Residence permit through property in Turkey

The legal basis

Article 31(1) of Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection (YUKK) lists owning real estate in Turkey as a ground for a short-term residence permit. Since Law No. 7533 of 21 November 2024, the Ministry of Interior decides the type and value of property that qualifies (YUKK Art. 31(6)).

The current rules are in the document list of the Presidency of Migration Management (PMM, the agency that issues residence permits), under the heading for people who own real estate in Turkey.

The USD 200,000 threshold

The PMM list says the value of the home on the date you acquired it must be at least the lira equivalent of USD 200,000. Three points follow from that wording:

• The value is measured on the date you bought the home, not on the date you apply.
• The amount is in US dollars, converted to Turkish lira (TRY).
• The list gives one figure for the whole country. There is no lower amount for smaller provinces.

Older rules set USD 75,000 in metropolitan cities and USD 50,000 elsewhere. Some websites also say the USD 200,000 figure applies only in Istanbul. Both claims are out of date according to the PMM list.

How the home must be used

• The property must be a dwelling (konut). Land, fields and commercial units such as shops or offices do not qualify.
• You must use the home as your own residence.
• The home may not be rented out or used for any income. The PMM list states this directly.

If you plan to buy a flat as an investment and rent it out, it will not support your permit. You would need a different ground, such as a tourism permit backed by regular income. See the short-term residence permit page.

Special cases

• Family co-ownership: if family members share the title deed, you must prove the family relationship between the owners.
• Inherited or gifted homes: you need a current valuation report.

Documents specific to the property route

On top of the common documents for every short-term permit (form, passport copy, photos, fee receipts, health insurance and proof of means), the property route needs:

The full list is on the documents page, and the steps are on the application process page.

Check the neighbourhood before you buy

Since 1 July 2022, PMM closes neighbourhoods to new foreign address registration once foreigners make up more than 20% of the population. In 2022 this covered 1,169 neighbourhoods in 63 provinces, 54 of them in Istanbul, according to Turkish press reports. We have not found the 2026 list.

Buying in a closed neighbourhood is legal. But you may not be able to register your address there, and so you may not be able to use the home for a permit. Ask PMM or your lawyer about the status of the neighbourhood before you sign.

Property permit or citizenship

A USD 200,000 home gives a residence permit that you renew. A property investment of at least USD 400,000, with a title deed note that you will not sell for three years, can lead to Turkish citizenship. The two routes have different rules on valuation and on the currency exchange. See citizenship by investment.

What owning a home in Turkey means for tax

Owning a home does not make you a Turkish tax resident, and neither does the permit. Tax residency under Article 4 of the Income Tax Law depends on domicile in Turkey or on a stay of more than six months in one calendar year. If you move into the home and live in Turkey, you will usually become resident.

New residents from 1 January 2026 may qualify for the 20-year tax exemption on foreign-source income, such as dividends, interest and rent from property abroad. They must have had no Turkish domicile and no Turkish tax liability in the three calendar years before, and must get the exemption certificate (İstisna Belgesi) from the tax office by the end of the year in which they become resident. If residence starts in November or December, the deadline is the end of February of the next year.

The exemption does not cover Turkish-source income. Rent from a property in Turkey is taxed under the normal rates of 15% to 40%. For a permit home this does not arise, because you may not rent it out. Owning Turkish property and earning Turkish rent before you move does not block the exemption, according to Communiqué No. 333.