Property-based residence permit for property owners

Who can apply for a property-based residence permit?

Every foreigner who owns residential property in Turkey is entitled to apply for a short-term residence permit based on that ownership, a right set out in the Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458. This path is still active and valid today, but it is no longer as easy and broad as it was before 2023. Turkish authorities raised the minimum qualifying property value for this residence permit in mid-October 2023, and since 2022 a number of neighborhoods and districts have been closed to new foreigner residence registrations because of their population density, including ten specific districts in Istanbul.

The property owner's spouse and minor or dependent children who hold a joint ownership share in the same property are also entitled to apply on the same basis. If ownership is shared among several foreigners who are not related, usually only one person can use the title deed (tapu) to apply for a residential permit, while the rest need a different type of residence permit.

Documents and general requirements

Important points to know

• The property must be residential in actual use; commercial properties, land, or projects under construction do not qualify under this path
• The minimum qualifying property value is set by current regulations and was raised in October 2023; those who bought their property before that date at a lower value may remain covered by the previous rules upon renewal according to several legal sources, while any property bought today must meet the current threshold
• Some neighborhoods and districts, including ten districts in Istanbul, have been closed to new foreigner residence registrations since 2022, with an exception for those who owned property there before the closure date
• Owning the property alone does not grant Turkish citizenship and is not equivalent to the "citizenship through real estate investment" path, which has an entirely different legal route and conditions
• The continued validity of the residence permit is tied to continued ownership of the property and its residential use; selling the property or changing its use may affect the renewal of the residence permit

Duration and validity

Like other categories of short-term residence, the property-based short-term residence permit is granted for periods not exceeding two years at a time, according to the official website of the Turkish immigration directorate. It can be renewed as long as the eligibility conditions remain in place, chiefly continued ownership of the property and its actual use as a residence. There is no announced official text setting a final cap on the number of renewals as long as the conditions are met, but regulations are subject to change, as has happened in recent years.

Most common reasons for rejection or delay

• A property whose value does not reach the minimum required under the current official valuation
• A property that is not residential in actual use (commercial, land, or not registered as a residence)
• Shared ownership among several unrelated foreigners without clarity on who is entitled to apply on this basis
• The property being located in an area or neighborhood currently closed to new foreigner residence registrations
• A mismatch between the registered address and the actual property address
• An expired passport or health insurance, or one that doesn't cover the required period

Frequently asked questions

Does owning property in Turkey still grant short-term residence? Yes, this right still stands under the Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458, but the conditions have changed and become stricter in recent years regarding the minimum property value and the permitted areas.

Do all co-owners on the same title deed get a residence permit? No. If ownership is shared among unrelated foreigners, usually only one person benefits from this basis, while the rest need a different type of residence permit that suits their situation.

Does owning property qualify me for Turkish citizenship directly? No. This is a completely different path from "citizenship through real estate investment," which has an entirely separate legal route and much higher value requirements.

Can I apply with property in any neighborhood of Istanbul? Not always. Some neighborhoods have been closed to new foreigner residence registrations since 2022 due to the density of the foreign population there, with an exception for those who owned property there before the closure date.

Last updated: 2026-09-07