According to recent reports, Turkey has started lifting restrictions on residence permit applications for foreigners in many districts that had previously been closed to new applications. For the real estate market, this is an important signal: some locations that had fallen out of investment demand due to migration restrictions may once again become attractive to buyers motivated by residence permit opportunities.

📌 Restrictions on foreign residents in certain districts were introduced for a reason. In 2022, Turkey closed hundreds of neighborhoods across the country to new foreign registrations, citing the high concentration of foreign residents. These areas could not be used for several migration procedures, including initial residence permit applications, address changes, and transitions between certain residence statuses.

💡 In practice, this had a strong impact on buyer behavior. Even if a property was liquid, located in a popular area, and matched an investor’s budget, it could still be unsuitable for obtaining a residence permit simply because of its address. For foreigners buying real estate not only as an asset, but also as a basis for legal residence in Turkey, a closed district became a serious limitation.

🔍 Now, according to Turkish media reports, the situation has begun to change. The e-ikamet application system no longer blocks many addresses that were previously considered closed. Some exceptions remain, particularly Fatih and Esenyurt in Istanbul, where restrictions continue to be especially relevant due to the high density of foreign residents.

🏙️ What this changes for property buyers:

— some districts are returning to the radar of investors who consider property purchases as a basis for obtaining a residence permit;
— the liquidity of apartments in previously closed locations may increase, especially if the district combines affordable prices, infrastructure, and rental demand;
— buyers will pay closer attention not only to the price and documents of a property, but also to whether the address can be registered for migration purposes;
— agencies and developers will need to label more clearly which properties may potentially be suitable for residence permit applications.

📊 For the market, this could become a targeted driver of renewed demand. In recent years, some foreign buyers avoided districts with migration restrictions, even when prices there were more attractive than in open locations. Now such areas may partially regain interest, especially from clients who value not only investment returns, but also the opportunity to legally reside in the country.

🌍 The potential market impact will be uneven:

— districts with good transport accessibility and moderate prices may attract additional interest from foreign buyers;
— in locations where the share of foreign residents is already high, restrictions may remain in place or return if the pressure increases;
— properties suitable for residence permit applications will once again become a separate category of demand;
— buyers will more often choose real estate not only by price and yield, but also by the migration suitability of the address.

🔍 Current real estate listings in Turkey can be found on our website.