Common mistakes when buying property for Turkish citizenship

Short answer: The most common mistakes are relying on an outdated threshold, paying in Turkish lira, buying a property type that no longer counts, assuming a project label means eligibility, and treating the purchase as a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.

Who this applies to: foreign buyers purchasing property with citizenship in mind · As of: 31 October 2026

1. Using an old threshold figure

The rule has been amended several times since 2017, the amount itself has changed twice, and older articles still quote earlier figures. The amount that applies is the one in force on the date of purchase (TKGM). Check the current threshold and its history.

2. Paying in Turkish lira, or skipping the bank step

The regulation requires the foreign currency to be sold to a bank operating in Türkiye before the transaction (Regulation, Art. 20(10)). The option of a Turkish lira equivalent was removed on 6 January 2022 (Presidential Decision No. 5072; TKGM). The land registry checks the currency purchase document (TKGM).

3. Declared price and payments that don’t match

TKGM checks the declared sale price and the total of the payments separately; each must meet the threshold and be confirmed by the Amount Determination Certificate (TTB) (TKGM). See the valuation report guide.

4. Buying a property type that does not count

Since 12 December 2023, the property must be under condominium ownership or condominium servitude, or be a plot with a building on it; agricultural land and plots without a building cannot be used (Regulation, Art. 20(2)(b); TKGM). Shares (hisseli) acquired after 1 February 2023 cannot be used either (TKGM).

5. Trusting a “citizenship-eligible” label

A project or listing label is not an official decision. Eligibility depends on the specific purchase: value, property type, payment, TTB and annotation. ALTEX Realty does not label projects or units as eligible.

6. Thinking the purchase is the last step

After the purchase come the property investment certificate, the investor residence permit and the citizenship application (TKGM; NVİ). NVİ states that for the investment route the residence permit and citizenship applications must be made in person (NVİ FAQ). See the process guide.

7. Treating citizenship as guaranteed

The President may grant citizenship, and applications that pose an obstacle in terms of national security and public order are rejected (Law 5901, Art. 12).

8. Selling within three years without advice

The three-year annotation is part of the route (Regulation, Art. 20(2)(b)). Before any sale or transfer, ask a lawyer about your case. See the three-year rule.

9. Relying on a promised timeline

The official sources we checked do not set a processing time. Treat any timeline as an estimate.

What this does not promise

Avoiding these mistakes does not guarantee citizenship. It reduces the risk of a purchase that does not meet the conditions.

Back to the Turkish citizenship guide · Related: Requirements · Valuation report