As of January 2026, the updated rules for issuing residence permits in Turkey have come into force. The main news is a fixed minimum property-value threshold for obtaining a residence permit through purchase: it has been set at 200,000 US dollars for a single apartment or property.
This rule does not apply to the tourist residence permit, which is still available through short-term rental or a hotel booking. However, for a long-term and family residence permit, purchase has become the only reliable route.
The property owner's family (spouse and minor children) receives a residence permit automatically. The first permit's term is two years with the option of renewal, and after five years of legal residence one may apply for citizenship.
All transactions are formalised through the tapu — Turkey's unified land registry. Foreign citizens are also required to obtain a tax number and open an account at a Turkish bank. The process takes from five days to three weeks depending on how busy the registry is.
An important detail: when assessing the 200-thousand-dollar threshold, the value stated in the tapu is now taken into account rather than the market value. For this reason many developers offer "optimised" declarations, which can lead to problems with banks when taking out a mortgage. Lawyers recommend declaring the real value.