Turkish Residence Permit by Buying Property: Rules, Documents and Steps

Who can apply and which property qualifies

The permit is a short-term residence permit (kısa dönem ikamet izni) for foreigners who own immovable property in Türkiye, under article 31 of Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection. Any foreign national who owns a qualifying home in their own name can apply. In practice, owners apply from inside Türkiye through e-ikamet, before their visa or visa-free stay ends.

Buying comes first. Foreigners can acquire property only as nationals of the countries set by the President (Land Registry Law No. 2644, article 35). The list is not published, so a land registry directorate confirms each nationality.

• The title deed (tapu) must be in your name, and for property acquired since 16 October 2023 the sale price on it must be at least USD 200,000, converted at the Central Bank (TCMB) rate on the purchase date.
• The property must be residential. Shops, offices and land do not qualify.
• The deed price is decisive: a higher valuation report does not make up for a lower declared price.
• The permit is meant for a home you use. Some document lists say the property must not be rented out for income, so ask the directorate before you let it.
• The closed-neighbourhood restriction has been lifted and all neighbourhoods are open. Still check that e-ikamet accepts your exact address before you sign.

The USD 200,000 rule and earlier purchases

The minimum depends on when you acquired the property, not on when you apply, and it is the same for first applications and renewals.

The Presidency of Migration Management set the October 2023 threshold without retroactive effect. If you bought earlier, confirm your rule with the provincial directorate of migration management.

Documents to prepare

Based on the e-ikamet document page and the Investment Office guide as seen in October 2026. Directorates can ask for more, so check the current list for your category on e-ikamet.

Family documents issued abroad usually need an apostille or legalisation and a certified Turkish translation.

How to apply, step by step

You apply online at e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr and complete the file in person at the provincial directorate of migration management.

1. 1

   Check the property and address

   Confirm the home is residential, the deed price reaches USD 200,000 and e-ikamet accepts the address. Have a lawyer check the title.

2. 2

   Complete the purchase

   Get a tax number and a bank account, pay through the bank and take the title deed in your name with a DASK earthquake insurance policy in your own name.

3. 3

   Fill in the e-ikamet form

   Choose the short-term permit for property owners and submit before your visa or visa-free stay ends.

4. 4

   Book the appointment and pay

   Pick a date at your province's directorate, print and sign the form, and pay the permit and card fees.

5. 5

   Attend the appointment

   Bring originals and copies; officers check the file and take biometric data.

6. 6

   Decision and card

   The authority may take up to 90 days once the file is complete. Track it on e-ikamet; an approved card is sent by post (PTT).

7. 7

   Keep your address current

   Report any change of address within 20 working days, as the Presidency of Migration Management requires.

Timelines vary by province, and Istanbul has had appointment backlogs. No adviser can guarantee a date.

Permit length, renewal and family members

Under Law No. 6458, a short-term residence permit is issued for up to two years at a time. The directorate decides the length, and owners commonly receive one or two years. You can renew while you own the property and meet the other conditions. Apply on e-ikamet within the 60 days before expiry, and in any case before the permit ends. If you sell, the property can no longer support the permit, so plan another basis first, and ask the directorate before spending most of the year abroad.

Your spouse and children under 18 can join you through a family residence permit (aile ikamet izni), with you as sponsor. You need a total monthly income of at least the minimum wage in force, and at least one third of the minimum wage per family member. Each family member needs health insurance, and a family permit does not run longer than the sponsor's permit. Children aged 18 or over need a permit of their own.

Work and tax residence

The permit lets you live in Türkiye, not work. Under article 12 of International Labour Force Law No. 6735, a residence permit does not by itself give the right to work, so a job needs a work permit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Planning to run a company? Check the work permit rules first.

Under article 4 of Income Tax Law No. 193, staying in Türkiye continuously for more than six months in a calendar year makes you tax resident, and temporary trips abroad do not interrupt the stay. Residents are taxed on worldwide income, subject to tax treaties. Since 1 January 2026, Law No. 7582 offers a 20-year exemption on foreign-source income to people who newly settle in Türkiye, under conditions. This is general information, not tax advice: ask a tax adviser in Türkiye and at home.

Visa-free stays and overstay entry bans

Without a residence permit, visa or visa-free stays may not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period, and some nationalities get less. The official Presidency of Migration Management table for foreigners who leave on their own and pay the fine at exit, in summary:

An unpaid fine brings a ban and refusal of entry until it is paid, and overstays detected by the authorities carry longer bans. Under article 9 of Law No. 6458 a ban lasts up to five years, extendable by up to ten more for serious security threats. Decisions are made at the border.

Residence by property vs citizenship by property

A residence permit does not lead to citizenship by itself. After eight years of continuous residence on permits you can apply for a long-term residence permit (Law No. 6458, articles 42 and 43), if you received no social assistance in the last three years and have sufficient income, health insurance and a clean public-order record.

A home bought for residence does not automatically count toward citizenship later, because that route needs a currency certificate (DAB) before the purchase. If citizenship may be your goal, plan it before you buy.

Related guides

• Invest in TürkiyeThe full overview for foreign investors.
• Turkish citizenship by investmentRequirements, process and costs.
• The USD 400,000 property ruleValuation, TTB and the three-year annotation.
• Buying property as a foreignerFrom due diligence to the title deed.
• Title deed and valuationHow the tapu transfer works.
• Property taxes and costsFees, VAT, DASK and property tax.
• Opening a bank accountDocuments and currency transfers.
• Company formationCompany types, capital and tax.
• Double taxation treatiesWhat changes when you become tax resident.

How Golden Visa Partners helps

We are based in Istanbul and work on the ground with buyers, lawyers, banks and the Land Registry. Our founder is a licensed real estate broker, so we check a property's price, title and address before you commit, which matters when the deed price decides your permit. We are independent and compare a residence permit with citizenship and with other countries' programmes.

Golden Visa Partners is the brand that Gordion Partners Organizasyon Danışmanlık Limited Şirketi uses for its investment advisory services.

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