Öz
The concept of citizenship by investment can be defined as the citizenship granted by the invested state in return for direct or indirect investment or donation made by the foreigner in the country. The traditional practice of granting citizenship by investment seeks investors having certain qualifications such as entrepreneurship and employment creation, in addition to the investment they brought to the country. In the last 30 years, however, the practices of granting citizenship by investment have developed within the framework of investor programs disregarding the qualifications of the investor but prioritizing economic contribution. Investor programs, initially conducted by small island states in the Caribbean region, have over the time applied in a wide range of geographic areas including the United States, some of the EU countries and Turkey. However, these programs have sparked serious criticism nationally and internationally, under the headings of security, tax, voting rights, military service obligation and economic benefit. The main bases of these criticisms are, though, the commodification of citizenship and the granting of citizenship without establishing a genuine link.