Invest in Turkey
with Confidence
with Confidence
07.10.2026
How to Get a Residence Permit in Turkey by Buying Property
Sergei Dubinets, founder and CEO of DDA Real Estate Turkey.
A residence permit through real estate is the most straightforward way to live in Turkey. You buy an apartment and get the right to live in the country for as long as the property remains yours. No job at a local company, no studies and no sponsors required.
Over the years, we have obtained residence permits for hundreds of families. Here is how it works in practice.
The main requirement: $200,000
To qualify for a residence permit through real estate, the property must be worth at least $200,000. Important: what counts is not the advertised price but the expert valuation. If the expert values the apartment lower, it will not qualify for a residence permit.
Good news for 2026: districts are open
For several years, Turkey had so-called closed districts. In areas where the share of foreigners became too high, new residence permits were not issued, and Clients had to choose an apartment with this list in mind.
In 2026, the Turkish authorities lifted these restrictions. Today you can apply for a residence permit in any district. For buyers, this means more freedom: you choose an apartment based on location, price and liquidity, not on a list of permitted addresses.
Who receives a residence permit
The following receive a residence permit together with you:
- your spouse;
- children under 18.
The residence permit is renewed for as long as you own the property. And after 5 years of continuous residence in Turkey, you can apply for citizenship on general grounds.
How the process works: 6 stages
| Stage | What happens | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Opening a bank account | - |
| 2 | Purchasing property worth $200,000 or more | - |
| 3 | Expert valuation of the property | 1-4 weeks |
| 4 | Obtaining the DAB certificate (Döviz Alım Belgesi) for selling currency to the bank | 1-5 days |
| 5 | Issuing the TAPU | about 5 days |
| 6 | Residence permit application | about 1 week |
Required documents
Property documents:
- DAB certificate;
- dekont - bank payment receipt;
- numarataj - address certificate with the property details;
- TAPU;
- proof of payment of tax and fees;
- Iskan - habitation certificate confirming the building has been put into service;
- electricity or water bills, at least 2, showing the property address.
Personal documents:
- international passport: the original and a notarized copy with a Turkish translation;
- certificate of no criminal record with apostille;
- police clearance certificate with apostille;
- tax number (you will need a Turkish phone number and your parents' names in Latin letters);
- health insurance for yourself and your family members;
- 4 biometric photos.
Family documents:
- spouse's certificate of no criminal record with apostille;
- notarized copy of the marriage certificate with apostille and a certificate of marriage registration with apostille;
- notarized copy of the spouse's birth certificate with apostille;
- notarized copies of the birth certificates of minor children with apostille;
- family composition certificate with apostille;
- consent of the other parent if the child's parents are divorced.
What to watch out for
Iskan is mandatory. Without the habitation certificate confirming the building has been put into service, a residence permit will not be granted. That is why an apartment in a building under construction qualifies for a residence permit only after the building is completed.
Utility bills. You need at least two, and they must show the property address. This means you cannot apply for a residence permit on the first day after purchase, only after the first water or electricity bills arrive.
Valuation before purchase. As with citizenship, I always advise Clients to check the valuation before paying the main amount. That way you know for sure that the property meets the $200,000 threshold.
At DDA Real Estate Turkey, we handle the residence permit process from choosing the property to receiving the card. The Client receives a checklist of 20 documents, and we tick off each item together.
Get a free expert consultation
07.10.2026
How to Get a Residence Permit in Turkey by Buying Property
Sergei Dubinets, founder and CEO of DDA Real Estate Turkey.
A residence permit through real estate is the most straightforward way to live in Turkey. You buy an apartment and get the right to live in the country for as long as the property remains yours. No job at a local company, no studies and no sponsors required.
Over the years, we have obtained residence permits for hundreds of families. Here is how it works in practice.
The main requirement: $200,000
To qualify for a residence permit through real estate, the property must be worth at least $200,000. Important: what counts is not the advertised price but the expert valuation. If the expert values the apartment lower, it will not qualify for a residence permit.
Good news for 2026: districts are open
For several years, Turkey had so-called closed districts. In areas where the share of foreigners became too high, new residence permits were not issued, and Clients had to choose an apartment with this list in mind.
In 2026, the Turkish authorities lifted these restrictions. Today you can apply for a residence permit in any district. For buyers, this means more freedom: you choose an apartment based on location, price and liquidity, not on a list of permitted addresses.
Who receives a residence permit
The following receive a residence permit together with you:
- your spouse;
- children under 18.
The residence permit is renewed for as long as you own the property. And after 5 years of continuous residence in Turkey, you can apply for citizenship on general grounds.
How the process works: 6 stages
| Stage | What happens | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Opening a bank account | - |
| 2 | Purchasing property worth $200,000 or more | - |
| 3 | Expert valuation of the property | 1-4 weeks |
| 4 | Obtaining the DAB certificate (Döviz Alım Belgesi) for selling currency to the bank | 1-5 days |
| 5 | Issuing the TAPU | about 5 days |
| 6 | Residence permit application | about 1 week |
Required documents
Property documents:
- DAB certificate;
- dekont - bank payment receipt;
- numarataj - address certificate with the property details;
- TAPU;
- proof of payment of tax and fees;
- Iskan - habitation certificate confirming the building has been put into service;
- electricity or water bills, at least 2, showing the property address.
Personal documents:
- international passport: the original and a notarized copy with a Turkish translation;
- certificate of no criminal record with apostille;
- police clearance certificate with apostille;
- tax number (you will need a Turkish phone number and your parents' names in Latin letters);
- health insurance for yourself and your family members;
- 4 biometric photos.
Family documents:
- spouse's certificate of no criminal record with apostille;
- notarized copy of the marriage certificate with apostille and a certificate of marriage registration with apostille;
- notarized copy of the spouse's birth certificate with apostille;
- notarized copies of the birth certificates of minor children with apostille;
- family composition certificate with apostille;
- consent of the other parent if the child's parents are divorced.
What to watch out for
Iskan is mandatory. Without the habitation certificate confirming the building has been put into service, a residence permit will not be granted. That is why an apartment in a building under construction qualifies for a residence permit only after the building is completed.
Utility bills. You need at least two, and they must show the property address. This means you cannot apply for a residence permit on the first day after purchase, only after the first water or electricity bills arrive.
Valuation before purchase. As with citizenship, I always advise Clients to check the valuation before paying the main amount. That way you know for sure that the property meets the $200,000 threshold.
At DDA Real Estate Turkey, we handle the residence permit process from choosing the property to receiving the card. The Client receives a checklist of 20 documents, and we tick off each item together.
Get a free expert consultation