Turkey Golden Visa: Property Residence Permit, Costs and 2026 Rules

Turkey has no programme officially called a golden visa. What investors mean by the term is the short-term residence permit for foreigners who own real estate in Turkey (Türkiye'de taşınmaz malı bulunanlar), one of the grounds listed in Article 31(1) of Law No. 6458^[4]. The Presidency of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı, PMM) runs the scheme through its provincial directorates and the online e-İkamet system^[1]. The Investment Office of the Presidency describes it simply: foreigners who acquire property receive renewable short-term residence permits under Law 6458^[6].

The legal framework is short. Article 31 lists the grounds and sets the term: each permit is issued for at most two years, except investor permits under Article 31(1)(j), which can run for up to five years^[4]. The value condition is not written in the law itself. It appears in the PMM's official document list, which requires a title deed showing that the home was worth at least US$200,000 in Turkish lira at the date of acquisition, that it is residential, and that the foreigner uses it as a home and not for rent or other income^[1]. The PMM applied the US$200,000 figure to title transfers from 16 October 2023^[10][9]. We could not find a regulation in the Official Gazette that sets the figure, so treat it as an administrative rule that can change without a legislative process.

The permit is a right to live in Turkey, not a right to work. The PMM's own guidance states that a residence permit does not give the right to work in Turkey; work requires a separate permit under International Labour Force Law No. 6735^[1]. It is also discretionary in the sense that the provincial directorate checks every condition at each application and renewal and can ask for more documents^[1].

The real estate route is the one most investors use. These are the conditions as the PMM states them^[1]:

• Value: the home must have been worth at least US$200,000, in lira at the exchange rate of the acquisition date, as shown on the title deed. Practitioners say the Central Bank's effective selling rate on the transfer date is used, and that the deed price, the bank transfers and the valuation report must all be consistent^[1][9].
• Residential use: the property must be a residence (konut) and you must live in it. A home that is let out, or used for any other income, does not support the permit^[1]. Commercial units, land and fields do not qualify^[10].
• Inherited or gifted homes: these need a current valuation report^[1].
• Address registration: on a first application you supply a numbering certificate (numarataj belgesi) from the municipality. On renewal you supply a current title deed extract^[1].

Valuation, payment and the land registry

Every sale where a foreigner is buyer or seller needs a valuation report showing market value. This has been the rule since TKGM Circular 2019/1, in force from 4 March 2019^[19]. The report comes from a firm licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK). For residence purposes the 2024–2026 restriction that only GEDAŞ could value property did not apply; it covered citizenship files only and ended on 28 September 2026^[18]. Pay through a Turkish bank and keep the transfer records. Lawyers advise against cash and recommend getting the foreign-exchange purchase certificate (DAB) from the bank^[9].

One property or several?

The PMM wording refers to "the residence" in the singular^[1], and practitioners report that the threshold must be met by a single home. Combining two cheaper flats is generally not accepted^[9]. This differs from the citizenship route, where several units can be combined to reach US$400,000. Family members who co-own a home can each apply using it if they submit proof of the family relationship^[1].

Homes bought before 16 October 2023

Before the change, the thresholds were US$75,000 in metropolitan provinces and US$50,000 elsewhere, applied to homes acquired from late April 2022 (26 April 2022 according to press reports). Homes bought before then had no minimum value^[21]. Homes transferred before 16 October 2023 are generally still assessed against the limits in force when they were bought^[9][21]. Practice is not uniform, however. One law firm warns that provincial offices differ on renewals of pre-2023 deeds, and that if an old home is sold and replaced, the new deed is assessed under the US$200,000 rule^[10]. The official document list measures value "as of the acquisition date"^[1], which supports the acquired-rights reading.

Where you can buy, and where you can register

Nationals of countries approved by the Presidency can buy property. One foreigner may hold up to 30 hectares, foreign holdings may not exceed 10% of a district's private land, and military zones are off-limits^[6]. Separately, the PMM has closed some neighbourhoods with high shares of foreign residents to new residence registrations. On 10 June 2026 it reopened all previously closed districts and neighbourhoods in Istanbul to applications, including property-based ones^[11]. Closures elsewhere change from time to time. Before you sign, check on e-İkamet that the address is open for registration.

