Foreigners can purchase real estate in Türkiye. The process is carried out through the system of the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre. A residence permit is not required for foreigners when purchasing a house in Türkiye.
You choose a property, prepare the necessary documents, and complete the payment through the bank. In Türkiye, it is essential that title deed transactions for foreigners are carried out in accordance with legal obligations.
Preliminary PreparationBefore starting the process of buying a house in Türkiye for foreigners, preliminary preparation should be carried out by making basic checks. Thus, the process to be followed and the transaction time can be shortened.People from many nationalities can purchase property in Türkiye. However, there are various restrictions for certain countries. In addition, it is important that the location of the property is not within security zones.Before proceeding to the property purchase process, you must obtain a tax number. The tax number is mandatory for steps such as opening a bank account and paying taxes.After obtaining a tax number, you should open a bank account. All financial transactions, including foreign currency transactions, must be traceable through your bank account.You must ensure that your passport is translated and notarized. Notarization is not always required. Some regional directorates specifically request this.When purchasing a house in Türkiye for foreigners, you should pay attention to budget planning. By preparing your budget in accordance with the valuation report, you can prevent possible delays.It is a good idea to carry out preliminary preparation in order to complete the home buying process quickly for foreigners in Türkiye. Because thanks to preliminary preparation, you have the opportunity to obtain prior information about each step.
Selection of the Right Real Estate and Legal ChecksThe first step for foreigners to buy a house in Türkiye is to choose the right property. It is important that all requirements such as the title deed of the property are ready. Because not every property is suitable for sale to foreigners.In the process of buying a house in Türkiye for foreigners, you must verify that the property is zoned for residential use. Also check whether the property is suitable for sale to foreigners.It is important that the house you choose has an occupancy permit. Also, the house or property must not be in a security zone. In addition, it is important to check mortgage, lien, and annotation records.In the title deed transfer process for foreigners, legal compliance is an important requirement. The Land Registry and Cadastre Directorate checks the occupancy permit and mortgage, lien, and annotation status of the property.
Examination of Title Deed Records (Annotation, Mortgage and Lien Check)The title deed is the official record that shows the owner of a property in Türkiye. If there is any legal obligation on the title deed, it is recorded there. Therefore, you must clarify that the title deed is clean.Before the transfer of the title deed, you should check records such as mortgage, lien, annotation, and disputes. You can perform checks via Web Tapu and also review official records at the Land Registry Directorate.
Why Is the Occupancy Permit (Building Usage Permit) Important?The occupancy permit is a record showing that a building is legally suitable for use. The property is inspected by the municipality and this document is prepared. Purchasing a property without an occupancy permit is a very risky situation.In the title deed transfer process for foreigners, the occupancy permit is an important detail. This is the record that gives legal status to the property. In addition, the resale value of the house may vary depending on the existence of the occupancy permit.
Obtaining a Real Estate Valuation (Appraisal) ReportBefore completing the process of buying a house in Türkiye for foreigners, a real estate valuation report must be prepared. The Land Registry Directorate requests this report to determine the actual value of the property.The valuation report is prepared by licensed and independent persons. With this report, differences in property value within the scope of title deed transactions for foreigners in Türkiye are prevented.
How to Obtain Turkish Citizenship by Buying a House in Türkiye?For foreigners, buying a house in Türkiye can be part of the process of acquiring Turkish citizenship through investment. The process can be initiated by preparing the necessary documents.There is a minimum threshold of 400 thousand dollars for real estate acquisition for citizenship. It is not possible to proceed with the application process without determining the property value in the valuation report.During the title deed transfer, a 3-year non-sale annotation must be added to the property. You must pay the purchase price to the seller through official banks and have the bank receipt.It is important that the necessary documents for foreigners to buy a house in Türkiye are ready. If you make an appointment at the Land Registry Directorate without having the documents ready, it will cause delays.Before proceeding to the step of selling a house to foreigners via Web Tapu, it is important to check the suitability of the property you will purchase. It is important to gather all documents, including the valuation report.
Additional Costs After Purchase: Taxes and FeesThe costs of buying a house in Türkiye for foreigners include items such as property tax and compulsory earthquake insurance. In addition, there are additional costs such as title deed fees and revolving fund fees.
Property Tax: You pay annual municipal tax according to the declared value of the property. Various details such as property tax value or market value are taken into account in tax calculation.Maintenance Fee: Site management and apartment owners request monthly or annual fees. This additional cost is for security, pool, and other common facilities.DASK Policy: It is mandatory to obtain DASK for residences. It is compulsory earthquake insurance, and without it, you cannot apply for subscriptions such as electricity and water.You should not forget that you may encounter other costs such as title deed fees, revolving fund fees, and notary transaction fees.
Title Deed Fee and Revolving Fund PaymentsOne of the costs of buying a house in Türkiye for foreigners is the title deed fee. It is a mandatory tax collected during property registration. A total of 4% title deed fee is charged from both the buyer and the seller.The revolving fund fee is an administrative fee paid to the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre for the execution of transactions. This fee is paid by the buyer.
VAT Exemption Conditions for ForeignersThe costs of buying a house in Türkiye for foreigners can be reduced with tax exemption. The exemption applies to the first purchase of a newly built residence. However, there are some legal requirements.The person must not have an active residence record in Türkiye within the last 6 months. In cases such as short-term residence permits, it is important to check legal conditions more clearly.It is necessary to earn income abroad and document it in order to benefit from tax exemption. If the income is not documented, no tax exemption can be applied.You must not be a Turkish citizen for tax exemption. In addition, if you are a Turkish citizen living abroad with a work or residence permit, you can request tax exemption.If you want to benefit from tax exemption in the process of buying a house in Türkiye for foreigners, you must purchase real estate for the first time. In addition, it is important that the property is purchased directly from the construction company.
Is a Residence Permit Granted When Buying a House in Türkiye?No, buying a house in Türkiye does not automatically grant you a residence permit. Property ownership, residence rights, and work rights are legally separate processes.You can use your property while applying for a residence permit. However, the residence permit process is handled by the Directorate of Migration Management, not the Land Registry.
How Many Days Does the Process Take in Total?For foreigners, buying a house in Türkiye is completed within 10 working days after the necessary documents are ready. Delays are generally caused by missing documents or workload.Requirements such as obtaining a tax number, opening a bank account, passport translation, and preparing photos are completed within approximately 2–3 working days.Preparation of the real estate valuation report and appraisal process is completed within 3–4 working days. In some cases, it may take longer.The examination of documents, checking of restrictions, and preparation of the title transfer plan at the Land Registry Directorate are completed within 2–3 working days.The processing time is not fixed. Workload, security checks, and other conditions may affect the duration.