tax advice should be taken from specialists in both countries.

Can my spouse and children be included?

Yes. A spouse and dependent children under eighteen may be included in the principal applicant's application, so the family acquires citizenship together.

Does Turak Law communicate in Urdu?

Yes. Client-facing communication is available in Urdu and English. Internal legal analysis and the formal advisory record are maintained in English.

How long does the process take?

Processing timelines reflect the workload of the Turkish authorities — the Directorates of Migration Management and NVİ — and culminate in a Presidential Decree. Timelines are not within attorney control and are discussed realistically in consultation rather than promised.

This article provides general information on Turkish law and does not constitute legal or tax advice. If you are a Pakistani national or an overseas Pakistani considering Turkish citizenship by investment, a consultation with Av. Abdulsamed Burak Turak is the appropriate next step to assess your circumstances against the current framework. The consultation reviews your position; the decision remains yours.