The title deed fee is fixed by law at 2% of the declared value for each side of the transfer^[13]. On a foreigner's purchase the declared value cannot be below the valuation. VAT is the largest variable. Article 13(i) of the VAT Law exempts the first delivery of a new home to a foreigner who is not settled in Turkey, provided the price is paid in foreign currency brought into the country; if the home is sold within three years, the VAT becomes due with interest^[14]. If you already live in Turkey on another permit, take advice on whether you still count as non-resident before you sign. Resale homes bought from private individuals normally carry no VAT.

Government fees are small. In 2026 the residence permit card costs TRY 964, and the permit fee for most nationalities is TRY 2,232.30 for each month after the first, set by notices in the Official Gazette of 24 and 31 December 2025^[5]. Citizens of some countries pay a fixed dollar fee, and a few, such as Czechia, Denmark and Ireland, are exempt from the fee but still pay for the card^[5]. A two-year permit for a family of four therefore costs a few hundred to a few thousand dollars in government fees, depending on nationality. Annual property tax is 0.1% of the tax value for homes, doubled in metropolitan municipalities^[15]. For comparison, our ranking of low-cost residence-by-investment programmes puts the Turkish route next to Greece, Panama and others.

On top of the property conditions above, the PMM asks every short-term applicant for^[1]:

• A signed application form, made online through e-İkamet. Appointments are free, and the PMM warns against third parties who charge for them.
• A passport with at least the photo page copied, and two biometric photos taken in the last six months.
• Receipts for the permit fee and the card fee. If you entered visa-free and are applying for the first time, you also pay the single-entry visa fee unless your nationality is exempt.
• Health insurance valid for the whole requested period: a Turkish private policy, or cover through the Social Security Institution or a bilateral social security agreement.
• Evidence or a declaration of sufficient and regular means for the stay.
• Proof of address: the title deed with the numbering certificate, then registration of the address within 20 working days of approval. Renewals also need an electronic notification (UETS) address from the PTT.

Foreign documents must be apostilled, or legalised by a consulate, and come with a notarised Turkish translation^[1]. For children, the PMM may require birth certificates, custody papers or the consent of a parent who is not applying^[1]. There is no language test and no interview requirement in law, although provincial offices can call applicants in and ask for extra documents^[1]. You must apply in Turkey before your visa or visa-free stay ends. A residence permit does not replace an entry visa for the first trip if your nationality needs one.

Keeping the permit: the 120-day rule

Article 33 of Law 6458 lists the grounds for refusing, cancelling or not renewing a short-term permit. They include no longer meeting the conditions, using the permit for a purpose other than the one it was issued for, and spending more than 120 days in total abroad in the last year^[4]. A regulation sets out how the absence rule is applied^[4]. In practice, owners who spend most of the year abroad should expect questions at renewal. Selling or letting the home also removes the basis of the permit^[1][9].

The simplest structure is to register the home in the names of both spouses. The PMM accepts applications from family members who own the property in shares or jointly, provided they prove the family relationship^[1]. Spouses and children who are not on the title deed can apply for a family residence permit under Article 34 of Law 6458, with the property owner as sponsor. It is issued for up to three years at a time and cannot outlast the sponsor's own permit^[4].

Article 35 sets the sponsor conditions. The sponsor needs income of at least one-third of the Turkish minimum wage for each family member, including the sponsor, and never less than one full minimum wage in total; health insurance covering the whole family; suitable housing and a registered address; no conviction for offences against the family in the last five years; and at least one year's residence in Turkey on a residence permit^[4][3]. The one-year condition does not apply to work-permit holders, but it does apply to a property-permit sponsor. In the first year, putting the spouse and children on the title deed is therefore the practical way to bring them in. A Turkish-citizen sponsor may give a written income declaration, while a foreign sponsor must document the income^[3]. There is no extra investment per dependant. The cost of adding family members is their permit fees, cards, insurance, translations and apostilles. Adult children who are not dependent, and parents, do not qualify for a family permit. They need their own basis, such as a share in the property or a separate purchase.

A typical purchase-to-card sequence for the property route:

Turkey has no single "business investor visa". An investor who wants to work in Turkey, not just live there, combines a business visa or residence ground with a work permit from the Ministry of Labour. The two routes most used are:

Company partner work permit

Under the Ministry's evaluation criteria, a foreign partner qualifies if the company has paid-in capital of at least TRY 500,000, the foreigner's own capital share is at least TRY 500,000, and the stake is at least 20%. The company must employ at least five Turkish citizens; the first permit is issued conditionally and the five employees are required from its seventh month. These criteria apply from 1 October 2024, and the capital thresholds from 1 January 2025. For a partner with a capital share of US$100,000 or more, the five-employee and minimum company-capital criteria do not apply^[7]. A valid work permit also serves as a residence permit, so there is no need for a separate property permit.

