Buying Property in Turkiye for Foreign Buyers

Atty. Av. Serkan KARA, Serka Law Firm

Foreign nationals can acquire real estate in Turkiye with full freehold ownership under Article 35 of the Land Registry Law No. 2644, subject to nationality eligibility, statutory area and district caps, and a military-zone clearance specific to foreign buyers. The purchase becomes legally binding only when the new title deed (tapu) is registered in the buyer’s name at the Land Registry Directorate, not when a deposit is paid or a private reservation contract is signed. Beyond that single decisive moment, a cross-border purchase is a sequence of due diligence, valuation, funds documentation, and registration steps, and the safeguards that protect a foreign buyer are concentrated before any money moves. The sections below answer the questions cross-border buyers ask most, in the order they usually arise.

Can a foreigner legally buy property in Turkiye?

Yes. Under Article 35 of the Land Registry Law No. 2644, foreign individuals may acquire real estate in Turkiye with full ownership rights if they are nationals of a country the President of Turkiye has designated with regard to bilateral relations and the country’s interests, so the buyer’s passport is checked against that list before anything is signed. Eligibility turns on the buyer’s nationality, the location and zoning of the property, and statutory caps on the area and quantity a foreigner may hold. The same article allows the President to limit, suspend or prohibit acquisitions by foreigners by country, region, period, type and surface area, wholly or in part, and no foreign national may acquire property inside prohibited military zones.

Three statutory limits apply to foreign individual buyers and should be confirmed for each transaction:

• Total area cap. An individual foreigner may hold no more than 30 hectares across the country, and the President may raise that figure up to twofold (Article 35).
• District cap. Foreign individuals collectively cannot hold more than 10 percent of a district’s surface area that is subject to private ownership (Article 35). If a district has reached that share, further foreign acquisition there may be refused.
• Restricted and military zones. Property inside prohibited military zones cannot be sold to foreigners. The Land Registry runs every foreign buyer’s transaction against the zone maps that the Ministry of National Defense sends for military forbidden zones, military security zones and strategic zones and that the Ministry of Interior sends for special security zones (Article 35).

A company incorporated abroad under its own country’s law may acquire real estate in Turkiye only if it is a commercial company and only within the limits of special laws, and a foreign legal entity that is not a commercial company cannot acquire at all (Article 35). A company incorporated in Turkiye in which foreigners hold 50 percent or more of the shares, or the power to appoint or remove the majority of its management, acquires under Article 36 of the same law and only to carry on the activities stated in its articles of association; the same rules reach an indirect holding and a share transfer that takes foreign ownership to 50 percent or more, and only a foreign-capital company outside them acquires on the same terms as a domestic one. Choosing the right buying vehicle is a legal decision with tax and succession consequences, not a formality.

What is the step-by-step process to buy property in Turkiye?

The purchase runs from due diligence to title registration in a defined sequence, and the legally operative step is registration of the new title deed at the Land Registry Directorate under the Land Registry Law No. 2644. Everything before registration is preparation, and everything after it is administrative follow-up. A typical cross-border purchase moves through the stages below.

1. Title and encumbrance check. Obtain the current title record (takyidat) and confirm the seller’s ownership, the exact parcel, zoning status (imar durumu), and any annotations such as mortgages, liens, easements, court injunctions, or rights of pre-emption registered against the property.
2. Turkish tax number and bank account. The foreign buyer obtains a Turkish tax identification number (vergi numarasi) and, in most cases, opens a Turkish bank account so the price can be paid and documented through the banking system.
3. Payment and currency documents. The price moves through a Turkish bank in the buyer’s name. On a citizenship purchase the foreign currency is sold, before the transaction, to a bank operating in Turkiye and by that bank to the Central Bank, and the bank’s foreign-exchange purchase document (Döviz Alım Belgesi, DAB) evidences the sale; for the VAT exemption, the price must be brought into Turkiye in foreign currency.
4. Sale agreement. The parties record their agreement in writing. Under the Code of Obligations No. 6098 and the Civil Code No. 4721, a contract that itself transfers ownership of immovable property must be made in the prescribed official form before the Land Registry; a private deposit or reservation agreement does not transfer title on its own.
5. Valuation report, on a citizenship purchase. The Land Registry has asked for no valuation report on a foreign buyer’s transfer since 13 June 2024 unless the purchase is made for citizenship by investment (TKGM circular Genelge 2024/4). On a citizenship purchase the report is made, since 28 September 2026, by any valuation firm authorized by the Capital Markets Board of Türkiye (SPK), on a request filed through Web Tapu, and since 9 December 2024 the qualifying amount is confirmed by the TTB, the certificate drawn from that report in the registry’s system. On any other purchase a valuation is the buyer’s own check against over-pricing, not a condition of the transfer.
6. Earthquake insurance and utilities check. Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) is arranged, occupancy permit (iskan) status is confirmed, and any outstanding utility or common-charge debts on the property are identified.
7. Zone check for foreign buyers. The Land Registry checks the parcel against the zone maps of the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Interior to confirm the property is not in a restricted zone. This is an additional step specific to foreign buyers.
8. Title transfer and payment. Both parties (or their authorized representatives under a power of attorney) attend the Land Registry, the fee is paid, the price is settled through documented banking channels, and the new title deed is issued in the buyer’s name. A sworn translator is provided for a buyer who does not speak Turkish.

