Turkish Residence Permit and Citizenship Through Property in 2026: Conditions, Amounts and Pitfalls
How a residence permit for a home worth $200,000+ differs from citizenship for $400,000, which documents you need, how long it all takes and where buyers most often go wrong.
Many people buy an apartment in Turkey not just for the sea but for status: the right to live in the country without visa limits and, ideally, a Turkish passport. The law offers two different tools for this, and they are constantly confused. The first is a residence permit for homeowners. The second is citizenship through investment in real estate. They differ in the amount, timelines, requirements and, most importantly, the result.
Here are both routes as of summer 2026.
The essentials
Residence permit through property: a home worth at least $200,000, a permit for about a year with renewals, and you actually need to live in Turkey.
Citizenship: property worth at least $400,000 that cannot be sold for three years. The whole family gets passports.
In both cases the value is confirmed by an official valuation, not the listing price.
Residence permit for property owners
How much the home must be worth
Since October 2023, a residence permit based on ownership is only granted if the home is worth at least $200,000. The threshold is the same nationwide. It used to be $75,000 in big cities and $50,000 elsewhere, which is why outdated figures still circulate online.
The value is confirmed by a valuation report. The property must be residential, an apartment or a house. A plot of land, a shop or an office won't qualify for this permit.
Duration and renewal
The permit is usually issued for a year. You must renew it in advance: the application is filed in the last 60 days before expiry. Miss the date and you are in the country illegally, which means a fine and the risk of an entry ban.
There is also an important condition: this permit is granted so that you live in Turkey. If you spend more than 120 days abroad in total in a year, the permit can be cancelled. The home must be used as your own residence.
Documents
an application through the e-ikamet system and an appointment at the migration office;
your passport and copies of pages with entry stamps;
biometric photos;
the tapu and the valuation report;
health insurance covering the entire permit period;
proof of sufficient means;
address registration;
receipts for the permit fee and the card.
The owner's spouse and children can apply for family residence permits.
Even a $200,000 apartment won't help if it is in a quarter closed to registering foreigners. Check the address before you buy, not after.
Closed quarters
Since 2022, Turkey has not registered new foreign residents in quarters where foreigners exceed 20% of the population. This applies to tenants and owners alike. The lists change from time to time. For example, in June 2026 Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar and Kargıcak in Alanya were reopened for applications, while some quarters of Konyaaltı in Antalya remain closed. Check the status of the specific address right before the deal.
Citizenship through real estate investment
Main conditions
Property worth at least $400,000 according to the official valuation. You can buy several properties if together they reach the amount.
Payment in foreign currency through a Turkish bank, with a currency sale certificate (döviz alım belgesi). Transfers in lira don't count.
A commitment not to sell the property for three years is recorded on the tapu. Selling earlier can lead to the citizenship being revoked.
Off-plan property qualifies, but only under a notarized contract and with full payment up front.
Properties that won't qualify
bought from first-degree relatives or from a company in which you or your relatives are partners;
a share of an apartment instead of the whole unit;
properties already used by someone to obtain citizenship;
agricultural land and timeshares;
properties with encumbrances that prevent the transfer of ownership.
How the process works
Valuation of the property and confirmation of the amount.
Currency transfer through the bank and the currency sale certificate.
The deal at the land registry with a three-year no-sale annotation.
Confirmation from the land registry that the investment meets the requirements.
An investor residence permit from the migration office.
Filing the citizenship application.
Security checks and a presidential decision.
Preparing up to the application usually takes a few months, and from filing to decision it takes another six months to a year. The security check is the longest stage.
The applicant, spouse and children under 18 receive citizenship together. You don't need to invest separately for each family member. Turkey allows dual citizenship, but check in advance whether your own country does.
Which to choose: a comparison
Amount: from $200,000 for a permit and from $400,000 for citizenship.
Result: a residence permit that needs renewing, or a passport for life.
Must you live in Turkey: for the permit yes, for citizenship no.
Selling: with a permit, selling the home removes the basis for it; with citizenship you cannot sell for three years.
Family: with a permit each person gets their own; with citizenship the spouse and children receive it at once.
The usual route: years of residence
If investing $400,000 isn't in your plans, you can reach a Turkish passport by living in the country. After five years of uninterrupted legal residence you can apply for citizenship through the general procedure, with extra requirements: Turkish language, a source of income, a clean record and limits on time spent abroad. And after eight years of uninterrupted residence permits you can obtain a permanent residence permit.
Common mistakes
Outdated thresholds. Listings still mention $75,000 for a permit or $250,000 for citizenship.
Buying "for citizenship" at an inflated price. After three years such an apartment is hard to sell without a loss.
Not checking the quarter. You own the apartment but cannot register at the address.
A missed renewal deadline or a gap in health insurance.
Paying in lira or cash, although citizenship requires a foreign currency transfer through a bank.
The rules in this area change regularly, so before buying it is worth consulting a lawyer who handles such cases.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the residence permit itself cost?
In 2026 the residence permit card costs 964 lira. On top of that there is a permit fee that depends on your nationality and the duration, plus health insurance for the whole period. If you are buying specifically for the permit, also budget for the valuation.
Can I rent out the apartment my permit is based on?
This permit is granted so that the owner lives in their own apartment. If it is rented to other people, the basis for the permit no longer makes sense, and questions may arise at renewal.
Can I buy a home for citizenship with a mortgage?
The $400,000 must be paid in full, and the property must not have encumbrances that prevent the transfer of ownership. So a classic mortgage on this property doesn't work.
Do I need to speak Turkish?
For citizenship by investment, no; there is no exam. Language is only tested when applying for citizenship through the general procedure after five years in the country.
Can my parents be included in the application?
No. Only the spouse and minor children, as well as dependent children, receive citizenship together with the investor. Parents need to apply for residence permits separately.
How to find property on Homeviona
The Buy section lists apartments, houses and villas in Turkey. The price filter helps you shortlist properties of the right level straight away. Before buying, read our step-by-step guide to buying an apartment in Turkey as a foreigner and our article on the costs of owning a home.
If you are selling a home worth over $200,000, post a listing on Homeviona and state whether it qualifies for a residence permit: whether the quarter is open to foreigners and whether there is a recent valuation.
In short
Residence permit through property: from $200,000 by valuation, a home in a quarter open to foreigners, renewal every year.
Citizenship: from $400,000, a currency transfer through a bank, a three-year sale ban, passports for the whole family at once.
A permit requires living in Turkey, citizenship doesn't.
The alternative is citizenship after five years of residence or a permanent permit after eight.
Check the address and the current rules before you buy.
