Who Can Buy Property In Turkey

The Turkish reciprocity law regulating who can buy property in Turkey and who can't was revised to allow an additional list of countries whose citizens can buy land and property in Turkey. In addition, certain restrictions and conditions were applied to citizens of some countries and certain types of land and property in Turkey.

According to the new law of reciprocity, the number of countries,whose citizens can purchase property in Turkey was increased from 53to 129. An additional list of 52 countries can purchase, however special permissions are required.

IN EFFECT JAN 2020 THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS APPLY FOR NON-TURKISH NATIONALS TO BUY A HOUSE IN TURKEY.

Limits And Restrictions That Apply To All Countries

Real estate (land and/or property of any class and/or type) that belong to foreign nationals in any one town can't exceed 10% of that town’s total area or be higher than 30 hectares throughout Turkey.This is to say, if a foreign national wishes to purchase in excess of30 hectares (300,000 sqm or 74 acres) of land in Turkey, then he/she will need to seek special permission from the relevant government authorities. Generally speaking for such large acquisitions, we recommend setting up a Turkish limited company in order to be able to acquire in excess of 30 hectares of land in Turkey.

If a foreign national, person or corporate, purchases land in Turkey with a view to developing it, then they are required by law to submit their project plans to the relevant authorities for approval within 2 years of purchase. This is to prevent foreign nationals from land-banking in Turkey without adding value to the land being purchased.

In addition to the above, there are restrictions and special cases applicable to certain foreign nationals purchasing land and property in Turkey. We have summarized these as follows.

Country Citizens Can't Buy Property In Turkey

• Syria

• Armenia

• North Korea

• Cuba

• Nigeria

• Yemen

Country Citizens Allowed To Purchase Restricted Number Of Turkish Properties

• China

• Denmark

• East Timor

• Fiji

• Israel

• Jordan (can buy up to 2 residences and 1 workplace)

Special Area Restrictions For Non-Turkish Citizens Of The Following Countries

• Russia and Ukraine can't purchase property on the Black Sea coast of Turkey.

• Citizens of Greece can’t purchase in the Black Sea coast and in some of the Aegean towns of Turkey.

Barriers Removed - Can Purchase Turkey Property Without Restrictions Now

• Saudi Arabia

• The UAE

• Kuwait

• Lebanon

• Turkic states in Central Asia, such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kirghistan

Category Restrictions Apply To The Citizens Of 31 Countries –For Example Can't Purchase Agricultural Land In Turkey

• Morocco

• Egypt

• Latvia

• Afghanistan

• Some small African countries

• Albania (can only purchase residences and workplaces but not agricultural or other type of land)

Citizens Need To Get Special Permission From Ministry Of Interior Before Turkey Purchase

• Iran

• China

• Palestine

• India

• Iraq (they need to seek permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Citizens Who Can Purchase Properties In Turkey Without Any Conditions

Germany, United States, Argentina, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Republic of Cote Ivoire, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, South Africa, South Korea, Georgia, Croatia, Holland, Canada, Kenya, Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Colombia, Kosovo, Libya, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Mali, Moldova, Monaco, Namibia, Niger, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Peru, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, United Kingdom.

Where And What Type Of Property Can Foreigners Buy In Turkey?

Foreign nationals from countries where there exist reciprocates in relation to property purchase can buy property in Turkey in zones under an Implemented Development Plan or a Local Development Plan for use as a residential or commercial property.

Forbidden Zones In Turkey (This Still Applies As Before)

Foreign nationals and commercial companies cannot buy land or property in Turkeys military, strategic and security zones.

The Council of Ministers may determine additional zones where building is prohibited for preservation purposes, for example, lands that are strategically important for energy, agricultural, mining,historical, cultural, biological or environmental reasons.

The Land Registry Office (TAPU) will check whether a property that is desired for purchase by a foreign national is within one of these forbidden zones. If the military authorities confirm that the property is outside the security and military zones, your application will probably be processed.