Can a Foreigner Who Buys a Property in Türkiye Obtain a Residence Permit?

The short answer is: buying a property does not, by itself, grant a residence permit. However, it provides a valid legal basis for applying for one.

This distinction is important. The law does not say that foreigners who own property in Türkiye “shall be granted” a residence permit; rather, it provides that a residence permit “may be granted.” In other words, ownership of a property gives you the right to apply, but it does not guarantee the outcome.

Below, we examine this question step by step. We also highlight some of the issues most frequently encountered by foreigners who purchase property in the Bodrum, Marmaris and Fethiye areas.

A note on terminology: the official legal term for what is commonly referred to as a “residence permit” is “ikamet izni” (residence permit). Both expressions refer to the same legal status, and we use both terms below where appropriate.

Why Is Buying a Property Not Enough on Its Own?

Article 31 of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection sets out, one by one, the categories of persons who may be granted a short-term residence permit. Subparagraph (b) of this provision refers to “foreigners who own immovable property in Türkiye.”

Accordingly, property ownership is one of the statutory grounds for applying for a residence permit. The title deed is the document you submit in support of your application; it is not the residence permit itself. Your application is subject to a separate assessment by the competent administrative authorities.

The same article also limits the duration of the permit: it may be granted for periods of up to two years at a time. It is therefore not an indefinite entitlement; the permit expires and must be renewed if the foreigner wishes to continue residing in Türkiye on the same basis.

What Kind of Property Qualifies? What About Land or a Commercial Unit?

They do not qualify. The list of documents required by the Directorate General of Migration Management for short-term residence permit applications expressly provides that the immovable property must be a residential property and must be used by the foreigner for residential purposes.

This has two practical consequences:

• Land, agricultural land, commercial premises, warehouses and offices do not constitute a basis for a residence permit under this ground.

• The residential property cannot be used for rental or other income-generating purposes.

The second point is frequently overlooked in coastal districts. A foreigner purchases a holiday home, rents it out for most of the year, and then seeks to obtain a residence permit on the basis of that same property. These two arrangements are not compatible.

Article 33 of the Law provides that a residence permit may be cancelled where it is determined that the permit is being used for a purpose other than the purpose for which it was granted. Accordingly, the issue may arise not only at the application stage, but also at a later stage if the property is rented out.

What Is the Minimum Property Value?

According to the current document requirements published by the Directorate General of Migration Management, the property must, as of the date of acquisition, have a value equivalent to at least USD 200,000 in Turkish lira.

Two points should be emphasized.

First, the relevant value is determined by the acquisition date. It is not the property's current market value that matters, but its value as of the date on which the title deed was acquired.

Second, this amount is not expressly stated in the law. A paragraph added to Article 31 of the Law in 2024 authorized the Ministry to determine the nature and value of the immovable property that may serve as the basis for a residence permit. Since the authority to determine these criteria rests with the administration, the applicable threshold may change without requiring an amendment to the statute itself.

For this reason, the practical advice is straightforward: before purchasing a property, verify the current threshold with the Directorate General of Migration Management or the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management where the property is located. Do not make a decision based on a figure you read a year ago.

Can My Spouse and Children Apply on the Basis of the Same Property?

Yes, provided that they are also registered on the title deed. The applicable document requirements provide that family members may also apply on this ground where they have co-ownership or joint ownership rights over the residential property. In such cases, in addition to the title deed, documentary evidence of the family relationship is also required.

Family members whose names do not appear on the title deed cannot rely on this ground. A different type of residence permit may therefore need to be considered for them.

A terminology note: co-ownership (paylı mülkiyet) means that each co-owner holds a specified share registered in the title deed, such as a one-half share. Joint ownership (elbirliğiyle mülkiyet) refers to a form of ownership in which the individual shares are not separately determined and the property belongs to the co-owners as a whole; this most commonly arises in cases of inheritance.

What Documents Are Required?

The required documents can broadly be divided into two groups.

Common documents required from all applicants: the application form, a copy of the passport, two biometric photographs, receipts evidencing payment of the applicable fees and document charges, valid health insurance, a document or declaration demonstrating that the applicant has sufficient and regular financial means for the period of residence, and a document showing the applicant's address. For extension and transfer applications, a document showing the applicant's UETS (National Electronic Notification System) address is also required.

Additional documents specific to property ownership:

• A copy of the title deed showing that the residential property belongs to you

• For a first-time application, a numbering certificate (numarataj belgesi) issued by the relevant municipality, which shows the official address of the property

• For an extension application, a title deed continuation certificate (tapu devam belgesi) confirming that the property is still owned by you

• If the property was acquired by inheritance or donation, an up-to-date real estate valuation report

Two time-related details are often overlooked: the health insurance must cover the entire requested residence period, and the passport must remain valid for at least sixty days beyond the requested residence permit period.

