Live in Türkiye through real estate ownership.
If citizenship is not your immediate goal — or you would rather build toward it gradually — a Turkish residence permit can provide the legal right to live in Türkiye through a qualifying residential property purchase starting from $200,000.
A lower entry point than citizenship — with a real path forward.
The property-based residence permit is designed for foreign buyers who want a legitimate legal foothold in Türkiye without immediately committing to the higher citizenship investment threshold. It offers renewable residency while allowing you to retain a real asset and potentially build toward citizenship later.
Minimum property value: $200,000 USD under the qualifying rules.
Permit duration: typically 1 to 2 years and renewable while the qualifying conditions remain in place.
Family coverage: spouse and dependent children under 18 may be included.
Potential citizenship route: time on this permit can count toward Türkiye’s separate standard naturalization route.
Income: proof of sufficient monthly income is generally required.
Health insurance: required for the full requested permit period.
Restricted neighborhoods: eligibility should be checked before purchase because some areas may be closed to new foreign registrations.
Physical presence: there is no minimum stay requirement solely to keep this property-based permit active.
What is a Turkish residence permit?
A residence permit — İkamet İzni — is the legal document that allows a foreign national to remain in Türkiye beyond the standard tourist stay limits. For property buyers, the relevant route is the short-term residence permit based on real estate ownership.
Unlike citizenship, this does not provide a passport, voting rights, or unconditional permanent status. What it does provide is a legal basis to live in Türkiye while owning a qualifying residential property.
For buyers who want to establish themselves gradually, test the market, spend time in Türkiye, or structure a longer-term plan before pursuing citizenship, it can be a practical first step.
What the property needs to qualify.
Since 16 October 2023, a single nationwide minimum threshold applies for this property-based residence route.
$200,000 Minimum
The property value declared on the Title Deed must meet the stated $200,000 USD threshold or equivalent in Turkish Lira.
Licensed Valuation
A valuation report from an SPK-licensed appraiser is required and must support the qualifying property value.
Residential Property
The qualifying asset must be a house or apartment rather than commercial property or land.
Registered in Your Name
The property must be registered to the applicant on the Tapu, or Title Deed.
One Qualifying Asset
The $200,000 threshold generally needs to be satisfied with a single qualifying property.
Formal Bank Transfer
Payment should move through the banking system, with the transaction documentation required for the residence application.
How to obtain a residence permit through property.
Purchase a Qualifying Property
Complete the purchase of a residential property that meets the minimum qualifying value and appraisal requirements.
Obtain Health Insurance
Arrange valid private health insurance covering the full permit period requested in the application.
Prepare Supporting Documents
Gather your passport, biometric photographs, title deed, appraisal, address documentation, income proof, and any family documents that apply.
Apply Through e-İkamet
Submit the online residence permit application and schedule the required appointment with the relevant migration authority.
Attend the Appointment
Attend in person with the original documentation requested for your case.
Receive Your Residence Permit Card
Following approval, a physical residence permit card is issued for the approved period and can later be renewed if the conditions continue to be met.
Build a life in Türkiye — and keep your options open.
The property owner’s spouse and dependent children under 18 can be included as family members, making everyday life, schooling, insurance, and residence administration more straightforward for the household.
Two longer-term possibilities are a long-term residence route after eight years of continuous legal residence, and Türkiye’s general five-year naturalization route for qualifying applicants.
Some clients begin with the lower-cost property residence route and only later move toward citizenship once they know Türkiye is the right long-term fit. That is why the property strategy should be planned around the end goal from the beginning.
Which route fits your goal?
| Comparison | Residence Permit | Citizenship by Investment |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Investment | $200,000 | $400,000 |
| What You Get | Legal right to live in Türkiye | Full citizenship + passport |
| Duration | Typically 1–2 years, renewable | Permanent |
| Voting Rights | No | Yes |
| Can Status Be Lost? | Yes, if qualifying conditions are not maintained | Citizenship is permanent once granted |
| Property Holding Period | As long as you want to maintain the permit | Minimum 3 years |
| Path to Citizenship | Potentially through the separate general naturalization route | Direct citizenship route after approval |
Neither option is automatically “better.” The right route depends on budget, timeline, how permanent you want the status to be, and whether your immediate goal is simply to live in Türkiye or to obtain citizenship and a passport.
A more accessible entry point than many international alternatives.
Türkiye can be compared with several European and Gulf residency routes, with a trade-off between lower entry cost and the absence of EU freedom-of-movement rights.
