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24 March 2023
Closed areas of Turkey for obtaining a residence permit
For the past few years, the Republic of Turkey has been a constant leader among Russian-speaking citizens in the list of popular countries for moving to permanent residence. In 2022, the difficult geopolitical situation additionally influenced the growth of the interest of Ukrainians, Russians, Kazakhstanis, and Belarusians to migrate to the resort republic. In addition, foreigners are attracted by the favorable atmosphere, beautiful nature and high standard of living.
One of the key issues that every foreign citizen has to solve before moving to Turkey is the legalization of residence. It should be noted that recently there have been several important changes in the Turkish legal regulations regarding obtaining a residence permit.
In our publication, we will tell you about the new rules for issuing an ikamet card, in which areas of Turkey a residence permit is issued, and where foreigners are now unable to obtain a primary residence permit.
What are the closed and open areas of Turkey
In 2022–2023 the authorities of the Republic of Turkey decided to close part of the districts for the issuance of primary residence permits to foreign citizens. Currently, the list includes about 1,200 districts in the country's most popular cities.
According to the government, foreigners in such regions still have the opportunity to purchase or rent property, but without the right to apply for a residence permit. If a citizen from abroad already has an ikamet card, then there are no restrictions on its extension.
But there is also a list of exceptions, according to which certain groups of foreigners have the opportunity to apply for primary ikamet, despite living in a closed area. Namely:
- If the Turkish title was issued before the start of the amendment to the law (that is, before 07/01/2022), then the application for a TAPU residence permit in a closed area will be considered and approved.
- For family reasons (eg family reunification, or if a foreigner has a child).
- For foreign students, if the university is located in a closed quarter, etc.
Why Turkish regions are closed for residence permit
Before considering in more detail the list of closed regions of Turkey and those regions where it is now possible to obtain an ikamet without any obstacles, let's talk about the reasons for tightening migration policy.
Turkish authorities from July 1, 2022 were forced to reduce the allowable proportion of foreigners relative to indigenous people in each region of the country from 25% to 20%.
The reason for the necessary innovation: a huge influx of migrants (legal and illegal) to popular resort and tourist regions. Especially from the countries of the Middle East and the former CIS.
It should be noted that in 2022 alone, foreigners bought 67,490 objects in Turkey, which shows an increase of 15.2% compared to 2021. In addition, according to preliminary data, at the beginning of 2023, about 1,335,000 foreigners have official residence permits. Compared to 2021, the number of issued ikamet cards in 2022 increased by about 40,000.
Tightening migration policy is one of the most effective ways for the government to protect its citizens and mitigate such internal problems as rising unemployment, depreciation of the Turkish lira, inflation, a sharp rise in the cost of buying and renting real estate.
Closed areas
As we have already noted, at the current time the number of closed areas in different cities of Turkey is about 1,200 units. This list is likely to be gradually replenished with those quarters where the number of foreigners relative to the Turks will exceed 20%. According to some reports, it is likely that the issuance of a primary residence permit in closed areas under TAPU may be resumed if the authorities agree on a limit on the cadastral price of real estate for filing for ikamet.
The full list can be found on the official information portal of the Turkish government. Also follow the latest news on the Nordic Property Construction website.
The closed areas in the most popular cities in Turkey are:
- Districts of Istanbul: Avcilar, Beylikduzu, Sisli, Beyoglu, Esenyurt, Fatih, Kucukcekmece and others.
- Antalya: some quarters of Konyaalti, Muratpashi, Deshemealti.
- Closed areas of Alanya: Kargicak, Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar.
- Mersin: part of the districts of Akdeniz, Erdemli, Gulnara, Mezitli, Siflik, Tarsus, Yenishehir, etc.
- Ankara: Altyndag, Beypazary, Chankaya, Kechioren, mamak, Polatly, Yenimahalle and others
When choosing a suitable object, we recommend paying attention to the open areas of Alanya for a residence permit: Center, Tosmur, Oba, Payallar, Gazipasa, Turkler, Konakli and others.
In Antalya, you may be interested in the districts of Kepez, Altintash. In Izmir - Cheshme, Urla, Foca, Bayrakli. In Mersin, buyers are actively acquiring property in Tomyuk, Mezitli, part of the residential areas of Yenishehir.
Map of open and closed areas
An interactive map of open and closed areas of Turkey for purchasing a home and obtaining a primary residence permit based on TAPU or long-term lease of real estate is one of the easiest options to make sure what official status the Turkish provinces and cities you are interested in have.
To get information, users need to scale the map, or type in the desired district in the search bar. If an area is shaded green, it means it is open. Red color shows urban districts closed for primary ikamet.
The map is updated online.
Turkish legislation on issuing a residence permit
All issues related to visa entry and residence permit in Turkey are regulated by Law No. 6458, which entered into force in April 2013. The latest information on the types of residence permits and requirements for applicants is published on the website of the Government of the Republic of Turkey.
There are two main categories of residence permit - short-term and long-term. A long-term permit is issued after 5 years of continuous renewal of a short-term ikamet card and, in fact, is indefinite.
According to statistics, among the different types of short-term residence permits in Turkey, the most popular among Russian-speaking citizens are:
- Residence permit based on the purchase of property.
Issued for no more than two years. The price tag for housing must exceed $75,000 for metropolitan municipalities and $50,000 for other cities.
- Tourist residence permit.
Issued when buying an apartment, the cost of which is below the indicated threshold amounts. And also if a foreigner has entered into a long-term apartment rental agreement for six months or more.
In 2023, when applying for a residence permit based on declared tourism purposes, employees of the Migration Office require foreigners to have a lease contract certified by a notary, a certain amount of money for accommodation (from 40,000 TL per person) and a real tourist itinerary confirmed by tickets or other documents.
- Family residence permit.
The spouse and children of a Turkish citizen are guaranteed to receive, the validity of the card is up to three years.
Recall that in the Republic of Turkey there is a state program for obtaining investment citizenship under an accelerated procedure, if a foreigner buys property at a cost of $ 400,000.
Planning the purchase of new modern liquid apartments in Turkey in order to move to a permanent place of residence, profitable investment or rent, contact reliable developers. Managers of the construction company Nordic Property Construction will select for you the best apartment by the sea in the heart of the Turkish Riviera - the city of Alanya.
All information posted is for informational purposes only and does not serve commercial purposes.
Nordic Property Construction is a construction company that specializes in the construction of highly functional housing on the Mediterranean coast. Cooperating with us, you get a full range of services - from the selection of real estate and meeting at the airport to the transaction and property management.
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