Where Is the Application Filed and How Long Does It Take?

The general rule under the law is that an application for a residence permit must be filed with the Turkish consulate in the country of which the foreigner is a national or in which the foreigner is legally residing. The law also allows applications to be made to the provincial authorities in certain specified circumstances, but this is the exception rather than the general rule.

Applications must be finalized within no later than ninety days.

Applications for extension are submitted to the provincial authorities and the timing is clearly defined: from sixty days before the expiry of the existing permit and, in any event, before the permit expires.

I Will Spend Only a Few Months a Year in Türkiye. Will That Be a Problem?

This is one of the most important issues for holiday-home owners.

Article 28 of the Law defines “interruption of residence”. Except for periods spent abroad due to mandatory public service, education or health reasons, an absence from Türkiye of more than six months in total within one year, or more than one year in total during the preceding five years, is considered an interruption.

Where an interruption occurs, previous periods of residence are not taken into account. This is particularly important for rights that depend on uninterrupted residence.

Consider a concrete example: one of the requirements for obtaining a long-term residence permit is eight years of uninterrupted residence in Türkiye. For the purposes of calculating this period, half of periods spent under student residence permits and the entirety of periods spent under other residence permits are taken into account. A property owner who spends most of the year abroad may therefore be unable to accumulate the required eight-year period, even if the residence permit itself is renewed every two years.

What Happens If My Application Is Refused?

Article 33 of the Law sets out the grounds for refusal, cancellation and non-extension of residence permits, including:

• Failure to satisfy one or more of the required conditions, or the subsequent loss of one or more of those conditions

• Determination that the residence permit is being used for a purpose other than the purpose for which it was granted

• The existence of a valid deportation order or entry ban against the applicant

Where an application filed from within Türkiye is refused, or where an extension is denied or a residence permit is cancelled, the decision is served on the foreigner, their legal representative or their attorney. The law also provides that the notification must specify how the person may exercise their right to object or challenge the decision.

Such decisions may be challenged before the courts. In 2024, a separate provision was also introduced into the law concerning the judicial proceedings applicable to such cases.

Does This Residence Permit Count as a Work Permit or Citizenship?

No. Neither.

A work permit is a separate authorization. The law establishes the relationship in one direction only: a valid work permit is deemed to constitute a residence permit. The reverse does not apply. The International Labour Force Law is explicit in this regard: foreigners falling within its scope may not work, nor may they be employed, in Türkiye without a valid work permit. Situations such as continuing to work remotely from your home in Türkiye for a business or employer in your home country may therefore require separate consideration from an immigration and employment-law perspective.

Citizenship is also governed by separate legislation, with its own eligibility requirements and application procedure. A residence permit based on property ownership does not, by itself, lead to Turkish citizenship.

There Is Another Point: Not Every Foreigner Can Purchase Every Property

Before even reaching the residence-permit stage, there is another threshold at the title-deed stage.

Under Article 35 of the Land Registry Law, foreign individuals may acquire immovable property in Türkiye only if they are citizens of countries designated by the President of the Republic of Türkiye. In other words, nationality is a decisive factor.

There are also quantitative restrictions: the total area of immovable properties acquired by a foreign individual may not exceed 10% of the area of the relevant district that is subject to private ownership and 30 hectares per person nationwide.

There are also restrictions based on the location of the property. For military prohibited zones, military security zones and strategic areas, map and coordinate information is provided to the land registry authorities by the relevant ministries, and title-deed transactions are conducted in accordance with that information. In coastal districts, these restrictions may prevent the sale of certain properties altogether.

The correct sequence is therefore: first determine whether you are legally permitted to acquire the property; then determine whether the property you acquire can serve as a basis for a residence permit. Considering both issues together can prevent many problems at the outset.

Summary

• Buying a property does not itself grant a residence permit; it provides a legal basis for applying for one.

• The property must be residential and must be used as a residence. It may not be rented out.

• According to the current criteria applied by the Directorate General of Migration Management, the property must have a value equivalent to at least USD 200,000 in Turkish lira as of the date of acquisition. The authority to determine this threshold rests with the Ministry; it should therefore be verified before applying.

• A residence permit may be granted for periods of up to two years at a time and must subsequently be extended.

• An absence from Türkiye exceeding six months in a year may constitute an interruption of residence.

• Family members whose names appear on the title deed may also apply on the basis of the same property.

• Work permits and citizenship are separate legal matters and do not automatically follow from this residence permit.

• At the title-deed stage, nationality, quantitative restrictions and location-based restrictions must also be checked.

This article has been prepared on the basis of the legislation in force in Türkiye as of September 14, 2026. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice in relation to any specific case.