WORLD ELITE LEGAL
Global Citizenship
What is the E-2 visa?
With the E-2 Visa, an Investor having the citizenship of a treaty country can apply for permanent residency in the United States of America by making a substantial investment in the US. For example, Turkey is a part of the E2 Treaty, and Turkish nationals can apply for E2 with their family members. Spouses of E-2 Applicants as well as children below 21 years old are also eligible to obtain US Permanent Residency together with the main applicant.
The application procedures for E2 Visa are not complicated, and E2 Visa could be obtained within 2-3 months only, which makes it a more appealing option when comparing with EB-5.
E-2 Visa Requirements:
● Investor shall be a citizen of a country which has an E2 Treaty essentially with the US.
● There must be a real, actively operating business in the US.
● At least 51% of the business shall be owned by the Investor
● The investment must be substantial
● The business shall generate income, and this income shall ideally be sufficient to cover Investor’s and family members living expenses in the US.
● Investors shall have the full control of the funds to invest.
● Once after obtaining the E2 Visa, Investor shall essentially reside inside the US, and actively engage in Daily operation of the company.As World Elite Legal, we have been advising our clients thoroughly on each step of E-2 Visa Application procedures.
Please contact us for any queries in relation to E-2 Visa.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (“FAQ”)
IN RELATION TO UNITED STATES OF AMERICA E-2 RESIDENCY BY INVESTMENT PROGRAMME?
Why choose the United States of America?
The USA is a safe and stable country. Country’s approach is traditionally very hospitable, tolerant and welcoming to foreigners. Not to mention it is the most powerful country in the world when it comes to the economy.
Are there any vaccine requirements to go to the United States of America?
Unfortunately, there are some vaccine requirements in accordance with the US Immigration Law. However, the type of vaccines vary year by year due to the majority of viruses in the world..
Do I have to travel to the USA to start the Residency procedures?
Yes, E2 Residency applications can be done remotely.
What are the visa-free travel opportunities for citizens of the USA?
The American passport owners have opportunities of Visa Free Travel to over 180 countries, including Hong Kong, US, United Kingdom, Switzerland and EU Countries.
Is the USA a tax haven for investors who consider applying for the E2 Investor Visa Programme?
Although it is not easy to name US a tax haven, investors must keep in mind that there are numerous advantageous tax cuts and business opportunities for them, who are searching for a country with minimal tax payments opportunities. The USA makes great efforts in order to get business people from all around the world, thus it will not be a big hustle to decrease the tax burden within the US to reasonable amounts while operating your own business.
Do you offer real estate options from the USA?
Yes. We offer approved projects suitable to proceed for the E-2 Residency program.Is there any language requirement to apply for American Residency? Yes, reading, writing and speaking English, and knowing the history and government of the U.S. is required.
Turkish Citizenship by Investment
We are the leading law firm in Turkey advising on Turkish Citizenship by Investment and Global Citizenship and Residency by Investment Programs.As World Elite Legal, we are a leading Turkish law firm working internationally.
We have a vast Turkish immigration and corporate law experience. We understand each of our clients’ specific requirements, compelling needs and provide advice accordingly, in line with the Turkish immigration law. As highly experienced immigration lawyers and attorneys in Turkey, we can thoroughly advise you to obtain Turkish Citizenship by Investment together with your family members.
We have been advising our respected clients on the Turkish Citizenship by Investment (TCBI) since January 2017, the introduction of the program by the Turkish government. Over the years, we have advised and represented Investors globally from around the World, and successfully obtained Turkish Citizenships for our Clients so far, having different background and a variety of nations including Pakistan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Algeria, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco, Syria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Algeria, Malaysia, Bangladesh as well as the Asian Countries; China, India, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and from the West : US, UK, Canada, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Greece, Portugal, Poland as well as the Carebbean Countries, the CIS Countries: Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and also from African nations: Nigeria, Ivory Coast, South Africa and other jurisdictions. We have successfully assisted more than 300 Clients so far and obtained Turkish Citizenships by investment for them and their families.We advise thoroughly on Turkish Citizenship by Investment application, and conduct and follow up all the necessary steps very diligently for all our clients including bank account openings, property review and property sale transactions, and other compelling tasks in Turkey.As highly experienced Turkish citizenship and residency lawyers, we are pleased to offer our advice to our Clients for them to obtain Turkish citizenship by investment in 2020.Turkish Citizenship by Investment Program RulesThe Regulation Regarding Application of Turkish Citizenship Code was recently amended on 18th September 2018. In line with the new regulations inTurkish immigration law, foreign persons who would satisfy one of the below mentioned investment requirements are able to obtain Turkish Citizenshipstogether with their family members:
● Option (A) stipulates that a minimum amount of property investment shall be made for $250.000 USD (or the equal value in Turkish Lira), on the condition to not sell the property within the next 3 years. The minimum investment amount was reduced from $1m USD to $250k USD.