Turquoise Card for qualified investors

The Turquoise Card Regulation (Official Gazette 30007, 14 March 2017) covers qualified investors, assessed on the level of investment or exports, the jobs created and the contribution to science and technology. There is no published fixed amount^[8]. The card starts with a three-year transition period. If the conditions are still met, the transition note is removed and the card becomes indefinite. The holder's spouse and children receive a family card that replaces a residence permit^[8]. Few investors use it, but it is the only investor route that leads to indefinite status in three years.

Other business grounds

Article 31(1)(c) gives a short-term permit to people establishing business connections or setting up a business. You need a purpose visa from a Turkish consulate and notarised company documents from your Turkish counterpart^[1][4]. Article 31(1)(j) gives up to five years' residence to investors at the citizenship levels, such as US$400,000 in property or US$500,000 in deposits or funds^[4]. US investors comparing a business-based route in the United States can read our E-2 treaty investor visa guide.

A residence permit alone does not make you a Turkish tax resident. You become one if your legal domicile is in Turkey or you stay more than six months in a calendar year, and residents are taxed on worldwide income at progressive rates. Non-residents pay tax only on Turkish-source income^[16]. Many permit holders who live in Turkey full-time will cross the six-month line, so take advice on your home country's exit rules and any tax treaty.

Inheritance and gift tax runs from 1% to 30%. Annual property tax is low, and a valuable-housing tax of 0.3%–1.0% applies only to very high-value homes^[15]. A gain on selling a home within five years is taxable under the general income tax rules. Because the property permit requires you to live in the home and not let it out^[1], rental income is not part of this route.

Turkey does not grant permanent residency in return for an investment. The property permit leads to it over time. Under Article 42 of Law 6458, foreigners who have lived in Turkey continuously for at least eight years on residence permits can get an indefinite long-term residence permit with the Ministry's approval^[4]. Time on a student permit counts for half; other permits count in full^[12]. The PMM checklist for the long-term permit asks for^[2]:

• a criminal record certificate from both your home country and Turkey;
• proof of income of at least one-third of the minimum wage for each family member, and at least one minimum wage in total, with no third-party undertakings accepted;
• a certificate that you have received no social assistance in the last three years;
• valid health insurance.

Practitioners say continuity is broken by more than six consecutive months abroad, or more than a year in total over the previous five years^[12]. Long-term holders have most of the rights of Turkish citizens, except voting, military service and public-sector jobs. A long-term permit can be cancelled after more than one continuous year abroad, unless the absence is for health, education or compulsory service in your home country^[4][12].

Faster paths exist. The Turquoise Card becomes indefinite after its three-year transition^[8]. An investor who wants a second nationality rather than residence can use the US$400,000 property route on our Turkey citizenship-by-investment page. It has no residence requirement, but it costs twice as much and needs a three-year no-sale annotation on the title deed. Our article on choosing between a residence permit and a second passport explains the trade-off.

It suits retirees and remote earners who want to live in Istanbul, Antalya, Bodrum or Alanya in their own home. It also suits families who want a second base in a large, well-connected country, and buyers who plan to move up to the US$400,000 citizenship purchase later.

Look elsewhere if you want an income-producing rental, because the permit requires you to live in the home. Look elsewhere too if you will spend most of the year away, which conflicts with the 120-day rule, or if you need Schengen mobility. An EU route such as the Greek property golden visa from €400,000 (€250,000 only for conversions) or Cyprus permanent residence from €300,000 gives you a base inside the EU, and Greece adds Schengen travel. Lira volatility also matters: the threshold is fixed in dollars, but your property's lira value, taxes and costs move with the currency.

• UAE golden visa through AED 2 million in property: 10-year residence with no minimum stay, at about 2.7 times the Turkish entry price.
• Montenegro property residence from €150,000: a cheaper Balkan option, now under Constitutional Court review.
• Georgia investor residence through property: a neighbouring market with its own property-based residence route.
• Greece residence by property investment: Schengen mobility from €250,000, but with zone-based thresholds up to €800,000.
• Egypt residence through property: another regional property-based option.
• Jordan investor residence through property: another Middle Eastern property-based residence route.

For the full picture, compare programmes on our golden visa hub or in the European residence-by-investment comparison.