Short answer: Foreigners can buy property in Turkey if the President has listed their country under Land Registry Law 2644 Article 35, within 30 hectares per person nationwide and 10% of a district's private land, outside military and security zones. The land registry (TKGM) says the list covers 185 countries and is not public, so a specific nationality is confirmed by asking a land registry office. A buyer without Turkish citizenship pays in foreign currency that is sold to a Turkish bank before the transfer, and the title deed (tapu) passes only on registration.
This guide has no property to sell and takes no view on buying or prices. It is built from Law 2644, TKGM's foreign buyer portal (Your Key Türkiye), the central bank's Capital Movements Circular and its implementing instruction, all read on 6 November 2026.
Costs and annual tax are in the Turkey property tax guide. Residence permits and citizenship through property are separate processes, not covered here. GOV.UK advises independent legal advice before paying a deposit; rules change, so confirm details with the land registry office handling your purchase.
Can foreigners buy property in Turkey? What the law says
Yes: Article 35 of Land Registry Law 2644 lets foreign individuals acquire property and limited real rights if the President has listed their country, subject to the limits below.
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Only citizens of countries on the President's list |
| Per person | 30 hectares nationwide; the President may raise this up to double |
| Per district | Foreign individuals' holdings together may not exceed 10% of the district's private land |
| President's powers | May limit, suspend or ban acquisitions by country, person, region, period, number, type or area |
| Military zones | Military forbidden and security zones are closed; TKGM says the annotations are on the title record in all 81 provinces |
| Special security zones | Permission from the provincial governor |
| Protected sites | The office first asks the Ministry of Culture and Tourism or the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change (TKGM FAQ) |
| Unbuilt land | A project must go to the relevant ministry within two years |
| Breach | The finance ministry sets up to one year to dispose of the property; otherwise it is liquidated and the proceeds are paid to the owner |
The portal does not show how close a district is to the 10% limit, so ask the office. Any type of property is possible within the limits: home, workplace, plot or field, and TKGM's PDF guide says the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry gives an opinion on farmland. Foreign companies may acquire only under special laws, and Turkish companies at least 50% foreign-owned or foreign-controlled follow Article 36, so company buyers need separate advice.
Can Americans and British citizens buy? The country list
TKGM's FAQ says Council of Ministers Decision 2012/3504 of 25 June 2012 lists 185 countries but the list is not public, and that any land registry office can tell you whether a given nationality may acquire.
- Ask before you pay: send the question to a land registry office or to the address TKGM's FAQ gives for questions, yabanciisler@tkgm.gov.tr, and keep the answer. Lists of banned countries on commercial sites cannot be checked against an official text.
- British buyers: GOV.UK's guide (updated 15 February 2024) states the same limits.
- American buyers: the same rule applies, and the US Embassy in Türkiye advises contacting the local land registry office before making any payment (read 6 November 2026).
- Dual nationals: the least favorable nationality decides, and an application is refused if one nationality is that of a barred country. If one nationality is Turkish, the person is treated as Turkish (TKGM FAQ).
- Stateless people: only a stateless person's ID issued in Turkey counts; one issued elsewhere does not.
A 2009 note still on the website of the Turkish consulate in Los Angeles describes a reciprocity test and a 25,000 m² limit, which predate the 2012 rewrite of Article 35. GOV.UK's guide still allows three weeks for military permission, while TKGM's FAQ says offices now read military zones from the title record without asking the commands.
How to buy property in Turkey: the steps
The transfer happens at a land registry office, in the order TKGM's portal sets out, and ownership passes only when the sale is registered; a preliminary contract at a notary does not transfer title (Investment Office).
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Check | Confirm the nationality answer and ask the land registry office about mortgages, liens and annotations on the title before you sign or pay. |
| 2. Agree | Agree the sale with the owner. |
| 3. Prepare | Gather the documents below and a Turkish tax number. |
| 4. Sell the currency | A bank buys the price in foreign currency for the central bank and sends the certificate to the office electronically. |
| 5. Apply | Apply through Web Tapu, TKGM's online system, which logs in through e-Government (e-Devlet), or by appointment. The office reviews the file and reports gaps by SMS. |
| 6. Pay fees | TKGM sends the title deed fee and service fee by SMS. The title deed fee calculator estimates them. |
| 7. Sign | The office prepares the official deed and sends a signing time by SMS. After signing, you or your representative receive the title. |
Documents on TKGM's list:
- Passport or national ID, with a Turkish translation if not in Latin script, and the signed identity declaration form with a photo.
