Turkish Citizenship
Turquoise Card Turkey 2026: Strategic Visa Guide
Turquoise Card Turkey 2026 guide for HNWI investors and global executives — eligibility, 3-year transition, application process, and elite rights.
The Turquoise Card is a work and residence document for qualified foreign nationals: it gives the holder an indefinite right to work in Türkiye and gives the holder's spouse and dependent children a right of residence (Article 3(1)(ğ) of the International Labour Law No. 6735). Codified in Article 11 of Law No. 6735 and operationalised through the Turquoise Card Regulation published in the Official Gazette, the programme is aimed at senior executives of multinational corporations, entrepreneurs and investors deploying capital into Turkish ventures, internationally recognised scientists, and others whose presence advances Türkiye's economic interests.
For board members of MNCs establishing regional headquarters in Istanbul, family offices structuring multi-jurisdictional residence portfolios, and HNWIs seeking durable optionality in the Eastern Mediterranean without committing to the full Turkish citizenship-by-investment route, the Turquoise Card has three features that matter most: an indefinite right to work once the three-year transition period is over, a document for the spouse and dependent children that replaces a residence permit, and release from the extension cycle of the ordinary work permit (Law No. 6735 Articles 10, 11(2) and 11(3)).
Key Takeaways
The Turquoise Card is issued under International Labour Law No. 6735 and grants indefinite work authorisation along with residence rights extending to spouses and dependent children.
Five qualifying applicant categories exist: highly qualified labour, highly qualified investors, scientists and researchers, internationally successful cultural, artistic and sports figures, and foreign nationals who contribute to the international recognition or promotion of Türkiye or Turkish culture (Turquoise Card Regulation Article 5).
An initial three-year transition period applies. The application to remove the transition note can be made from 180 days before the period ends and in any case before it ends; a late application is refused and the card becomes invalid (Law No. 6735 Article 11(2)).
Applications are scored under a points system set by the General Directorate of International Labour; salary level is one criterion for qualified labour, and investors are scored on the documented or committed level of investment, exports or employment rather than a single fixed threshold (Regulation Articles 9 and 11).
Holders enjoy the rights of an indefinite work permit (Law No. 6735 Article 11(4)); the spouse and dependent children receive a document that replaces a residence permit (Article 11(3)); and transactions on residence, work, investment, inheritance and property are processed under the legislation applied to Turkish citizens, except where a special law requires Turkish citizenship (Regulation Article 19).
Who Qualifies for the Turquoise Card — Eligibility Architecture
The Turquoise Card is not a general-purpose work permit. It is reserved for foreign nationals whose profile demonstrably advances Türkiye's strategic interests across one of five regulated categories. Each category is evaluated under a distinct evidentiary framework administered by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (Çalışma ve Sosyal Güvenlik Bakanlığı) through its General Directorate of International Labour, which may ask other public bodies for their opinion (Regulation Articles 4 and 13).
Highly Qualified Labour and Senior Executives
Foreign nationals serving in senior managerial, technical, or specialised positions within Turkish-incorporated entities or branches of foreign companies are scored on education, the standing of the university attended, salary level, experience as a senior manager, in highly qualified specialist work or in R&D, the fit between education and job, and foreign languages (Regulation Article 11(2)(a)). The Regulation sets no fixed salary multiple. Documentary evidence includes the diploma, the employment contract, a CV, the appointment letter and proof of professional experience and languages (Article 8(1)(ç)).
Investors and Entrepreneurs of Strategic Importance
Foreign investors are scored against several criteria rather than a single fixed threshold: the documented or committed level of investment, exports or employment, the sector, region and nature of the business, and the movable or immovable assets and intellectual or industrial property rights held in Türkiye (Regulation Article 11(2)(b)).
Scientists, Academics, and Strategic Technology Talent
Researchers with internationally recognised academic standing, holders of senior posts in Turkish universities or research institutes, and engineers or scientists whose work advances Türkiye's research agenda are scored on academic title, work or experience at recognised universities or at organisations prominent in science and technology, registered patents, trademarks or licences, innovation activity, and important roles in R&D or in sectors strategic for the economy such as information technology, defence, mining and energy (Regulation Article 11(2)(c)).
Cultural, Sports, and National Brand Ambassadors
Internationally successful figures in culture, the arts and sport, as well as foreign nationals who contribute to the international recognition or promotion of Türkiye or Turkish culture, may qualify under categories four and five (Regulation Article 5(1)(ç) and (d)).