● Option (B) foresees to Deposit $500.000 USD in cash (or the equal value in Turkish Lira, Euros or other currency) with a condition to keep the money at least for 3 years in one of the Turkish Banks.
● Option (C) requires that a fixed capital investment shall be made minimum of $500.000 USD (or the equal value in Turkish Liras). This investment shall be confirmed by the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology.
● Option (D) indicates that Turkish Citizenship could be obtained with the purchase of Turkish Government Bonds and Bills of $500.000 USD on the condition to hold them for at least 3 years. This investment shall be confirmed by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance of Turkey.
● Option (E), foresees that it is also possible to acquire Turkish Citizenship by making an investment into a Turkish real estate investment trust, or alternatively with purchasing the shares of a Turkish Venture Capital Investment Fund with a minimum amount of$500.000 USD.This means it is possible to obtain Turkish Citizenship by Investment for the Investor (Main Applicant) as well as for family members: spouse (wife/husband) and children below 18 years old with proceeding with one of the abovementioned
investment options.
Turkish Citizenship by Investment Process at a Glance:
Turkish Citizenship by Investment procedures will usually proceed
● Obtaining new Turkish Tax ID Numbers
● Opening a new Bank Account in Turkey
● Identifying the Investment Property with our Real Estate Team
● Issuance of the PoA (Power of Attorney)
● Depositing the Investment Amounts
● Finalising the sale; registration of the property
● Preparation of the Required Documents
● Obtaining Turkish PR (Short-term Turkish Residency Permit)
● Submitting Turkish Citizenship Applications
● Submitting Fingerprints (biometrics)
● Collection of new Turkish ID Cards & 10 Year Valid Turkish Passports.
How long does it take to obtain Turkish Citizenship?
Once after the investment is completed, and post-investment works are duly done, then the acquisition of official Turkish Citizenship status takes formally around 3-4 months at the most. This would be followed by the issuance of new Turkish ID Cards and Turkish Passports for all family members within 1 week only.
Please contact us now to get further, detailed information on Turkish Citizenship by Investment (TCBI) program and request for a fee quotation for your citizenship application including full breakdown of the costs.
Benefits of Turkey Second Citizenship Program & Turkish Passport at a glance:
● Turkish citizenship granted to all family members following submission of the documents and quick background check
● Turkish Passport delivered quickly within 3-6 months only
● You can have a solid investment with regular income and at the same time you can obtain one of the most sought citizenships in the World
● No Minimum Residency required in Turkey
● Ownership of one of the Top Passports in the World
● Turkish passport has 10 year validity and is renewable for life
● Visa Free Travel for 116 countries
● US E2 Treaty Country; Easy to obtain US Residency after obtaining Turkish Citizenship
● UK Turkish Business Person Visa: Turkish Citizens can easily relocate inside the UK as well as EU countries vis a vis Ankara Agreement
● Full Free Medical assistance for life for all family members in Turkish State Hospitals including coronavirus, cancer treatment.
● New Turkey Identity Cards are also included.
● No need to declare your wealth and source of investment for application.
● Turkey allows Dual & Multiple Citizenships.
● No Military Service required for TCBI Applicants
● Official EU Candidate Country, prospective Visa Free travel to EU member countries, all 26 Schengen Zone.
● Free Education and University Reimbursement Plans are provided
Why TURKEY?
● Muslim country offering democratic and Westernised lifestyle.
● One of the Best Climates in the World throughout the year.
● Safe, Happy and Wonderful environment to settle with family.
● Traditionally very hospitable, tolerant and welcoming to all foreigners.
