Areas in Turkey Where Foreigners Can Get a Residence Permit by Buying Real Estate

Buying real estate in Turkey in 2024 is still an attractive option for foreign investors, but there are some important changes and restrictions to be aware of.

What's Happening in the Turkish Real Estate Market Right Now?

Not so long ago, it was quite easy to get a Turkish residence permit, but those times are over—as of July 1, 2022, the country has 1,169 closed districts in 58 cities. This means that a foreigner who decides to buy real estate there, will not be able to register or live in this property. And therefore, they cannot get a primary residence permit and legally stay in the country. Plus, now you can get ikamet only if you have real estate (to do it on a lease is no longer possible, starting in December 2022).

You can download the full list of closed areas in Turkey on the Interior Ministry's website. But open areas, of course, there are also — about them today, and we will talk about them.

It is worth noting that starting in 2022, the Turkish government has changed the rules for obtaining citizenship and residence permits based on real estate ownership. Now, a residence permit is required to purchase a home worth at least $75 thousand in popular regions such as Istanbul and Antalya, and $59 thousand in other areas of the country.

What does a Residence Permit in Turkey Give?

The Turkish residence permit is not only an opportunity to reside in the country for a long time legally. It provides several privileges:

• The ability to open accounts in various local banks. Not all financial institutions are willing to cooperate with foreigners who do not have a residence permit.
• Ease of registration of a local SIM card. Tourist SIM cards are much more expensive and, in addition, they are often blocked after 1–2 months of use.
• Ability to send your child to a local school. Without a residence permit, this can be problematic.
• Purchase of a name pass, which allows you to save money on public transportation. For tourists, only non-personalized passes are available, which are often more expensive.
• The ability to live in the country without having to leave every 60 days. As long as your residence permit is valid, you do not have to leave the country.
• Savings on cultural entertainment, such as museum tickets.

According to data for August 2024, there are just over 1.1 million foreigners living in Turkey on existing residence permits, up from 1.3 million in 2022. Most foreigners are registered in Istanbul, Antalya, and Ankara.

List of Open Areas of Turkey for Obtaining a Residence Permit

Despite the restrictions, there are still areas in Turkey where foreigners can obtain a residence permit when purchasing real estate. These include:

In 2024, you can use an interactive map to obtain a residence permit (TPL) in Turkey, where you can see in which areas it is possible to rent or buy a home to obtain a residence permit.