- Foreign identity number: the office can assign one at application, and a tax number can be used if the migration system gives no answer.
- Property tax value document from the municipality, unless available online.
- Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) for buildings.
- Sworn translator if a party does not know Turkish, authorized by a regional justice commission.
- A power of attorney if represented; foreign ones must meet TKGM's circular, with a translation.
You can use any land registry office since 1 January 2020, and TKGM says its Berlin representative office handles transactions without travel to Turkey. A Turkish bank account is not on TKGM's list, but the currency step runs through a Turkish bank.
Proof of foreign currency: the certificate every buyer needs
When the buyer has no Turkish citizenship, the price must be paid in foreign currency and sold to a Turkish bank before the transfer, and the seller is paid in lira (Capital Movements Circular Article 13, under Decree 32). The central bank's instruction took effect on 21 January 2022, and TKGM dates the certificate from 24 January 2022.
- The certificate: the bank sends the foreign exchange purchase certificate (döviz alım belgesi) to the office by registered e-mail the same day. It cannot be handed in on paper, and it must show your name, passport or foreign identity number and the property number.
- No exemptions in practice: TKGM says long-term residents and foreigners married to Turkish citizens still need it, and it applies whether you live in Turkey or not.
- Who can convert: only the buyer, the seller or their proxies or representatives.
- Currencies and rate: the central bank buys US dollars, euro and sterling, and banks convert others into these. The rate is its buying rate announced at 11:00 on the day of conversion (instruction as amended on 1 October 2026).
- It cannot be undone: once the central bank's purchase is complete, the instruction says the sale cannot be canceled for any reason. Do not convert until the deal is firm.
- Part payments: several certificates may add up to the price. For a promise-to-sell contract, the certificate covers the part paid in advance and must be dated no later than the contract.
- Loans: non-resident foreigners may finance a purchase only with a foreign currency loan, also converted through a certificate (Article 13(7)). For any foreign buyer, resident or not, an unpaid price cannot be secured by a statutory mortgage (Article 13(6)).
The lira amount on the certificate is the sale price you declare (Article 13(3)). Do not accept a suggestion to declare less: the fee is charged on the declared price, which may not be below the property tax value, and if it does not reflect the real price the missing fee is assessed plus a tax loss penalty of the same amount (Fees Law Article 63; Law 7566 of 4 December 2025 raised the penalty from 25%). Carrying currency into Turkey is a separate question, covered in bringing cash to Turkey.
Hypothetical purchase: a buyer agrees a price of TRY 6,000,000 and holds euro. At an invented rate of EUR 1 = TRY 50.00, the buyer sells EUR 120,000.00 to a bank, which sells it to the central bank and sends the certificate. The seller receives TRY 6,000,000, and that is the price on the deed. Fees are added on top; the buyer's 2% title deed fee alone is TRY 120,000.
Is a valuation report still required for foreign buyers?
TKGM's current page says no for ordinary purchases: it states that the valuation report practice for foreign individuals' acquisitions has been removed.
Official pages disagree, so confirm this point with your office:
| Page | What it says |
|---|---|
| TKGM portal, foreign buyers page | Step 2 says the practice is removed; a second version of the step chart in the same page still says to order a report through Web Tapu |
| TKGM portal FAQ, section 10 | A report is not mandatory in all foreigners' transactions; it links circular 2024/4, as amended on 9 December 2024 |
| TKGM PDF process guide | Undated older text citing circular 2019/1, which says a report is needed |
| GOV.UK, updated 15 February 2024 | A local expert's evaluation report, valid for three months, goes to the title deed office |
| Investment Office | Asks for a municipal document on current value, not a report |
| US State Department, 2026 Investment Climate Statement | Says a valuation report has been required for sales to foreign buyers since March 2020 |
The TKGM circulars themselves could not be opened on 6 November 2026: the links in its FAQ return a web page or an error instead of the PDF. Treat the portal text as the current position, and ask the office in writing.
Buying unbuilt land as a foreigner
A foreign buyer of unbuilt land must submit a project to the relevant ministry within two years of acquisition, or the land becomes subject to liquidation (Article 35).
