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Türkiye's Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday that the citizenship of 6,134 foreign nationals had been scrapped, with most cases linked to fraudulent property investment transactions involving forged real estate valuation reports.
The announcement follows coordinated raids across 16 provinces that led to the detention of 72 suspects earlier the same day, targeting an alleged network accused of helping foreign nationals fraudulently obtain Turkish citizenship through the country's citizenship-by-investment program.
The ministry said the suspects manipulated the process by submitting falsified valuation reports, allowing applicants to qualify without meeting the legal investment threshold.
Investigators found that 1,150 applicants had obtained investment eligibility certificates through fraudulent or sham transactions. Authorities canceled those certificates, resulting in the cancellation of citizenship decisions affecting 5,391 people, including family members.
Separately, police and intelligence agencies identified 263 applicants and their relatives as posing risks to public order or national security, prompting the withdrawal of citizenship decisions affecting another 743 people.
Altogether, citizenship decisions covering 1,413 applicants and their families, a total of 6,134 people, were canceled or revoked under the Turkish Citizenship Law, the ministry said.
The ministry also disclosed that since mid-February, the citizenship of 1,358 people linked to 443 applicants had been canceled after their investment eligibility certificates were invalidated, while another seven people lost their citizenship after being deemed security risks.
"The issues subject to the operation consist solely of forgery attempts involving documents submitted before the application process. There has been no weakness or negligence within the duties and authority of our personnel," the ministry said, adding that all criminal violations had been referred to judicial authorities and that efforts against illegal activities would continue.
Türkiye introduced its citizenship-by-investment program in 2017 to attract foreign capital, initially requiring a minimum real estate investment of $1 million.
After attracting limited interest, the government cut the threshold to $250,000 in 2018, triggering a surge in applications and property purchases by foreign investors.
In June 2022, the minimum investment requirement was raised to $400,000, where it remains today.
While buying property remains the most common route, foreign nationals can also qualify by making a $500,000 fixed capital investment, depositing $500,000 in a Turkish bank, purchasing government bonds, investing in approved real estate or venture capital funds, or creating at least 50 jobs.
Most investment routes require applicants to maintain their investment for at least three years, while all candidates must also pass national security and public order checks before citizenship is granted.
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