● Fantastic nature, wonderful beaches, green forests and lakes
● Excellent food, globally renowned Turkish cuisine, one of the few countries offering food security
● Superb Health Facilities
● Superb Educational Facilities
● High Quality of Life
● Easy to do Business
● Regional Powerhouse
● Highest GDP rate per capita when comparing with other CIP jurisdictions:
● One of the largest and strongest economies in the World
● G20, NATO Member
● EU Candidate Country
● Prospective Visa free travel to EU (Schengen zone) for all Turkish Citizens,
● Easy to obtain long-term, multiple entry visa to EU, US, Canada, UK and Australia for Turkish citizens
● Strong, Independent Legal System and Courts
● Fair Tax System
● Perfectly located, nestled between Europe, Asia and the Middle East and Africa
● Opportunity to relocate and live in Istanbul, one of the most beautiful and developed towns in the World or any other part of Turkey
● Superb Educational Facilities.
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQ”) In Relation To Turkish Citizenship By Investment Program
Do I have to travel to Turkey to start Turkish Citizenship procedures?
Due to coronavirus pandemic and international travel restrictions, we can now open the bank account remotely, and we can also finalize the property transfer as well as other necessary tasks remotely. We can proceed on behalf of you with an apostille PoA (Power of Attorney) including bank account opening, property sale transfer as well as further Turkish Citizenship application procedures without your travel to Turkey required.
Do you offer Approved Properties for Turkish Citizenship?
Yes. To facilitate the property investment for our Clients, we have set a special real estate department working internally with our firm. Once we start working foryour citizenship case; our real estate team will present you several new, luxurious, and high end approved properties available to proceed and in line with the Turkish Citizenship by Investment program rules. We work with financially strong developers only to make sure our clients’ investments will be on the safer side. Our experienced real estate team and lawyers for Turkish citizenship program will make sure all points are duly checked prior to making the investment
For Turkish Citizenship application, should the investment of minimum $250K USD be in a single property? If the applicant invests into two or more separate properties, will he be eligible to apply for Citizenship?
Turkey Citizenship by Investment program allows the investors/main applicants to invest into multiple properties/units, provided that the total amounts exceed $250k USD, you can proceed with the ownership of multiple properties.
For property option, is any property valued above $250K eligible to apply for Turkish citizenship? Or are there only specific real estate projects that are approved and eligible
The property shall essentially meet certain criteria including having a verified expert valuation report in place as well as a building license, and the title deed shall also be ideally clear out of any restrictions on the Title Deed before finalising the sale transfer. Otherwise it will not be suitable to proceed for Turkish Citizenship.
In Bank Deposit Option, can I earn interest on the deposited amounts?
Yes, it is possible to earn regular interest on the deposited amounts. We can open a new bank account for you in Turkey on -1- Day only. As experienced immigration attorneys and Citizenship lawyers in Istanbul, Turkey, we can also advise you thoroughly on your Turkish citizenship applications through Bank Deposit Option. The monies could be deposited in any currency: USD, TRY (Turkish Lira), EURO, GBP or other major currencies depending on Investor’s own choice. It is also possible to earn a regular interest income either quarterly, or yearly basis on the total deposited amounts..
Is the Turkish citizenship acquired/valid for life?
Yes, once the Turkish citizenship acquired, it will be valid for life and it would be valid for the next generations, your descendants as well.
Can we change our names after obtaining citizenships?
If the applicants would prefer to change their names and surnames, they are allowed to do so and you can entirely have new Turkish names and surnames as well. However, this shall be done prior to submitting citizenship applications.
Do the applicants have to reside in Turkey for a certain period of time at any stage of the application?
No, there is no residency requirement in Turkey either during the application process or after obtaining Turkish citizenship. You can keep living abroad after obtaining Turkey citizenship.
How many times will the applicants need to travel to Turkey during the whole application process?
Ideally it is advisable to visit Turkey first for the initial procedures and then secondly once the citizenship is obtained for submission of fingerprints. However, if you are not able to travel to Turkey, we can then advise you on your Turkish Citizenship application without your visit required to Turkey, though certain conditions will apply.
How many family members can apply for citizenship along with the Main Applicant?
It is possible to obtain Turkish citizenship for the Investor (Main Applicant) as well as for all family members: spouse (wife) and children below 18 years old. There is actually no limitation on the total number of family members (applicants). However Children above 18 years old, and Parents cannot be included into the same application.It would be necessary to make separate investments for them to obtain the Turkish citizenship or alternatively, you can consider to apply for Turkish Residency Permit (Turkish PR) for the other family members that cannot be included into your application which is subject to different rules than citizenship program.
Turkish Citizenship for new children (those who are born after acquisition of TC) Does the child need to be born in Turkey or can the child be born anywhere?
