A Turkish passport gives its holder plenty of advantages. With this document you can live in a region with a comfortable climate, use well-developed infrastructure, count on first-rate medical care, and receive tax benefits. Turkish citizens also have visa-free entry to more than 100 countries around the world. After three years of residence in the Republic of Turkey, you can obtain the US E-2 entrepreneur visa.
Turkey, like Russia, recognizes the right to a second citizenship. This means you are not required to give up your original passport.
Follow the link below to review the terms of the Turkish citizenship program.
But there's a question that often concerns men planning to obtain Turkish citizenship. Turkey has an army, and service in it is by conscription. Will a person who obtains citizenship of this country be required to serve in its army?
Turkey's armed forces and their features
Turkey's armed forces consist of the air force, the navy, the land forces, the gendarmerie, and the coast guard. In the 2022 Global Firepower ranking of military strength, Turkey's army ranked 13th. Not counting reservists, its size that same year exceeded 350,000 personnel. Within NATO, Turkey's land forces are considered the second-strongest, behind only the United States.
The authorities allocate substantial funds to strengthening the country's defense capability - typically 2.5-3% of GDP. For example, in 2019, defense spending totaled $15.3 billion, about 4% of the state budget.
The Turkish army has extensive combat experience. In recent years it has often conducted operations and defensive exercises on its own territory, near the border with Syria. Turkish service members also actively take part in UN and NATO peacekeeping missions in various regions of the world.
Turkish soldiers are mostly conscripts. The military service law was passed in 1927 and is periodically revised to keep up with today's requirements. Turkey currently conscripts men aged 20 to 41. The length of service is:
- for privates and non-commissioned officers - 6 months;
- for reserve officers and reserve non-commissioned officers - 12 months.
The president has the right to change the length of service, longer or shorter, but in any case it cannot be less than 6 months.
Contract-based military service is also available.
Do those who obtained citizenship by investment have to serve in the army?
Foreign nationals residing in Turkey are not subject to conscription. But the situation changes for a person who holds citizenship of two countries and has a Turkish passport. Since a holder of a Turkish passport is clearly a citizen of Turkey, the military service law applies to them, and they may receive a call-up notice.
A person who holds a second citizenship along with Turkish citizenship will not be conscripted into the Turkish army if, at the time they obtained the Turkish passport:
- they were already older than 22;
- they had already served in the army of their home country, or had made the official payment in lieu of service.
All of the above must be confirmed with documents. These documents are certified with an apostille.
A deferral from military service is also available for those who, at the time they obtained Turkish citizenship, were under 22 and are pursuing an education. University students are granted a deferral until age 29, and neither failed exam terms nor staying on the same year of study for several years is grounds for expulsion from the university or for conscription. The deferral for graduate students runs until age 35.
In all other cases, foreigners who have obtained Turkish citizenship may receive a call-up notice if they did not complete military service in their home country.
Turkish law allows the conscription of those who acquired Turkish citizenship after age 22 in emergency situations or if martial law is declared in the country. But the likelihood of this happening is low, especially given the size of the Turkish army and its large number of reservists.
How to avoid service in Turkey's armed forces on health grounds
The Turkish army does not seek to enlist people whose health is not in order. That's why there is a list of conditions that exempt a citizen from conscription. These primarily include:
- nervous and mental disorders;
- vision impairments;
- ear, nose, and throat conditions;
- chest/thoracic conditions;
- digestive system disorders;
- reproductive organ conditions.
Or is it better to just serve?
Military service in Turkey is considered prestigious. Service members receive pay that, by the country's standards, is considered decent. For example, in 2021 a conscript sergeant earned from 4,500 lira, or $232, and if serving in the eastern or southeastern part of the country, that amount increased by roughly 40-80%. Military pay was raised in 2022.
Those serving under contract earn more - roughly from 43,000 lira, or $2,200.
Hazing and abuse within the Turkish army is extremely rare. Such cases are not covered up and are always investigated, and the results often lead to criminal proceedings.
To serve in the Turkish army, especially under contract, a certain level of education and knowledge of the Turkish language are required.
For every foreigner who obtains Turkish citizenship, the decision about whether to serve in this country's army should be weighed carefully and made with full awareness.
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