Strategic Advantages Over Conventional Work and Residence Permits
The Turquoise Card was engineered to remove the structural inefficiencies that hampered conventional foreign employment in Türkiye. For a senior executive or HNWI principal evaluating the instrument against ordinary work permits, the Turkish Investor Residence Permit, or the citizenship-by-investment route discussed in our guide to Turkish citizenship by investment for HNWI applicants, several practical advantages stand out.
Indefinite Authorisation Without Annual Renewals
A standard work permit is granted for at most one year on the first application, at most two years on the first extension and at most three years on later extensions (Law No. 6735 Article 10(1)–(2)). The Turquoise Card removes this cycle: after the three-year transition period, on an application made in time, the transition note is removed and the card becomes indefinite (Article 11(2)).
Family Inclusion as a Standard Feature
Spouses and dependent children of Turquoise Card holders receive a document showing that they are relatives of the holder, which replaces a residence permit (Law No. 6735 Article 11(3); Regulation Article 20) — rather than the family residence permit that other foreign workers' families apply for separately. This is decisive for relocating executives whose decision to accept a Turkish posting depends on schooling continuity and family stability.
Property and Other Transactions
Article 19(1)(ç) of the Turquoise Card Regulation provides that the holder's transactions concerning residence, travel, work, investment, commercial activity, inheritance and the acquisition and transfer of movable and immovable property are carried out under the legislation applied to Turkish citizens. Two limits apply: where a special law requires Turkish citizenship the holder cannot claim the right (Regulation Article 19(2)), and Article 10(4) of Law No. 6735 extends citizens' rights to indefinite-permit holders only with the exception of arrangements in special laws.
Common questions about Turkish citizenship and investment
Can a Turquoise Card holder leave Turkey for extended periods during the transition?
There are limits. The card is cancelled if the holder does not come to Türkiye within six months of its validity date or, without force majeure, stays abroad continuously for more than two years (Turquoise Card Regulation Article 22(1)(a)). During the transition period the holder must also supply the information and documents requested for the monitoring report within fifteen days (Article 15(4)), and failing to do so is itself a ground for cancellation (Article 22(1)(e)).
Does the Turquoise Card lead automatically to Turkish citizenship?
No, not automatically. Article 12(1)(b) of the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 lists Turquoise Card holders, their foreign spouse and their minor or dependent foreign children among the foreigners who may acquire Turkish citizenship by Presidential decision, provided there is no national security or public order obstacle, and Article 19(3) of the Turquoise Card Regulation ties this to the removal of the transition note and a proposal by the Ministry. Ordinary naturalisation under Article 11 of Law No. 5901 is a separate route and requires, among other conditions, five years' uninterrupted residence.
Can spouses of Turquoise Card holders work in Türkiye?
Spouses receive residence rights and may apply for their own work authorisation. They are not automatically conferred work rights solely by virtue of the principal applicant's card — independent work authorisation must be filed where the spouse intends to undertake remunerated employment.
What happens if the qualifying condition lapses during the transition period?
The Regulation deals with it through monitoring. During the transition period an expert appointed by the General Directorate prepares a monitoring report every twelve months; deficiencies are notified to the holder with three months to remedy them, and if they are not remedied the transition period may be ended and the card cancelled (Regulation Article 15(2)–(5)). The card is also cancelled if the monitoring report shows that the holder has lost the qualities for which it was issued, or if the holder is found not to have worked for at least one year without interruption (Article 22(1)(ç) and (e)).
Can a Turquoise Card holder acquire real estate in Turkey?
The Regulation treats the holder like a citizen here, within limits. Article 19(1)(ç) of the Turquoise Card Regulation provides that the holder's transactions on the acquisition and transfer of movable and immovable property are carried out under the legislation applied to Turkish citizens. Where a special law requires Turkish citizenship the holder cannot claim the right (Article 19(2)), and Article 10(4) of Law No. 6735, which extends citizens' rights to indefinite-permit holders, excepts arrangements in special laws; check the position for the specific property before you commit.
How is the Turquoise Card different from the citizenship-by-investment programme?
Citizenship by investment allows qualifying applicants to acquire Turkish nationality by Presidential decision where they, among other routes, buy real estate worth at least USD 400,000 with a three-year no-sale annotation in the land register or keep at least USD 500,000 on deposit in Turkish banks for three years (Citizenship Regulation Article 20(2)(b) and (ç)). The Turquoise Card confers indefinite residence and work rights without changing nationality, and is calibrated for individuals whose value to Türkiye is professional or strategic rather than purely financial.
This guide is general information on Turkish law, not legal advice on your own matter. Rules and practice change; check the position before you act.