Türkiye: residence through property, investment or the Turquoise Card

Residence in Türkiye is governed by the Law on Foreigners and International Protection (Law No. 6458) and administered by the Presidency of Migration Management through its provincial directorates. Article 31(1)(b) provides a short-term residence permit for foreigners who own immovable property in Türkiye. For property acquired since 16 October 2023, the sale price recorded on the title deed must be at least USD 200,000, converted at the Central Bank selling rate on the day of transfer; valuation reports are no longer accepted for that purpose. Property acquired between April 2022 and October 2023 remains subject to the earlier thresholds. The property must be residential, paid for through the banking system, and used by the owner as a home rather than let out.

Short-term permits are issued for up to two years at a time and can be renewed while ownership continues. In practice the directorates assess applications closely: address registration must match the property, private health insurance is required, the applicant must show adequate means, and many neighbourhoods with a high share of foreign residents are closed to new residence registrations. A second route under Article 31(1)(j) covers investors who will not work in Türkiye, together with their spouse and dependent children, for up to five years at a time; it is commonly used while a citizenship-by-investment file is in progress. Highly qualified investors, measured by investment, exports or jobs created, may instead obtain the Turquoise Card under the International Labour Force Law, which starts with a three-year transition period and then becomes indefinite, and also confers work rights and residence for the spouse and dependent children.

Türkiye taxes individuals who are domiciled in the country or who stay for more than six months in a calendar year on their worldwide income. Law No. 7582, published on 4 June 2026, introduced an exemption for foreign-source income and gains for twenty years for individuals who become Turkish tax resident on or after 1 January 2026 and who had no Turkish residence or tax liability in the previous three calendar years, together with a reduced 1% inheritance and gift tax rate on transfers to beneficiaries of that regime. Secondary rules and administrative guidance are still being developed, so the regime should be reviewed with Turkish tax counsel before relying on it.

Family members are typically covered either by being named on the title deed or through family residence permits linked to the main holder; children over 18 need their own grounds. Holders of residence permits can apply for a long-term residence permit after eight years of uninterrupted residence, provided they have stable income, health insurance and have not relied on social assistance. Ordinary naturalisation under the Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 requires five years of uninterrupted legal residence, adequate Turkish, sufficient means, good character and an intention to settle; time spent abroad is limited and approval is discretionary. Türkiye allows dual nationality. Investors who want citizenship directly, without the residence period, should consider the separate exceptional naturalisation route through a USD 400,000 property or USD 500,000 capital investment.