The ministry then sets the period for finishing it. TKGM's FAQ goes further: a project completed after the two years does not stop liquidation, so treat the two years as a hard limit. The duty passes to heirs and to a foreign buyer of the same land, and it ends if the owner becomes a Turkish citizen in that time. Selling to a Turkish citizen before liquidation starts is what TKGM calls natural liquidation.
After you buy: tax, rent, sale and inheritance
Ownership brings separate duties, each covered in its own guide.
- Property tax: owed by every owner, resident or not; declare the property to the municipality and pay in two installments a year; see the property tax calculator.
- Letting: rent from property in Turkey is Turkish income, so non-residents are taxed on it too (Income Tax Law Articles 6 and 7(5)); see rental income tax.
- Selling within five years: the gain is taxable for residents and non-residents alike (Income Tax Law duplicate Article 80 and Article 7(7)); see capital gains tax.
- Taking money out: banks may transfer abroad a non-resident's net rent and sale proceeds after taxes (Capital Movements Circular Article 13(1)).
- Death or gift: Turkish inheritance and gift tax covers property located in Turkey, whatever the nationality or residence of those involved (Inheritance and Gift Tax Law Article 1); see inheritance and gift tax. An heir from a country not on the list must dispose of the property within up to one year set by the finance ministry (Law 2644 Article 35; TKGM FAQ).
Non-residents should also check the tax treaty between Turkey and their country of residence.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners buy property in Turkey?
Yes, if the President has listed their country under Law 2644 Article 35, within 30 hectares per person nationwide and 10% of a district's private land, and outside military and security zones.
Can Americans buy property in Turkey?
TKGM says the list covers 185 countries but is not public; any land registry office can confirm a nationality. The US Embassy in Türkiye advises contacting the local office before making any payment.
Do foreigners need a residence permit to buy property in Turkey?
No. Turkey's Investment Office and GOV.UK both say a residence permit is not needed to buy. Residence permits are a separate process and outside this guide.
Do I have to pay in foreign currency when buying in Turkey?
Yes, if you have no Turkish citizenship. The price is sold in foreign currency to a Turkish bank, the bank sends a certificate to the land registry and the seller is paid in lira. TKGM lists no general exemption.
Can foreigners buy land in Turkey?
Yes, within the same limits, but a buyer of unbuilt land must submit a project to the relevant ministry within two years or the land is subject to liquidation.
Sources
- Mevzuat: Land Registry Law No. 2644, Articles 35 to 37, consolidated text read 6 November 2026 (Turkish) (opens in a new tab)
- TKGM Your Key Türkiye: Property acquisition by foreign individuals, limits and steps (Turkish) (opens in a new tab)
- TKGM Your Key Türkiye: FAQ on foreigners' property acquisition, sections 1, 2, 4, 8 and 10 (Turkish) (opens in a new tab)
- TKGM Your Key Türkiye: Property acquisition guide, required documents and Berlin office (Turkish) (opens in a new tab)
- TKGM: Land registry process guide for foreigners, undated PDF (Turkish) (opens in a new tab)
- TCMB: Capital Movements Circular, Article 13, real property (Turkish) (opens in a new tab)
- TCMB: Implementing instruction on foreign currency sales under Article 13, as amended 1 October 2026 (Turkish) (opens in a new tab)
- Mevzuat: Fees Law No. 492, Article 63 on the declared price (Turkish) (opens in a new tab)
- Mevzuat: Income Tax Law No. 193, Articles 6 and 7 and duplicate Article 80 (Turkish) (opens in a new tab)
- Mevzuat: Inheritance and Gift Tax Law No. 7338, Article 1 (Turkish) (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Buying property in Turkey, updated 15 February 2024 (opens in a new tab)
- US Embassy and Consulates in Türkiye: Living in Türkiye, purchasing property, read 6 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- US Department of State: 2026 Investment Climate Statement for Türkiye, real property section (opens in a new tab)
- Invest in Türkiye (Presidency Investment Office): Acquiring property and citizenship (opens in a new tab)
- Turkish Consulate General in Los Angeles: Guidance for foreign nationals on buying property, note dated 23 September 2009 (opens in a new tab)
This guide is general information, not investment, legal or tax advice. Amounts, rates and rules in Turkey change often: check the date given for each figure and the official source before you rely on it, and ask a licensed adviser about your own situation. Sources, checks and corrections: see the editorial policy.