Short-Term Residence Permit for Property Owners in Türkiye

For many foreign nationals, buying a home in Bodrum, Fethiye or Marmaris is also the first step toward spending more of the year in Türkiye. Owning property is one of the recognised grounds for a short-term residence permit. In practice, two checks decide whether the permit goes through: the property must be a dwelling used as a residence, and its address must be in a neighbourhood still open to foreign registration.

Key legal considerations

• Property is a ground for short-term residence. Under the Law on Foreigners and International Protection (No. 6458), Article 31(1) lists "those who own immovable property in Türkiye" among the grounds for a short-term residence permit.
• The property must be a home, used as a home. The Presidency of Migration Management states that, for this ground, the immovable must be a dwelling (konut) used for residence purposes.
• The law sets no fixed amount. Article 31(6) provides that the required nature and value of the property are determined by the Ministry rather than fixed in the statute, so the current requirement should be confirmed before relying on it. This is a separate regime from citizenship by investment.
• Closed neighbourhoods. New foreign residence registration is not accepted in neighbourhoods where the foreign-resident ratio exceeds 20%. As of 1 July 2022, 1,169 neighbourhoods across 63 provinces were closed to new foreign registration, with limited exceptions such as newborns and family reunification. For an address in a district popular with foreign owners, it is essential to check whether the specific neighbourhood is still open.

Practical steps

1. Confirm the property is a dwelling used as a residence, and check the Ministry's current requirements.
2. Check that the address's neighbourhood is open to foreign registration before relying on it.
3. Apply online through the e-ikamet system, then attend the in-person appointment at the provincial migration directorate (İl Göç İdaresi Müdürlüğü) with the required documents.
4. A complete application is decided within 90 days.

Risks and common issues

• A non-residential property (land or commercial) is not a valid ground.
• An address in a closed neighbourhood blocks registration, and with it the permit.
• Assuming a fixed "investment amount" for residence: the statute sets none, and the administrative requirement can change.
• Confusing this with citizenship by investment, which is a different regime with its own thresholds.

Conclusion

For a foreign owner, the residence permit usually turns on two things checked before applying: that the property is a dwelling used as a home, and that its neighbourhood is still open to foreign registration. Confirming both, ideally before buying, helps foreign buyers avoid a refused application.