Turkey is the destination for individuals and businesses seeking to be situated at the crossroads of Europe. As an international hub, Turkey boasts a strong financial and banking sector that is well-connected to global commerce. Turkey also maintains a complex immigration framework that provides a variety of incentives for foreigners who know how to navigate it.

Can the foreigners who have a property in Turkey, obtain a residence permit?

Pursuant to Article 31/1/b of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection (Law No. 6548), foreigners who have a property in Türkiye can get a short-term residence permit.

How many years of residence permit is issued to the buyer of the property?

Short-term residence permits may be granted for a maximum period of 2 years at a time (except for eligible investors with their family members and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus citizens) however they are generally granted for a period of 1 year.

Does the property purchased have to be a house in order to obtain a residence permit? Can it be an office or a workplace?

Pursuant to Article 28/3 of the Regulation on the Application of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection, in residence permit applications made by the foreigner who has a property in Türkiye; the property shall be a house and used for residential purposes.

Is there a monetary limit for the house to be bought?

A residence permit is not granted for title deed sales under 75.000 USD in big cities (metropolitan cities) and 50.000 USD in other cities. (These limits were introduced in April 2022, please be careful about any informative pieces published before this date.)

How is the value of the house determined?

An official expert report is obtained before the sale, and this is also submitted to the land registry office during the sale.

Which cities are considered “big cities” in Turkey?

Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Aydın, Balikesir, Bursa, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Eskişehir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Mersin, İstanbul, İzmir, Kayseri, Kocaeli, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Kahramanmaraş, Mardin, Muğla, Ordu, Sakarya, Samsun, Tekirdağ, Trabzon, Şanlıurfa and Van are accepted as big cities in Türkiye.

Can your family members also obtain a residence permit if you buy a property in Türkiye?

Pursuant to Article 28/3 of the Regulation on the Application of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection, family members (the applicant's spouse, minor child, and dependent adult child) can have the right to apply for a residence permit if they have joint ownership of the property. (Family members, who do not have joint ownership of the property, can only show this house as a basis for the determination of their financial means.)

Is there any other thing we need to know before buying a property in Türkiye to be able to get a residence permit in Türkiye?

Yes, of course. There are many other details, make sure to work with a qualified lawyer from Türkiye.

Is there anything else that needs to be done after the residence permit has been obtained?

Yes, pursuant to Article 22/12 of the Regulation on the Application of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection, foreigners who receive their residence permit, work permit, or work permit exemption confirmation document from the consulates are obliged to register in the Address Registration System within 20 business days at the latest from the date of entry into Türkiye, and foreigners who receive these permits within Türkiye within 20 business days at the latest from the date of delivery of the permit documents to them.

Av. Nazlı Hilal Kaya is a managing partner at STNZ LEGAL. She provides consultancy and litigation services in the fields of Immigration Law and Corporate Law.

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