Turkish citizenship can be acquired through birth from a Turkish citizen father or mother within the union of marriage, regardless of the birth place. Once you become a citizen of Turkey through the Turkish investment program, your future children will automatically acquire Turkey citizenship by birth.
Is there any language requirement to apply for Turkish Citizenship?
There is no Turkish language knowledge requirement to apply for Turkey’s citizenship by investment programme.
Once the Turkish citizenship is acquired, in the case that the applicant will not stay in Turkey, what will be his tax liabilities in Turkey?
Turkey will not tax you for your income abroad. In principle, you would not be liable to pay taxes in Turkey if you would not reside inside Turkey for more than 6 months. Nonetheless, the exemption to this could be if/when you would earn a regular income inside Turkey; for example if you would rent out your investment
property, and if/when you are earning rental gains, then you would be subject to paytaxes arising from such income. We can provide you further detailed Turkish tax advice, Turkish and international tax optimisation, wealth management services according to your specific case and requirements.
Once being granted for Turkish citizenship, is it compulsory to exercise military services in Turkey?
As a rule, Turkish Citizenship by Investment Investors (Main Applicants) who are aged over 22 years old are all exempted from the military in Turkey. Therefore you will not be liable to exercise military service after you would obtain Turkish Citizenship if you are over 22.. However, male children would be later liable with Turkish military service once after they would be over 18 years old. But with the recent changes made in Turkish law, it is possible to be exempted from military service in Turkey by paying a fee of around $6000 USD to the relevant Turkish Authorities.
Is there an official legislation for the Turkish Citizenship by Investment Program?
Yes. The investment amount as well as the scope of the Turkish Citizenship by Investment Program was laid down in Turkish Official Gazette and introduced back on 18th September 2018. You can review the official website of the Investment Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey for further information.
How can I invest in Turkish citizenship?
Under Turkish Citizenship by Investment program rules, you can invest in Turkey and become a Turkish citizen instantly with your family members either by investing in a property in Turkey minimum worth $250,000 USD or alternatively you can also obtain Turkish Citizenship by depositing $500,000 USD in one of the Turkish Banks. It is essential to hold the property for at least 3 years, you can then sell the property without any limitations or restrictions.
How much does it cost to invest in Turkey to get citizenship?
The minimum investment amount for applying to Turkish citizenship is $250,000 USD for property investment and $500,000 USD in Bank Deposit option. By investing such amounts in Turkey, you can become a citizen of Turkey shortly within 3 months only after completion of investment.
How long does it take to get Turkish citizenship by investment?
It takes around 3-4 months to acquire Turkish Citizenship status officially once after the completion of the investment, and you can also collect your new Turkish Passports and ID Cards immediately after..
Does Turkey give citizenship to foreigners?
With the amendment of Turkish Citizenship Law No 5091, Turkey grants investors Turkish Citizenships by making an eligible investment in Turkey the conditions of which are also stipulated by law.
Which countries give citizenship by investment?
For the time being, along with Turkey, Montenegro, and Vanuatu as well as Caribbean nations including Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia offers Citizenship by investment Programs (CIP). Please contact us if you would like to have further info on other CIPs.
Can a Pakistani Get Turkish nationality?
Pakistani citizens can easily obtain Turkish Citizenship by investing in Turkey.Pakistanis proceed mosty with the property investment option to apply for Turkey citizenship program in which it is essential to make a property investment in Turkey minimum worth $250,000 USD
How can a Pakistani get Turkish citizenship?
Pakistan and Turkey enjoy very close relations historically and traditionally.This has made Turkish Citizenship by investment program quite popular among Pakistan nationals. Pakistan citizens living in Pakistan or abroad can apply for and obtain Turkish Citizenship shorly within 3 Month period by making an eligibleinvestment in Turkey under Turkey Citizenship by Investment scheme.
How strong is Turkish passport?
Turkish Passport is currently ranked as the 51st in the Global Passport Ranking of Henley Passport Index which relies on IATA datas. Turkish passport currently allows visa-free travel to 111 countries globally.
How can I get permanent residency in Turkey?
You can obtain a permanent residency permit in Turkey (Turkish PR) either by making a property investment of $100,000 USD in Turkey or by setting up a new company in Turkey.
Can I live permanently in Turkey?
It is required to have a Residency Permit in Turkey to live permanently in Turkey, the conditions of which are subject to rules.
Can a foreigner buy a house in Turkey?
