Buying Property in Turkey as a Foreigner: A Guide for Antalya

04 November 2026

Photo: Esginmurat, CC BY-SA 4.0

Antalya is one of the cities that attract the most interest from foreign buyers. Foreign nationals can acquire real estate in Turkey. However, the law sets certain limits, additional documents are required in the title deed process, and separate conditions apply to residence permits and citizenship. In this guide we summarise the basic rules, as far as we have been able to verify them against official sources.

Who can acquire property?

Under Article 35 of the Land Registry Law (Tapu Kanunu), and subject to the legal restrictions, foreign individuals who are citizens of countries designated by the President may acquire real estate and limited real rights in Turkey. This designation is made with regard to bilateral international relations and the country's interests. You should therefore confirm with the land registry office before the transaction whether your nationality is covered.

Commercial companies established abroad, on the other hand, may acquire real estate only within the framework of special laws. This article focuses on foreign individuals.

Legal limits

• District limit: The total area of real estate acquired by foreign individuals may not exceed 10 per cent of the privately owned land in a district.
• Per-person limit: A foreign individual may acquire no more than 30 hectares of real estate across the country. The President may increase this amount up to twofold.
• Undeveloped land: A foreigner who buys a property with no building on it must submit the project they will develop there to the relevant Ministry for approval within two years.
• Liquidation: Real estate acquired in breach of these rules, or used contrary to the purpose of acquisition, may be liquidated and converted into its monetary value if the owner does not dispose of it within the period given.

In addition, where the country's interests require it, the President may restrict or suspend acquisitions by foreigners in terms of country, region, period, number or proportion.

Military restricted zones and security zones

The map and coordinate data for military restricted zones, military security zones, strategic zones and special security zones are sent to the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre. Land registry transactions are carried out on the basis of this data. A property within these zones may not be eligible for sale to a foreigner. This check is carried out by the land registry office. Even so, especially for large plots of land or areas near the coast, finding out the property's status before deciding to buy saves time.

What is required in the title deed process

• Passport and tax number: Your passport is used for identification; in practice, a tax number obtained in Turkey is also required for the transactions.
• Sworn translator: In practice, a sworn translator must be present at the title deed transaction for a buyer or seller who does not speak Turkish.
• Foreign currency purchase certificate: Under a 2022 circular of the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre, foreign buyers submit to the land registry office, before the sale, a foreign currency purchase certificate (döviz alım belgesi) showing that they have exchanged foreign currency equivalent to the sale price at a bank. The Turkish lira amount on the certificate is also taken into account when calculating the title deed fee (tapu harcı).
• Valuation report: For acquisitions made for citizenship by investment, a valuation report prepared by a valuation firm licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK) is required. Whether a report is required for other purchases by foreigners that are not for citizenship has changed several times through circulars of the General Directorate. Check the current practice with the land registry office before your transaction.

Transactions by power of attorney and payment

If the buyer cannot be in Turkey, the transaction can also be carried out with a power of attorney. Powers of attorney issued abroad are subject to formal requirements such as legalisation and translation. Ask the land registry office or a lawyer about these requirements before having the power of attorney drawn up. Make payments through a bank, to an account in the seller's name, with a payment description. The price on the tapu (title deed) matching the actual payment may also be important later for residence permit and citizenship applications. The payment system added to the Regulation on Real Estate Trade (Taşınmaz Ticareti Hakkında Yönetmelik) in 2026, which ensures that the title transfer and the payment take place simultaneously, is intended for real estate sales by individuals and legal entities. The sales that will fall outside the system are to be determined by a protocol between the Ministry and the integrator. Under the regulation, using this system is not mandatory until 1 December 2026, and the Ministry may extend this date.

Residence permit after the title deed

Foreigners who own real estate in Turkey can apply for a short-term residence permit. According to the current document list in the e-İkamet system of the Presidency of Migration Management:

• The property must be a residence and must be used by the foreigner as a residence. It cannot be used for rental or similar income-generating purposes.
• The residence must have a value of at least the Turkish lira equivalent of USD 200,000 as of the date of acquisition.
• A numarataj (address numbering) certificate from the municipality is required for the first application, and a document confirming continued ownership (tapu devam belgesi) for an extension. For a residence acquired by inheritance or gift, a current valuation report is required.

The document list and conditions may change; check the e-İkamet system before applying. Owning property does not mean a residence permit will be granted; the application is assessed separately by the authorities.

Watch out for closed neighbourhoods

To prevent foreigners from concentrating in particular places, the Presidency of Migration Management may close certain neighbourhoods to new residence permit applications. The list of closed neighbourhoods announced in 2022 included neighbourhoods in Antalya. The list may be updated over time, and there are news reports that some neighbourhoods have been reopened; however, we have not been able to verify the current list from an official source. If you are buying a home in order to obtain a residence permit, confirm with the provincial migration office or through the e-İkamet system, before buying, whether the neighbourhood you have chosen is open to new applications.

Turkish citizenship by investment

Under the regulation on the implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law, a foreigner who meets certain investment conditions may acquire Turkish citizenship on an exceptional basis by Presidential decision. For applications through real estate, the conditions in the regulation are, in summary:

• Acquiring real estate worth at least USD 400,000 or the equivalent amount in foreign currency
• The property being a unit with kat mülkiyeti (full condominium title) or kat irtifakı (construction servitude title), or a plot of land with a building on it (introduced by the December 2023 amendment)
• An annotation that the property will not be sold for three years being placed on the title deed record (alternatively, a promise-to-sell agreement drawn up by a notary, in which the price has been paid in full and an undertaking not to transfer the property for three years has been annotated)
• The foreign currency amount being sold to a bank operating in Turkey before the transaction

Whether the investment condition has been met is determined by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change. This determination alone does not grant citizenship; the application is assessed under the general conditions of the law, and the decision rests with the President.

Frequently asked questions

Can foreigners buy a home anywhere in Antalya?

Your nationality must be covered, the district and per-person area limits must be respected, and the property must not lie within a military or security zone. These checks are carried out by the land registry office.

Is a residence permit granted automatically when you buy a home?

No. The residence and value conditions apply, and the application is assessed separately. It also matters whether the neighbourhood is open to new residence applications.

Can I let out the home I bought for a residence permit?

According to the e-İkamet document list, for this type of permit the residence must be used by the foreigner as a residence; it cannot be used for rental or similar income-generating purposes.

Can more than one property be bought for citizenship?

In practice, it may be possible for the total value to meet the requirement. However, each property must meet the eligibility conditions, and the determination must be made by the Ministry. Get advice from a legal adviser on this before the transaction.

If you are looking for property in Antalya, you can explore our portfolio, and if you have any questions, write to us.

This article is for general information only; confirm current amounts and conditions with the relevant authority or a legal adviser.