Turkish Citizenship by Buying Property in Turkey

Under Turkey’s citizenship-by-property programme, foreign nationals are free to purchase real estate anywhere in Turkey outside designated military zones. Since September 2018, foreign nationals who buy real estate in Turkey worth at least $250,000 — together with their families — can qualify for Turkish citizenship. Turkey’s real estate and construction market is one of the most dynamic in the region, making property ownership here both a sound investment and a gateway to citizenship.

Benefits of owning property in Turkey

Turkey grants Turkish citizenship to foreign nationals who purchase property in the country. The citizenship-by-investment route is open to anyone who buys real estate (real estate) worth at least $250,000. You and your immediate family will be entitled to apply for Turkish citizenship within six months of the purchase. In other words, buying property in Turkey can be both a profitable investment and your path to a Turkish passport. See our services: Turkish citizenship consultancy.

Alternatively, buying a property worth $250,000 or more entitles you and your family to a short-term residence permit valid for three years. If you then live in Turkey continuously for five years in the property you purchased, you will have the right to apply for Turkish citizenship on residency grounds. One important note: during those five years you may spend no more than one year outside Turkey in total — the intention is that you genuinely reside in Turkey.

OBTAINING A RESIDENCE PERMIT IN TURKEY IS STRAIGHTFORWARD FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS WHO BUY REAL ESTATE.

Foreign nationals who buy property in Turkey can obtain a residence permit, renewable at set intervals, and their family members are equally entitled to apply for one. With a residence permit in hand, your children can attend school in Turkey, and both finding employment and obtaining a work permit through a company becomes considerably easier.

What do you need to do to buy property in Turkey?

Foreign nationals may purchase residential, commercial, and agricultural real estate — flats, offices, plots, and farmland — subject to the restrictions set out in Turkish law. If you intend to buy a plot or farmland, you are legally required to notify the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning (Çevre ve Şehircilik Bakanlığı) within two years, specifying the type of building you plan to construct on the land.

What restrictions apply to foreign nationals buying property?

Under the relevant legislation, the following restrictions apply when a foreign national purchases property in Turkey:

A foreign national may not purchase more than 30 hectares of real estate in total across Turkey.
No foreign national may purchase property in Military Prohibited Zones and security zones. Leasing in such areas is only possible with special authorisation.
Foreign individuals may purchase property up to a maximum of 10% of the total privately owned land in any given district.
Properties that the authorities determine are not being used for the stated purchase purpose, or plots bought for construction that are not reported to the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning within two years, may be subject to compulsory acquisition by the state.
The restrictions listed above do not apply to companies that are legally incorporated in their own country and have legal personality.

What is the procedure for buying property in Turkey?

You must first make a preliminary application to the Land Registry Office (Tapu Müdürlüğü). To do this, you need to book an appointment reference number — you can call 181 or apply online at randevu.tkgm.

Once the preliminary application is in, a date is set for the transfer of the property between seller and buyer.

On the agreed date, the following documents must be ready:

• The title deed (TAPU) for the property
• The foreign buyer’s passport and a copy of it (a Turkish translation of the passport may be required)
• A property valuation certificate (“Gayrimenkul Değer Beyan Belgesi”) obtained from the relevant local municipality
• A compulsory earthquake insurance policy (DASK) for the building — required for all residential and commercial properties
• 1 photograph of the seller, 2 photographs of the buyer
• A sworn translator if the foreign buyer does not speak Turkish
• If the transfer is being handled under a power of attorney (PoA) prepared abroad, the original or a certified copy of the PoA — together with a Turkish translation — must be provided. Note: a PoA executed outside Turkey must bear an apostille.

Before completing the purchase, always check whether the property is subject to any mortgage, enforcement order, or other encumbrance — you can verify this at the Land Registry Office (Tapu Müdürlüğü).

Working with a professional legal adviser who specialises in real estate transactions in Turkey will always work in your favour as a buyer. We offer dedicated consultancy services for property purchases — give us a call.