Turkish residence permit through property purchase

According to the document list on the e-İkamet portal, the home must be worth at least the lira equivalent of $200,000 on the date of purchase. This threshold applies to properties bought from 16 October 2023 onwards and is the same in every province.

Lower thresholds applied to properties bought earlier. The value is evidenced by the purchase documents; for a home received by inheritance or as a gift, a recent valuation report is required.

• the property must be residential and registered in the applicant's name;
• you must use it as your own home: under the migration authority's rules it may not be rented out or used to generate other income;
• if family members own the home jointly or in shares, they can apply too, with a document proving the family relationship;
• the home must be in a neighbourhood open to new applications from foreigners (see below).

The migration authority closes neighbourhoods (mahalle) to first-time applications from foreigners where the share of foreign residents exceeds a set limit; in July 2022 the limit was lowered to 20%. The list changes over time. You can still buy a flat in a closed neighbourhood, but you cannot get a first residence permit based on it — which is why we check the neighbourhood before you reserve.

• the application form completed on e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr;
• a copy of your passport (data page and visa, if any) — bring the original to the appointment;
• two biometric photos on a white background, taken within the last 6 months;
• receipts for the residence permit fee and the card fee;
• health insurance covering the whole permit period;
• a copy of the tapu;
• an address numbering certificate (numarataj belgesi) from the local municipality.

For a renewal, instead of the address certificate you submit a document confirming that the tapu is still in your name (tapu devam belgesi).

1. Apply and book an appointment online on e-İkamet.
2. Visit the provincial migration office with the original documents.
3. Once approved, the residence card is sent by post to your address in Turkey.

Processing times and the length of the permit are decided by the migration authority. Nobody — no agency or lawyer — can guarantee the outcome.

A property-based residence permit lets you live in Turkey, but it does not lead to citizenship automatically. Citizenship by investment is a separate programme with a $400,000 threshold and a 3-year no-sale commitment — see our citizenship guide. The purchase itself is covered in the buyer's guide.