No direct real-estate route
Portugal’s Golden Visa no longer uses a direct property-purchase route.
Higher entry point
Real-estate thresholds range from €250,000 to €800,000 depending on location and property type.
Investor route closed
Spain closed its investor residency route to new applicants in April 2025.
Residency, not citizenship
The UAE route generally requires a larger investment for long-term residency without a naturalization pathway.
Total costs for a residence permit.
The $200,000 figure is the qualifying property investment, not the complete application budget. Transaction and application costs should be considered separately before you commit.
Property purchase taxes and Land Registry charges.
SPK-licensed valuation report.
Government residence permit application and card fees.
Mandatory private health insurance for the requested permit period.
Notary, certified translation, and where applicable apostille costs.
Legal representation, where used.
A typical property-based residence permit file.
The exact list can vary by nationality and case. The following are common documents for the application.
Valid passport with the required remaining validity.
Biometric passport-style photographs.
SPK-licensed property appraisal report.
Title Deed (Tapu) in the applicant’s name.
Numarataj / address-numbering certificate from the local municipality.
Proof of valid health insurance for the requested period.
Proof of sufficient monthly income or bank statements where required.
Completed e-İkamet application and appointment confirmation.
Marriage and birth certificates when family members are included.
Certified Turkish translations, notarization, or apostille where applicable.
Property ownership is not the only route.
Tourist Residence
A short-term non-property route that may be less suitable for repeated long-term renewals without another qualifying basis.
Family Residence
Available where there is a qualifying family connection to a Turkish citizen or residence/work permit holder.
Student Residence
Linked to enrollment at a Turkish educational institution and generally limited to the study period.
Work Permit-Linked
Tied to qualifying employment and generally involving sponsorship or formal employment conditions.
Long-Term Residence
This may be available after eight years of continuous legal residence.
What we help clients check before they buy.
Buying in a restricted neighborhood
Eligibility should be checked before signing, because some areas may be closed to new foreign resident registrations.
Confusing market price with qualifying declared value
Both the valuation and the official transaction value need to support the qualifying threshold.
Letting health insurance lapse
Valid insurance must cover the relevant permit period, so gaps can create avoidable renewal or application problems.
Renting the property without understanding the impact
The property generally needs to remain the applicant’s registered residence while the permit is tied to it.
Paying informally or in cash
The residence strategy should be structured through the formal banking and transaction system with the required supporting documentation.
Turkish Residence Permit FAQs.
Can I combine multiple properties to reach the $200,000 threshold?
Unlike the citizenship route, this residence permit generally requires a single qualifying property to meet the minimum value on its own.
Do I need to live in Türkiye full-time to keep the permit?
There is no minimum physical-presence requirement solely to maintain this property-based permit, provided the qualifying conditions and renewals are maintained.
Can I rent out the property while holding this permit?
The property generally needs to serve as your registered residential address and should not be rented to third parties while the permit tied to it remains active.
How is this different from the $400,000 citizenship investment?
A residence permit provides a renewable legal right to live in Türkiye but does not itself provide citizenship, a passport, or voting rights. The citizenship route is a separate, higher-investment process.
Can this permit eventually lead to citizenship?
Time spent on this property-based residence permit may count toward Türkiye’s separate standard five-year naturalization route for qualifying applicants.
What income do I need to show?
Applicants generally need to demonstrate sufficient monthly income, while documentation requirements may vary by nationality and stage of application.
What happens if a neighborhood is closed to foreign residents?
Property ownership alone may not solve the issue if the address is in a restricted area, which is why neighborhood eligibility should be checked before purchase.
How long does the process take?
Processing typically takes around 2 to 4 weeks after the appointment, although actual timing can vary by case and authority workload.
Can my spouse and children receive residence permits too?
The property owner’s spouse and dependent children under 18 can be included as family members.
Does this residence permit give me the right to work in Türkiye?
No. A standard short-term residence permit does not by itself provide a general right to work; a separate work permit is normally required.
What if I bought my property before the October 2023 rule change?
Transactions completed before 16 October 2023 may be assessed under the rules that applied at the time of purchase.
Is residence ever the wrong choice compared with citizenship?
It depends on your goals. If permanent citizenship and a passport are the priority, the direct citizenship route may be more appropriate. If you want a lower-cost, gradual way to establish yourself in Türkiye, residence may be the better starting point.
Find the right property for your Turkish residence permit.
Not every $200,000 property qualifies, and not every neighborhood may be open to new foreign registrations. Sara and her team can help you identify a suitable property and guide the process from purchase through the residence permit application.
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