A realistic, week-by-week timeline for the USD 500,000 fund route – and how to avoid the delays that cost investors months.
Short answer: through the fund route, Turkish citizenship by investment typically takes 3–6 months from the start of preparations to receiving Turkish passports. The investment stage itself usually takes 3–6 weeks; the rest depends on the processing time of the Turkish authorities.
Below we break the process into phases, show what you control and what you do not, and list the practical steps that make the difference between a 3-month file and a 9-month file. The figures come from the files whose investment stage we manage every month at FT Portföy, a CMB-licensed portfolio management company.
| Phase | What happens | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Decision and documents | Choose the fund, receive the issuance document and subscription agreement, sign remotely, gather passport and utility bill | 3–7 days |
| 2. Notary, tax number, accounts | Tax number, powers of attorney, Turkish bank account and custody account | 1–3 weeks |
| 3. Transfer and conversion | Funds sent from abroad, converted to Turkish lira with a DAB certificate | 2–5 working days |
| 4. Fund subscription | Units credited and blocked for 3 years | Monthly window: 1st–7th |
| 5. CMB Certificate of Conformity | Application to the Capital Markets Board and issuance of the certificate | About 15 days |
| 6. Residence permit | Investor residence permit application by your lawyer | Depends on the authorities |
| 7. Citizenship review and decision | File submitted, checks carried out, decision issued | Depends on the authorities |
| 8. ID cards and passports | Issued for each family member after approval | A few days to a few weeks |
| Total | Typically 3–6 months |
Once you choose the fund, we send you its issuance document and the unit subscription agreement. You can review and sign them remotely. At the same time we pass your passport details to the bank so the account opening can be prepared. The one document investors most often forget is a utility bill in their own name (electricity, water, gas or internet) – banks require it as proof of address.
If you can travel to Türkiye, this phase can be completed in a few days: a Turkish tax number, two powers of attorney at a notary (one for the CMB and citizenship procedures, one for the custody account), the bank account and the custody account. If you cannot travel, you sign a power of attorney at a Turkish consulate or an apostilled notarial power of attorney in your country, and your lawyer completes these steps on your behalf. Remote files are entirely possible; they simply take a little longer because documents travel by courier. In all cases, the main applicant and spouse visit Türkiye once for biometrics during the residence permit step.
You transfer the foreign currency from abroad to your Turkish bank account. The bank converts it into Turkish lira and issues the foreign exchange purchase certificate (DAB). International transfers can take a few working days depending on the banks involved, so we plan this before the subscription window.
Our funds process subscriptions once a month, between the 1st and the 7th. This is the single most important date in your timeline: if your account is funded and converted before the window, your units are credited that month; if not, you wait for the next window. Good planning means working backwards from the next 1st of the month.
After subscription, we apply to the Capital Markets Board of Türkiye. The Certificate of Conformity confirms that your investment meets the citizenship conditions and is typically delivered to your lawyer within about 15 days.
Your lawyer uses the certificate to apply for an investor residence permit and then submits the citizenship file with your civil-status documents. Processing time here depends on the authorities and on the completeness of your documents. After approval, Turkish ID cards and passports are issued.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Week 0 | First call, fund selected, documents signed remotely |
| Week 1–2 | Short trip to Istanbul: tax number, notary, bank and custody accounts |
| Week 3 | Transfer from abroad, conversion and DAB |
| 1st–7th of the month | Units credited and blocked |
| + about 15 days | CMB Certificate of Conformity delivered to the lawyer |
| Following weeks | Residence permit and citizenship application |
| Month 3–6 | Citizenship decision, ID cards and passports |
This is an illustration, not a commitment. Processing times of public authorities vary.
When documents are ready, the investor can travel for a few days and the transfer is made just before the subscription window, the investment stage can be completed within a month. The total time to passport then depends mainly on the authorities.
Usually a little, because powers of attorney and documents travel by courier. In all cases, the main applicant and spouse visit Türkiye once for biometrics during the residence permit step.
From the date your fund units are credited and blocked in your custody account.
Not if their documents are prepared early. Each family member needs apostilled and translated civil-status documents.
Tell us when you expect to transfer the funds; we will confirm the subscription window you can realistically target.
This page is general information and not an investment offer, tax or legal advice. Investment involves risk and the value of fund units may go up or down. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Citizenship is granted by decision of the Turkish authorities. Details of the citizenship stage should be confirmed with your lawyer. Last reviewed: October 2026.
Related: Turkish citizenship by investment 2026 – requirements and process · Turkish citizenship through fund investment (USD 500,000) · FT Portföy – home
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