Foreign persons can buy a house or property in Turkey without any restrictions. Turkish law is a part of the EU-Civil law system, this means property will be freehold and it could be inherited by further generations without any restrictions.
How much does a Turkish residence permit cost?
It is possible to obtain a Turkish residence permit with a property investment of worth $100,000 USD in Turkey. The residency permit would be renewable after 2 years as long as you would keep the legal ownership status of the property. After Acquisition Of The Turkish Citizenship.
Once after becoming a Turkish Citizen, we can also advise you on:
New Company Formations & Business Set Up In Turkey As a full service leading Turkish law firm, we provide advice to our foreign clients with respect to operating in Turkey under the most suitable corporate
structure and assist them on new company formations. Please review our Company Formation section for further detailed info.
US E2 Visa Application: Relocating To United States As A Turkish Citizen Turkey is an E2 Treaty Country with the US. This means once after obtaining Turkish citizenship, you can apply for a US E2 Visa thus you can relocate to the United States together with your family. We advise our clients on the preparation of
the US E2 Visa Application, arrangement of franchise companies in the USA as well as submission of the visas either through the US Consulate in Turkey or inside the USA.
Uk Turkish Business Person Visa: Ankara Agreement Application/ Settlement In Uk And Eu Countries After Obtaining Turkish Citizenship We can also extensively advise you on your Ankara Agreement (UK Turkish Business Person Visa) application should you consider relocating in the UK with your family.
We prepare the business plans, and submit Ankara Agreement applications either directly to the UK Home Office through our office in London or via the British Embassy in Ankara or British Consul General in Istanbul, Turkey. We can also advise you on your relocations as a Turkish Citizen to the
Netherlands or Germany and other EU jurisdictions vis a vis Ankara Agreement.
Why Should You Work With Us?
As World Elite Legal, we can assist you thoroughly on Turkish Citizenship by investment scheme:
As a leading, immigration law firm in Turkey we have a long and successful track record of advising our clients globally.We have been the pioneers in Turkey advising on citizenship and migration matters leading Turkish law firm, Since 2009, we have been successfully advising our clients on a variety of CIP (Citizenship by Investment) programs including Caribbean programs; Dominica, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts, Grenada Citizenships by Investment, and Malta Citizenship by Investment program as well as RBI (Residencyby Investment) programs including Portugal and Greece Residency by Investments.
Our Turkey immigration Attorneys are very experienced and able to advise in
multiple languages. We have also advised our Clients for them to obtain US Green Cards through
EB-5 Program, and US E-2 Investor Visas therefore permanent USA Residency together with our partner firms and carefully selected US-based immigration lawyers. We also advise extensively on UK Turkish Business Person Visas; namely the Ankara Agreement related applications, as well as on UK Tier-1 Investor Visa applications, we advise our Clients through our own branch office in London.
This preeminent international migration, citizenship and residency experience as well as our traditional corporate working culture paved the way for us to become the leading law firm advising on Turkish citizenship by investment.Over the years, our Clients included US, EU, MENA and China based
Multinationals, Fortune 500 Corporations, SMEs Private Equity Funds, International banks as well as High Net Worth Individuals. Please visit our Clients section to see the list of some of our corporate clients that we work with. You will therefore get the full benefit of working with one of the most reputable and corporate law firms in Turkey working internationally for many years, advising on global and Turkish migration and citizenship matters. We always strive to provide the finest legal services and aim to provide crystal clear advice on the procedures and keep informed our clients regularly on all steps from Day 1, up until the Turkish citizenship is officially obtained. We also providefurther legal advice and services to all our clients once after the completion of the procedures, we advise in their new ventures in Turkey and Turkish law related legal requirements as new Turkish citizens.We are mainly based in Istanbul, thefinancial center of Turkey. We also have an extensive network inside Turkey, we can therefore also advise on your property investments in Ankara, Capital of Turkey as well as Antalya, Izmir, Mugla, Bodrum,
Bursa, Yalova, Trabzon and other towns in Turkey. Our corporate Turkish immigration practice is renowned for a very diligent approach. Each citizenship application is very diligently followed up by our highly
experienced Turkish citizenship and Turkey immigration lawyers based in our Istanbul office. We advise on Turkish citizenship by investment as well as obtaining Turkish residency and work permits. We also open new bank accounts in Turkey and also in several other jurisdictions: UK, Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Serbia, Isle of Man.We can advise on new company and business formations in Turkey and related
matters.