Article 21: Citizenship Fraud – How 451 Foreigners Were Victimised in 2025

21a. The basic truth

Citizenship fraud in Turkey is real but far less common than people imagine. Across the whole of Turkey in a single year, the number of foreigners genuinely victimised in citizenship-related fraud does not exceed 20. However, organised gangs do exist and they specifically target people who need citizenship most urgently.

In 2025, an organised gang case came to light in Turkey that left hundreds of victims. This gang approached foreigners with promises of Turkish citizenship through marriage, collected money using fake documents and fake Turkish citizens acting as spouses, then disappeared. This single organised gang was responsible for a victim count far exceeding the normal annual figure for citizenship fraud across all of Turkey.

21b. Who is targeted?

Those most at risk are the people who need citizenship most urgently:

• People from Middle Eastern countries – holders of passports with limited travel freedom
• People from Asian countries – investors seeking a second passport
• Anyone for whom Turkish citizenship carries strategic value

These people often move quickly and without a trusted intermediary – which creates the ideal opportunity for fraudsters.

21c. How the fraud works

Marriage-based citizenship gang: The gang tells the foreigner they can marry a Turkish citizen and obtain citizenship after 3 years. They collect money, provide fake documents and fake Turkish citizens as spouses, then disappear.

Fake property route: Fake estate agent or fake property owner, fake title deed, invest 400,000 USD and citizenship is guaranteed promises – money is collected and the process never happens. The methods of protection against these approaches were covered in detail in Article 18.

21d. How the official citizenship application works

Turkish citizenship through real estate investment is an official process handled through these institutions:

• Land Registry (Tapu) – property purchase registration
• Police Directorate – identity and security check
• Civil Registration Office (Nüfus İdaresi) – citizenship registration
• Municipality – address registration

The application file must contain:

• Title deed
• Purchase contract and personal information file
• All paid receipts and bank transfer documents
• Identity and passport documents
• Independent valuation report confirming the 400,000 USD equivalent

All of these steps are carried out through official government institutions. No private company or intermediary can guarantee citizenship.

21e. Red flags – how to spot a fraudster

• Anyone saying we will handle the citizenship, no lawyer needed
• Processes handled through a private office rather than official institutions
• Guaranteed citizenship promises
• Pressure to make a quick decision
• Marriage arrangements offered by strangers or agencies

21f. How to avoid becoming a victim

The best protection is engaging an independent lawyer. Every foreigner seeking citizenship through real estate purchase must engage an independent lawyer. Running this process without a lawyer is an unnecessary risk. If you work with the right company, the right lawyer and buy the right property, no problems will arise.

21g. If you have already been victimised

Go to the Police Directorate immediately and file a criminal complaint. Fraud targeting foreigners is a serious crime in Turkey and is prosecuted.

21h. Official sources

• General Directorate of Civil Registration and Citizenship: nvi.gov.tr
• Directorate General of Migration Management: goc.gov.tr
• General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre: tkgm.gov.tr
• General Directorate of Security: egm.gov.tr

21i. After the fraud What legal options exist?

If you have been a victim of citizenship fraud in Turkey, the following steps apply:

• File a criminal complaint immediately: At the nearest courthouse (Cumhuriyet Başsavcılığı) with a Turkish lawyer. Fraud (dolandırıcılık) is a criminal offence under TCK Article 157 penalties of 1-5 years imprisonment. A criminal complaint can result in travel bans and asset freezes against the perpetrator.
• File a civil claim for recovery: Simultaneously with the criminal complaint, file a civil lawsuit for return of funds. This runs in parallel and does not wait for the criminal proceedings to conclude.
• Notify the Directorate General of Migration Management: Report the fraudulent citizenship application to goc.gov.tr fraudulent applications can be voided and the perpetrators prosecuted separately for document fraud.
• Contact your consulate: For documentation support, lawyer referrals, and in some cases coordination with Turkish authorities on behalf of multiple victims from the same country.

Recovery of funds is possible but not guaranteed and typically takes 2-4 years through Turkish courts. Acting quickly maximises the chance of asset recovery before funds are moved or dissipated.

Questions buyers ask

Reddit r/Turkey: I paid an agency for Turkish citizenship by investment and they disappeared with my money. What do I do?

File a criminal fraud complaint (dolandırıcılık şikayeti) at the nearest Turkish courthouse today not next week. Simultaneously, contact a Turkish criminal lawyer who specialises in property and investment fraud. The lawyer can request an asset freeze (ihtiyati tedbir) from the court within days, which can prevent the perpetrators from moving or hiding funds before your civil claim is heard. Also report to your home countrys relevant authority some countries have bilateral agreements with Turkey for financial crime cooperation. The more quickly you act, the better your chances of partial recovery.

Quora: How do I verify a Turkish lawyer or agency is authorised to process citizenship applications?

For citizenship by investment specifically: the official process is managed through the Directorate General of Migration Management and the relevant Land Registry office. There is no certified citizenship agent licence in Turkey anyone can claim to facilitate the process. The only way to verify legitimacy is to confirm the property purchase is real (Land Registry check), the application is filed directly through the official e-ikamet or migration management system, and all payments go to verified accounts The Land Registry for tapu tax, the government for application fees. Any intermediary requesting large fees for processing or for influence is a red flag. Legitimate lawyers charge legal fees for their time; they do not charge for access to a government process that is public.

Facebook expat group: Someone contacted me saying they can get me Turkish citizenship fast for 50,000 euros without buying property. Is this possible?

No. There is no legitimate pathway to Turkish citizenship that bypasses the legal requirements 400,000 USD property investment, 3-year marriage, or 5 years of continuous legal residence. Any offer of citizenship outside these legal pathways is either fraud or involves document forgery, which creates its own serious criminal exposure for you as well as the seller. The 50,000 EUR price point is calibrated to seem like a bargain compared to the legitimate route that is the entire design of the fraud. No legitimate immigration lawyer will make this offer.

EXPERT ADVICE: The citizenship process runs entirely through official institutions – no private company can guarantee citizenship. Engage a lawyer, use official channels, do not pay money to intermediaries.

Sources: T.C. Icisleri Bakanligi – https://www.icisleri.gov.tr | T.C. Goc Idaresi Genel Mudurlugu – https://www.goc.gov.tr

P.S. I will keep this short because I have said it before and I will say it again: independent lawyer. Independent lawyer. Independent lawyer. For citizenship applications specifically, the stakes are even higher than a standard purchase you are not just risking money, you are risking a legal status that can be revoked. There is no shortcut here. A good, independent lawyer is the only protection that actually works.