A buyer who cannot travel to Turkiye can complete the entire transaction through a notarised and apostilled power of attorney granted to a Turkish lawyer, which is one of the most common structures used by cross-border clients.

How long does buying property in Turkiye take?

For a clean residential purchase, the title transfer itself is typically completed within a short period once the application is filed and documents are ready, with the zone check for foreign buyers being the main variable. The total timeline depends on whether documents are in order, whether the buyer uses a power of attorney, and how quickly the zone check is completed. Properties in clearly non-restricted urban locations clear faster than those near coastlines or sensitive zones. Disputed title, unresolved inheritance on the seller’s side, or zoning irregularities can extend the timeline substantially, which is exactly why the pre-contract due diligence stage matters more than any other.

What rights does a foreign owner have after purchase?

A registered foreign owner holds the same core ownership rights as a Turkish citizen, including the right to use, lease, mortgage, sell, gift, and pass on the property by inheritance. Ownership in Turkiye is an absolute right (ayni hak) protected under the Civil Code No. 4721, and once the title is registered the owner’s name on the deed is the decisive proof of ownership. Foreign owners may rent the property out, renovate within zoning rules, and dispose of it freely, subject to the same area and zone limits that applied at purchase.

Two points deserve attention from cross-border owners:

• Inheritance. Turkish immovable property passes under Turkish succession rules, with the applicable law determined through the Private International and Procedural Law No. 5718. Where an heir inherits property beyond the limits of Article 35, the heir must dispose of it within the period the Ministry of Finance sets, never more than one year; otherwise it is liquidated and the price is paid to the heir. Foreign owners with heirs abroad should plan succession deliberately, because the forced-heirship regime of the Civil Code No. 4721 can differ sharply from the rules in the owner’s home country.
• Currency and remittance. Sale proceeds can generally be repatriated, but the price on purchase and the proceeds on resale should move through documented banking channels from the outset to keep the transaction transparent and to support any later transfer abroad.

What documents does a foreign buyer need?

The core documents are a valid passport, a Turkish tax number, biometric photographs, compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK), the title record for the target property and, on a citizenship purchase, the foreign-exchange purchase document (DAB) and the TTB built on an SPK-authorized valuation report. Foreign-language documents are typically required with a sworn translation, and documents executed abroad (such as a power of attorney) generally need an apostille under the Hague Apostille Convention or, for non-convention countries, consular legalization.

What are the main legal risks, and how are they avoided?

The most serious risks are buying property with hidden encumbrances, relying on a seller who is not the true owner, and paying deposits before any title check at the Land Registry. Each is avoidable with disciplined due diligence before money changes hands. The recurring problems cross-border buyers face are predictable, and so are the safeguards.

• Defective or disputed title. Buying before confirming the registry record can mean inheriting mortgages, court injunctions, or a parcel that does not match the marketing. The safeguard is a full title and annotation check at the Land Registry before any binding commitment.
• Paying the wrong party. Deposits paid to agents or third parties who are not the registered owner are difficult to recover. Payment should track the registered seller through documented banking channels.
• Skipping valuation or DAB documentation. An unvalued purchase exposes the buyer to over-pricing, and on a citizenship purchase the Certificate of Conformity (Uygunluk Belgesi) is not issued without the TTB, built on an SPK-authorized valuation report, and the DAB.
• Zoning and occupancy. A building without a valid occupancy permit (iskan) or a parcel with agricultural or other restrictive zoning can be difficult to use or resell. This is checked before purchase, not after.
• Off-plan and unfinished projects. Pre-construction purchases carry developer and delivery risk. Contract terms on delivery dates, penalties, and developer default are the buyer’s main protection and should be negotiated, not accepted as standard.

