Buying Property for Turkish Citizenship: The $400,000 Rule, Valuation and Title Checks

BRIDGES says something from its practice that I repeat to every family looking at Turkey: most refusals are not about the applicant, they are about the property. It was already used for someone’s citizenship, the seller was the wrong party, the appraisal came in below the price, or a share was bought instead of a whole unit. So this guide is about the asset, and about checking it before you pay a deposit.

What the regulation actually requires

Article 20 of the Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law describes two ways to use real estate:

1. A completed purchase. You buy land with established property ownership or construction servitude, or a property with a building on it, worth at least $400,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency, and a no-sale annotation for at least three years is entered at the title registry.
2. A notarised preliminary sale contract. For a property with property ownership or construction servitude, you pay at least $400,000 in advance under a preliminary contract signed before a notary. The contract is recorded at the title registry with an undertaking not to transfer or assign it for three years.

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change determines whether the condition is met. Invest in Türkiye adds the practical side: in the purchase application you state that you are buying for citizenship, the title deed shows this purpose, and you declare that you will not sell for three years. After the land registry procedure, you receive a certificate of eligibility that you use to apply for residence and citizenship.

Three figures that must each reach $400,000

BRIDGES describes the threshold as being measured three times. Each figure has to reach $400,000 on its own:

• the price stated in the official title deed;
• the value in a licensed appraiser’s report filed through the TADEBIS system;
• the money actually transferred through a Turkish bank.

If one of them falls short, the file is refused. The dollar amounts are converted at the effective selling rate of the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye on the date of determination, as the regulation says.

Valuation rules in 2024 and 2026

From the BRIDGES timeline of official changes:

• Since February 2024, an appraisal report is valid for three months.
• Since 28 September 2026, any valuation firm licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK) can prepare the report, not only GEDAŞ. The amount confirmation document is valid for 12 months instead of 6, and purchases from real estate investment trusts (GYO) need a valuation report.

A tip I share with everyone: never rely on a valuation arranged by the developer selling you the flat. BRIDGES publishes a client review describing exactly that mistake, where the developer’s appraiser put the value below the threshold.

Properties that do not qualify

From the Land Registry guidance and BRIDGES practice:

• Already used. A property that has served as the basis for someone else’s citizenship is disqualified permanently.
• Recent transfer from a foreigner. A second-hand property does not qualify if it passed to a Turkish owner from a foreigner, or from someone who obtained citizenship under this programme, within the last three years.
• Related sellers. You cannot buy from your spouse or close relatives, from your own company or from a relative’s company.
• Shares. If several foreigners buy one property in co-ownership, it cannot be used. A whole property bought by one foreigner from several owners does qualify.

Several properties can be combined to reach $400,000. Sellers rarely volunteer the history of a flat, so it has to be checked before the deposit.

How the money must move

The regulation says the foreign currency is sold to a bank operating in Türkiye, and by that bank to the Central Bank, before the transaction. BRIDGES explains what this looks like: the bank issues a currency sale certificate (DAB) quoting the property, and the seller receives lira. VAT, commissions and duties must not be included in the certified amount. Cash and crypto do not work.

You will need a Turkish tax number and an account before completion. BRIDGES has a case about a buyer in Antalya who learned this eleven days before signing, and how the account was opened in time. Prepare the banking part before the contract, not alongside it.

Checks before any deposit

Invest in Türkiye lists several points that I would add to any checklist:

• Ownership passes only on registration at the land registry. A preliminary contract on its own does not transfer the property.
• Mortgages, liens and other restrictions should be checked before the procedure starts. Basic information on a parcel is available at parselsorgu.tkgm.gov.tr.
• A foreign individual can acquire up to 30 hectares in total, and foreigners together may not exceed ten percent of a district’s private property area.
• Foreigners cannot buy in military zones; special security zones need the governor’s permission.
• If you buy land without a building, you must apply to the relevant public administration within two years to develop a project.

What to budget besides the price

In its cost breakdown BRIDGES lists the title deed transfer duty (tapu harcı) at 4%, an agency commission of 2% plus VAT, the licensed appraisal, land registry fees and the investment certificate, mandatory DASK earthquake insurance, residence permit costs, a passport and ID card, and sworn translations, notary work and apostilles. Duties are set in lira and confirmed on the transaction date.

After three years

Once the annotation is lifted, you can sell. BRIDGES points out two different dates to keep in mind: the annotation ends after three years, but capital gains tax stops applying to an individual only after five years of ownership. A sale between the third and fifth year is taxed on a progressive scale with indexation relief. Plan the exit with both dates in front of you, and choose a property with resale in mind from the start.

For the full list of what BRIDGES checks and costs, see its page on Türkiye citizenship by investment. The next step is the application process. Last checked 18 October 2026.