Buying property in İzmir as a foreigner.

Minimum value

At least US$400,000, or the equivalent in another foreign currency. The property must have condominium or construction-servitude title, or be land with a building on it. Undeveloped land is not accepted.

Three-year annotation

A note is added to the title deed that the property will not be sold for three years. (An alternative route: US$400,000 paid in advance under a notarised promise-to-sell contract, with the same three-year condition.)

No shared ownership

Buying a share of a property (hisseli) cannot be used for the application.

Currency sold to a Turkish bank

The foreign currency is sold to a bank in Türkiye. The bank sends the Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate (DAB) to the land registry electronically; it cannot be hand-delivered. The price on the deed must match the Turkish lira amount on the certificate.

Official valuation (TTB)

The value is set by an Amount Determination Certificate (Tutar Tespit Belgesi), based on a valuation report prepared through GEDAŞ and issued via the land registry system. At most six months may pass between the certificate and the application.

Every figure must clear the threshold

The deed price, the TTB value and the payments must each reach US$400,000 on their own. If the TTB comes in below the threshold, the application is rejected.

Previously used properties

The property must not be bought from someone who became a citizen through this route, nor be one that such a person transferred to a Turkish citizen or company within the last three years.

Final decision

Citizenship is granted by Presidential decision. We do not quote processing times: there is no official figure.

General information, not legal advice. Rules change; your own case should be checked with a lawyer and, for tax, a certified accountant.

Who qualifies

Foreigners not settled in Türkiye, Turkish citizens who have lived abroad for more than six months with a work or residence permit, and institutions based abroad (VAT Law, article 13/1-i).

First sale only

The exemption applies to the first delivery of a home or workplace — the sale by the developer who built it. A resale does not qualify, nor does the sale of a unit that fell to the landowner.

Permit and title

The building must have a construction permit, and condominium servitude must be established where possible.

How the money comes in

At least 50% of the price must be brought into Türkiye in foreign currency before the invoice; the rest within one year at the latest.

Three-year annotation

A note is added to the deed: if the property is sold within three years, the VAT not charged is paid, with late-payment interest, before the transfer.

Documents

For a foreigner: a passport copy and a certificate from the tax office confirming you are not settled in Türkiye.

General information, not legal advice. Rules change; your own case should be checked with a lawyer and, for tax, a certified accountant.

Price in foreign currency

Between two residents of Türkiye a home cannot be priced in foreign currency. A buyer who is not a Turkish citizen is the exception: pricing in foreign currency is possible, not required.

Declare the real price

Title deed fee is 2% from the buyer and 2% from the seller, on a base not lower than the property-tax value. If under-declaration is found, the difference is charged with a one-fold tax-loss penalty.

Anti-money-laundering checks

Estate agencies are obliged parties: identity is verified for transactions of 185,000 TL and above, and a suspicious transaction is reported regardless of amount — without informing the parties.

Safe Payment System

From 1 October 2026, payments made in cash, by transfer or EFT pass through a Safe Payment System that releases the money together with the title transfer (the mortgage-financed part is excluded). A usage fee is deducted from the amount paid to the seller; the fee has not been published, so it is subject to confirmation.

General information, not legal advice. Rules change; your own case should be checked with a lawyer and, for tax, a certified accountant.

Minimum size

For the €400,000 and €800,000 thresholds the property must be at least 120 m².

One property

The investment must be in a single property; several smaller units no longer add up. Subject to confirmation — from secondary sources, not yet confirmed in an official text.

What you get

A renewable residence permit — not citizenship.

Work

The residence permit does not give the right to work in Greece. Subject to confirmation — from secondary sources, not yet confirmed in an official text.

Penalties and permit duration are not given here: we could not confirm them from official texts. Greece is covered in more detail, with the other countries, on our Golden Visa page (in Turkish).

General information, not legal advice. Rules change; your own case should be checked with a lawyer and, for tax, a certified accountant.