If a dispute does arise, immovable-property claims in Turkiye are litigated where the property is located under the Code of Civil Procedure No. 6100, and enforcement of money judgments proceeds under the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law No. 2004. Cross-border owners benefit from structuring the purchase so that, if a dispute occurs, the evidence (registry records, valuation, banking trail, signed contracts) is already clean and complete.

Should I buy as an individual, through a company, or for citizenship?

The right structure depends on the buyer’s goal: personal use, investment yield, corporate holding, or citizenship by investment each point to a different vehicle. There is no single best answer, and the wrong structure is expensive to unwind after title has been registered.

Citizenship by investment through real estate is a distinct legal pathway with its own minimum-value rule, mandatory holding period, and documentation standard, and it carries a no-sale annotation on the title for the holding period. The qualifying value and conditions are set by law and regulation and change over time, so they must be confirmed as current before any purchase is structured for citizenship. A property that is excellent as an investment is not automatically compliant for citizenship, and the two goals should be reconciled before signing. For the full route, see our route and process guide.

Do foreign buyers pay extra taxes when buying property in Turkiye?

Foreign buyers pay the same transaction and ownership taxes as Turkish buyers; there is no separate foreigner surtax on the purchase itself. The principal charges are the title transfer fee paid at registration, recurring municipal property tax, and tax on rental income or on any gain when the property is later sold. The title deed fee (tapu harcı) is 2 percent of the declared price from the seller and 2 percent from the buyer under item 20/a of tariff 4 of the Fees Law No. 492, on a base never below the property-tax value, and the contract decides who actually bears it. The VAT exemption in Article 13(1)(i) of the VAT Law No. 3065 is a first-delivery rule, not a first-time-buyer rule: it covers only the first delivery of a building constructed as a residence or workplace, the price must be brought into Turkiye in foreign currency, and the buyer must be a foreign individual not settled in Turkiye or one of the two other categories the article names, so a resale never qualifies. The buyer is jointly liable for the tax, the penalty and the interest if the conditions were not met, and a sale within three years repays the untaxed VAT with deferral interest before the title transfer. Other rates are set by tax legislation and are confirmed for the year of the transaction.

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy property in Turkiye without traveling there?

Yes. A foreign buyer can complete the entire purchase through a notarised and apostilled power of attorney granted to a Turkish lawyer, who handles the tax number, currency documentation, valuation, zone check, and title transfer on the buyer’s behalf. The apostille follows the Hague Apostille Convention, or consular legalization applies for non-convention countries.

Does buying property give me Turkish residency or citizenship automatically?

No. Ownership can support a short-term residence permit application and can qualify for citizenship by investment only if the purchase meets the separate statutory value, payment, and holding conditions, which are set by law and change over time. Buying property alone does not confer either status automatically.

What is the single most important step?

Verifying the title record and encumbrances at the Land Registry before paying any deposit. Almost every serious problem cross-border buyers encounter traces back to a payment made before this check, which is why the title transfer under the Land Registry Law No. 2644, not the reservation contract, is the decisive moment.

Are there areas where foreigners cannot buy?

Yes. Property in prohibited military zones is closed to foreign buyers, and the Land Registry checks every foreign purchase against the maps of military, strategic and special security zones; a district where foreign individuals already hold 10 percent of the privately owned surface takes no further foreign acquisition. Both are confirmed during the title process.

Work with a cross-border real estate lawyer

Buying property in Turkiye is straightforward when the due diligence is done before money moves and risky when it is not. Serka Law Firm takes a foreign buyer from the first registry extract to the registered title deed, by power of attorney where the buyer is abroad, and acts under a written engagement on a signed legal services agreement. If you are evaluating a property or already hold a signed reservation, speak with us through our real estate law and property acquisition team for a structured review before you commit.

Related reading for foreign buyers: an overview of Turkish real estate law, the real estate due diligence checklist for foreign buyers, and title deed red flags every foreign buyer should check.

General information, not legal advice. Turkish law; verify your specific situation with qualified counsel.