Pehlivan & Güven Law FirmPublished:
Acquiring Turkish citizenship by the general route is the method most often used by foreigners who have lived legally in Türkiye for a long time. This route, regulated in Article 11 of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, requires a number of conditions to be met together. It should be remembered, however, that meeting the conditions gives you the right to apply; it is not a guarantee of citizenship.
In this article, we look in detail at the 8 basic conditions for an application through the general route, the stages of the application process and the most common mistakes. For an overview of all the ways to acquire citizenship, see our article How to Get Turkish Citizenship: An Up-to-Date Guide to the Routes.
Short answer
For Turkish citizenship through the general route, the conditions in Article 11 of Law No. 5901 must all be met: being of age, at least 5 years of legal residence in Türkiye counting back from the application date, an intention to settle, no disease posing a threat to public health, good moral character, basic Turkish, sufficient income and no obstacle in terms of national security. Meeting the conditions only gives the right to apply; the decision is at the discretion of the administration.
The applicant must be of age (an adult) under the law of their own country and have the capacity to perform legal transactions. For stateless persons, Turkish law applies.
The applicant must have lived in Türkiye with a valid residence permit for at least 5 years counting back from the application date. When calculating the residence period:
The length of residence alone is not enough; the applicant is expected to demonstrate the will to live permanently in Türkiye. Examples:
Persons who do not have contagious diseases that could threaten public health may apply. This condition is documented with an official health report.
Good moral character does not simply mean having a clean criminal record. The administration also assesses the applicant's conduct in society, social relationships and compliance with public order. While minor criminal records may sometimes be overlooked, repeated or serious offences are grounds for refusal.
Under the general route, the ability to communicate in Turkish at least at a basic level (A1-A2) is required. No language certificate is required; your Turkish is assessed during the meeting or interview with the authorised official when you apply. A level sufficient to meet daily needs, introduce oneself and answer simple questions is enough.
The applicant must have a regular and legitimate source of income sufficient to support themselves and their dependants. Income may be:
There is no single minimum wage threshold; sufficiency is assessed according to the person's family situation.
This condition is the most critical stage of the application. Links to terrorist organisations, espionage, unconstitutional acts or activities disrupting public order are grounds for refusal. An in-depth security investigation is carried out by the relevant institutions (Police, National Intelligence Organisation (MİT), Gendarmerie).
No. Law No. 5901 leaves citizenship through the general route to the discretion of the administration. In other words, even if the conditions are met, the Ministry of Interior and the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs assess the file and may make a positive or negative decision. For this reason, it is very important that the file is prepared professionally and any gaps are remedied before applying.
| Mistake | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Miscalculating the residence period | Refusal for applying too early |
| Submitting missing or out-of-date documents | Request for additional documents, longer process |
| Not having documents from abroad apostilled | Documents are deemed invalid |
| Not documenting income sufficiently | Refusal on grounds of insufficient means |
| Inconsistencies between statements and documents | Credibility is called into question |
| Not reporting a change of address or marital status | Problems with official notifications |
Short trips abroad, such as holidays or business trips, do not interrupt the period. Absences of more than 6 months, however, may count as an interruption; in addition, periods spent without a permit are not counted.
No, no language certificate is mandatory. Your level of Turkish is assessed during the meeting with the authorised official at the time of application; a level sufficient to meet daily needs, introduce yourself and answer simple questions (A1-A2) is enough.
There is no single minimum wage threshold; sufficiency is assessed according to the person's family situation. The applicant must have a regular and legitimate income sufficient to support themselves and their dependants; a salary, self-employment, commercial activity, a pension, rental income or investment returns may count as income.
No. The law leaves citizenship through the general route to the discretion of the administration; even if the conditions are met, the Ministry of Interior and the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs assess the file and may make a positive or negative decision.
The application is made to the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management or the Population Directorate with the application form and documents. The documents then undergo a preliminary review, a security investigation is carried out, an interview is held in some cases, and the Ministry makes a positive or negative decision.
An application for Turkish citizenship through the general route is a long process and must be prepared meticulously. Assess each of the 8 conditions carefully and keep your documents complete and up to date. If you have difficulty with one of the conditions, you can consider alternative routes (marriage, investment, etc.). For the steps to take if your application is refused, see our article What to Do If Your Turkish Citizenship Application Is Refused.
