Short, practical notes on buying property in Istanbul, Turkish citizenship by investment and life in the city.
Buying process
Before you pay anything in Istanbul, check three things yourself: that the agency holds a real estate trading authorisation certificate, that the seller owns or is authorised to sell the exact unit, and that every payment goes to a bank account in the seller's name against a written contract.
· 5 min read
Districts
Başakşehir is a residential district on the European side of Istanbul, served by the M3 metro line, which connects at Kayaşehir Merkez with the M11 line to Istanbul Airport. The projects currently listed on investaltex.com in the district range from 1+1 apartments to 6+1 family homes.
· 3 min read
Buying process
Foreigners can buy an apartment in Istanbul in their own name, within limits set by Turkish law. The usual order is: choose the exact unit, get a Turkish tax number, check the title deed, sign the contract in the form the law requires, get a valuation report, pay through a bank and sign the official deed at the Land Registry office.
· 5 min read
Citizenship
Yes. For a citizenship purchase, the property's value must be confirmed by an Amount Determination Certificate (Tutar Tespit Belgesi, TTB). The TTB is based on a valuation report from any valuation company authorised by the Capital Markets Board, is requested through Web Tapu/TADEBİS and is valid for twelve months from its date (TKGM).
· 3 min read
Citizenship
Yes. Article 12(1)(b) of Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 covers the investor's foreign spouse and the minor or dependent foreign children of the investor and of the spouse. For a child under a parent's custody, the other parent's consent is needed; without it, the decision of a court in the country where the parent habitually resides is followed (Law 5901, Art. 20(2)).
· 2 min read
Citizenship
Under Article 20(2)(b) of the regulation implementing Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, the property route requires a purchase of at least USD 400,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency, with a three-year no-sale annotation on the title deed. The USD 400,000 figure has applied to sales and promise-to-sell contracts since 13 June 2022. Meeting it makes you eligible to apply for an investor residence permit and then for citizenship; it does not guarantee citizenship.
· 3 min read
Citizenship
The most common mistakes are relying on an outdated threshold, paying in Turkish lira, buying a property type that no longer counts, assuming a project label means eligibility, and treating the purchase as a guarantee. Each one can be avoided by checking the current official text and the specific purchase before you sign.
· 3 min read
Citizenship
You need two sets of documents. At the land registry, TKGM lists the title deed details, your passport, the Amount Determination Certificate (TTB), a bank-approved payment receipt, the currency purchase document, compulsory earthquake insurance and a sworn translator if you do not speak Turkish. For the citizenship file, Article 20(3) of the regulation and NVİ list a passport, civil status and family documents from your home country, a criminal record certificate, the application form and a service fee receipt.
· 3 min read
Citizenship
The process has three stages. First, the purchase: the property's value is confirmed by a valuation-based Amount Determination Certificate (TTB), and the land registry completes the sale with a three-year no-sale annotation. Second, TKGM issues a property investment certificate and the buyer obtains an investor residence permit under Article 31(1)(j) of Law No. 6458. Third, the buyer applies for citizenship, NVİ assesses the file and the President decides.
· 3 min read
Citizenship
Under Article 20(2)(b) of the regulation implementing Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901, a foreigner qualifies through property if they buy a property worth at least USD 400,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency, held under condominium ownership or condominium servitude or as a plot with a building on it, with a three-year no-sale annotation on the title deed. They must then obtain an investor residence permit under Article 31(1)(j) of Law No. 6458. The President decides, and there must be no obstacle in terms of national security and public order.
· 4 min read
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