New rules for obtaining a residence permit in Alanya

More and more foreign citizens are looking at Turkish real estate not only for profitable investment, but also for moving to a permanent or temporary place of residence.

Recently, the Turkish government, due to large migration waves, has been forced to introduce some measures regarding visitors from abroad, and not all of them are favorable.

So, the changes affected the issuance of a short-term residence permit for owners and tenants of Turkish housing. And if it is now almost impossible to obtain a tourist residence permit in many parts of the country due to the flow of foreigners, then buying real estate is still a reliable way to secure a long-term stay in Turkey. But here there are some nuances.

Residence permit in Turkey and the new rules for its registration - we analyze the topic in detail in our article.

Residence permit when buying real estate

There are two types of residence permit in Turkey when buying real estate, which are often used by foreigners:

• tourist;
• for the subsequent registration of citizenship.

The main difference between the second type and the first is the possibility, after buying an apartment and 5 years of permanent residence in the territory of the Republic of Turkey, to apply for a second passport. And in this case, we are no longer talking about investing in real estate, but about citizenship through naturalization.

According to statistics, applicants used a residence permit for citizenship much less often than a tourist residence permit. Since for a legal and unlimited stay in Turkey, a residence permit for tourism purposes is sufficient. In addition, applicants for citizenship by naturalization, living in Turkey on a residence permit, are subject to serious requirements, including: learning the state language and passing an exam, passing a difficult interview, and a limited period of travel outside the Republic. Not all foreigners are satisfied with such rules.

What has changed

Earlier, when buying a home in Turkey, the owner was issued a residence permit by TAPU, regardless of the value of the object. From May 5, 2022, in order to tighten the receipt of a short-term residence permit when buying real estate with the right to naturalization, the value of the object should be:

• USD 75,000 or more for more than 30 major cities in Turkey (including Alanya, Antalya, Mersin);
• $50,000 or more for small towns (there are 51 of them in the list) of the country.

At the same time, in order to receive TAPU ikamet, a foreigner must use the apartment as a place for permanent or temporary residence, but not rent it out. Family members (husband/wife, children under 18) can also apply for a residence permit in Turkey for real estate if they are official co-owners, that is, they are included in the certificate of ownership. The rest of the next of kin are only eligible for a tourist residence permit.

So, the key change is that now the cost of real estate for obtaining a residence permit for TAPU is of paramount importance and is strictly regulated.

List of regions where an object must cost $75 thousand or more

The financial threshold of $75 thousand or more for the cost of objects under a residence permit in Turkey when buying real estate is valid in the regions :

• Adana
• Aydin
• Ankara
• Antalya
• Balikesir
• Bursa
• Van
• Gaziantep
• Denizli
• Diyarbakir
• Izmir
• Kayseri
• Kahramanmarash
• Kocaeli
• Konya
• Malatya
• Manisa
• Mardin
• Mersin
• Mugla
• The Horde
• Sakarya
• Samsun
• Istanbul
• Tekirdag
• Trabzon
• Khatai
• Sanliurfa
• Erzurum
• Eskisehir

The rules apply to all settlements of the listed provinces. So, the administration of Antalya includes Alanya, Kemer and other popular Mediterranean resorts. And to the municipality of the province of Mugla - Marmaris, Fethiye, Bodrum, etc.

In other regions that are not included in the list, the price threshold for a Turkish residence permit by TAPU is valid - from 50 thousand US dollars.

It is worth noting that in Turkey there are only 81 provinces and they have 973 districts.

How to determine the price of real estate

Purchasing a property in Turkey for a short-term residence permit during the initial application is accompanied by a property valuation report.

Therefore, buyers who want to purchase a villa or apartment and apply for ikamet on the basis of TAPU should order a certified appraiser's report before the transaction, which will confirm the market value of the object.

Important to know!

For foreign owners of apartments in Turkey, who entered into a sale and purchase transaction before April 26, 2022, these requirements do not apply. That is, applying for a TAPU residence permit even now, with the cost of housing below 50 thousand or 75 thousand US dollars. you can count on her approval.

Residence permit for owners of cheap real estate

When buying Turkish housing for less than $75,000 (or $50,000 in small towns), foreigners can apply for a tourist residence permit as property owners.

The main difference: the period of residence in the territory of the Republic of Turkey on a tourist residence permit WILL NOT be counted towards the period required for applying for citizenship by naturalization after 5 years.

A tourist residence permit in Turkey when buying real estate gives the right to stay in the country, enter and leave it, take loans and open accounts in local banks, teach children in any educational institutions. In general, enjoy various social amenities.

List of closed areas of Alanya

Another innovation from the Migration Service of Turkey concerned the issuance of residence permits to foreign citizens in a number of different settlements and regions of the state. So, until July 1, 2022, a ban was introduced on the residence of foreigners in 781 microdistricts of Turkish cities, and from that date this list grew to 1169.

The main reason for this decision: a large number of refugees (including illegal ) from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan. In some regions of the Republic, the number of foreigners exceeded the allowable limit of the total number of residents. That is why the government took forced measures to temporarily ban the issuance of a residence permit.

In the “closed” areas, according to the new rules, from July 1, 2022, foreigners CANNOT obtain a residence permit:

• applicants for primary ikamet under a long-term lease agreement;
• those who are renewing a tourist residence permit, but have not previously lived in a “closed” area.

It is ALLOWED to obtain a residence permit in “closed” regions after 07/01/2022 in case of:

• Ownership of Turkish TAPU property acquired before the start date of the ban;
• extension of previously received ikamet, if the foreigner has already been registered in the same apartment;
• applications for a secondary residence permit in a "closed" area when changing the address of residence to another object in the same area;
• extension of a notarized long-term lease agreement drawn up before 06/30/2022.

The bad news is that the areas of Alanya, Istanbul and Antalya that are most in demand among Russian-speaking investors are under a ban on issuing a tourist ikamet and a residence permit for buying real estate.

In Alanya, these areas are: Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar, Kargicak.

It is worth noting that, in general, the work of this law from all sides is not yet clear. Since even in areas where residence permits are no longer issued, foreign investors can acquire property. We are waiting for detailed explanations from the Turkish Migration Service and will keep you informed of current events!

If you are planning to buy property in Alanya, contact the reliable construction company Nordic Property Construction. We guarantee professional comprehensive assistance in choosing liquid apartments in our modern residential complexes and complete security of your investments.