A significant innovation has recently been introduced for Turkish citizenship applicationsthrough investment. Starting in February 2026, thanks to the accelerated procedure known as “Fast-Track” offered to investors applying in Istanbul, citizenship application procedures can be completed on the same day—or even within half a day in certain cases—provided that allrequired documents are fully prepared.

To better understand the advantages offered by this service, it is first necessary to brieflytouch upon the standard application process.

Standard Citizenship Application Process by Investment

One of the fundamental requirements for applying for Turkish citizenship through investmentis that the applicant holds a lawfully obtained residence permit. In this scope, after enteringTurkey, the foreign investor must apply for an investor residence permit via a priorappointment. Ways to obtain Turkish citizenship include the investment route, where the Fast-Track service in Istanbul covers same-day residence permit and citizenship procedures, requirements, and service fees.

The applicant and their benefiting spouse must be personally present during the residencepermit application. Lawyers and interpreters may also attend the application appointment.

In current practice, investor residence permit applications are conducted at the ImmigrationAuthority unit located in Cevizlibağ, Istanbul. However, prior to the application, applicantsmust visit the Fatih Provincial Directorate of Migration Management to register theirbiometric data (fingerprints and photograph) into the system. Subsequently, the applicationdocuments are submitted by attending the appointment in Cevizlibağ using the obtainedbiometric registration number.

Following the residence permit application, applicants must wait for the approval process tobe completed. Although official authorities do not specify a definitive timeframe, in practice, obtaining residence permit approval generally takes between 4 days and 2 weeks. Once theresidence permit is approved, the citizenship application can be submitted, and applicants arerequired to be personally present at this stage as well.

Therefore, in the standard procedure, completing both the residence permit and citizenshipapplications often takes anywhere from a few days to two weeks.

What is the Fast-Track Service?

The Fast-Track service is a specialized application designed to significantly expedite theresidence permit and citizenship application processes for citizenship by investment.

Investors who wish to benefit from this service must first obtain an appointment from therelevant unit and pay the service fee. Applications are processed in a dedicated section createdwithin the Migration Authority in Cevizlibağ.

One of the most significant advantages of the Fast-Track application is that the biometric data required for the residence permit application can also be collected within the same area. Thus, applicants no longer need to visit the Fatih Provincial Directorate of Migration Management separately. The process is conducted in a more comfortable environment, and a significantportion of the staff can communicate in English.

Same-Day Residence Permit and Citizenship Application

Under the Fast-Track system, the residence permit application can be finalized within a veryshort timeframe. Once the residence permit approval is obtained, applicants can proceeddirectly to their citizenship application within the same building.

Provided that the application file is fully prepared and there are no deficiencies or legal impediments, the citizenship application can also be completed on the same day. Consequently, procedures that would otherwise take days or weeks under the standard processcan be concluded within a single day—or even half a day—depending on the workload.

What must be particularly emphasized here is that the Fast-Track application only acceleratesthe application process itself. However, it bears no consequences regarding the acceptance, approval, or acquisition of citizenship. In other words, this service simply ensures that theapplication is received and processed in a shorter period of time, but it offers no guaranteethat approval will be granted any sooner.

Fast-Track Service Fee

According to current practice, the Fast-Track service fee is applied as follows:

Main applicant: TRY 44,000 + VAT
Benefiting spouse: TRY 22,000 + VAT

Conclusion

The Fast-Track system provides a significant convenience, particularly for investors who areable to spend only a limited amount of time in Türkiye. The ability to complete both theresidence permit and citizenship application procedures on the same day results in substantialtime savings.

However, to benefit from this expedited system, it is of utmost importance that the applicationfile is prepared thoroughly and that all legal requirements are properly fulfilled throughout theprocess.

You may contact our office for the preparation of your Turkish citizenship by investmentapplications, the procurement of necessary documents, and the professional management of the entire application process.