A foreigner who owns immovable property in Türkiye may be granted a short-term residence permit (Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, Art. 31/1-(b)). A residence permit in Türkiye is the permit that a foreigner who will stay longer than the period allowed by a visa or visa exemption, or longer than ninety days, must obtain (Art. 19/1). The Law says “may be granted”: satisfying the conditions does not make the permit a right. The immovable property must also be a dwelling and be used as a dwelling.
This article explains the application, the circumstances that cause loss of the permit, and the time limits that run after a refusal or cancellation decision. The rules specific to acquiring immovable property are on the page acquisition of immovable property in Türkiye by foreigners.
Residence permit in Türkiye: which subparagraph applies to an owner of immovable property?
The Law contains two separate subparagraphs:
| Those with immovable property | Those making an investment | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | 6458 Art. 31/1-(b) | 6458 Art. 31/1-(j) |
| Permit duration | At most two years each time under the Law (Art. 31/2); at most one year each time under the Regulation (Regulation Art. 28/1) | At most five years each time (Art. 31/5) |
| Does this permit lead to citizenship through the exceptional route? | No | Yes (Turkish Citizenship Law Art. 12/1-b) |
Subparagraph (j) was added in 2016; the President determines the scope and amount of the investment.
The “No” in the table concerns only the permit itself. Acquisition of immovable property in the amount and under the conditions specified in the Regulation is, separately from the residence permit, one of the ways of acquiring Turkish citizenship by presidential decision (Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law Art. 20/2-b). Details are on the page Turkish citizenship through investment. Time spent in Türkiye on a permit based on immovable property also counts towards the uninterrupted five-year residence required for citizenship through the general route (Turkish Citizenship Law Art. 11, Art. 15).
Which immovable property is considered sufficient?
The Law provides that the Ministry of Interior will determine the nature and value of the immovable property that will form the basis for a short-term residence permit (6458 Art. 31/6). This paragraph was added by Law No. 7533 and entered into force on 30 November 2024. The value is set out not in the Law but in an administrative instrument and may change; therefore no amount is given on this page.
The Regulation expressly states the nature requirement: in applications based on immovable property, the immovable property must be a dwelling and be used for that purpose. Family members who have co-ownership in shares or elbirliği mülkiyeti (joint ownership without shares) in the dwelling may also apply under this subparagraph. For family members without a share, the immovable property may be taken into account only in determining financial means (Regulation Art. 28/3). A plot of land or a workplace does not satisfy this requirement.
The documents required for the application are published on the website of the Directorate of Migration Management (Regulation Art. 21/1). The Directorate of Migration Management is the institution affiliated to the Ministry of Interior that carries out residence matters for foreigners; a provision of the Law amended in 2025 refers to it as the Presidency of Migration Management (6458 Art. 121/A).
What conditions are required?
The Law lists five conditions (6458 Art. 32/1):
- to state the reason for the request and submit relevant information and documents,
- not to be among the foreigners whose entry into Türkiye will not be permitted (Art. 7),
- to have accommodation conditions that meet general health and safety standards,
- if requested, to submit a criminal record from the country of which one is a citizen or in which one is legally present,
- to declare the address at which one will stay in Türkiye.
The accommodation condition is separate from ownership of immovable property. In determining it, the foreigner’s declaration is taken as the basis; where necessary, this is determined from the address record or by an on-site investigation (regulation Art. 22/7). The regulation additionally requires valid health insurance covering the permit period and sufficient and regular financial means. The application of those who fail to pay debts arising from a visa violation or a previous residence permit and certain public debts is refused (regulation Art. 22/6, Art. 22/10, Art. 22/13).
Where and how is the application made?
The Law takes as its basis that the application be made to the Turkish consulate in the country of which the foreigner is a citizen or in which the foreigner is legally present; it recognises applications to the governor’s office from within Türkiye in limited cases (6458 Art. 21/1, Art. 22/1). Applications from within Türkiye are made to the governor’s office and may also be submitted electronically (regulation Art. 19/4, Art. 21/1). The immovable-property subparagraph is not expressly included in this list in the Law; in practice, these applications are also accepted from within Türkiye and are handled by the provincial directorates of migration management.
The application is made by the foreigner personally; it may also be made through the foreigner’s legal representative or an attorney at law holding a power of attorney (regulation Art. 21/4). The passport must be valid for at least sixty days longer than the requested permit period (6458 Art. 21/2). Applications are concluded within at most ninety days (Art. 21/5). The application certificate issued to a person who has completed the application gives that person the right to stay in Türkiye until the application is concluded (regulation Art. 21/9).
A foreigner who applies for an extension may stay in Türkiye until a decision is made, even if the permit period has expired (6458 Art. 24/2).
In which circumstances is the permit refused, cancelled or not extended?
A short-term residence permit is not granted, is cancelled if granted, or is not extended on expiry, in the following circumstances (6458 Art. 33/1; regulation Art. 29/1):
- failure to fulfil one of the conditions in Art. 32 or the subsequent cessation of one of those conditions,
- establishment that the permit is being used for a purpose other than that for which it was granted,
- remaining abroad for more than one hundred and twenty days in total within the last year (except for stays made for compulsory public service, duty, education or health reasons),
- existence of a valid removal or entry-ban decision against the person.
The one-hundred-and-twenty-day rule is not in the Law but in the regulation; the Law leaves this matter to the regulation (6458 Art. 33/2). For this reason, a foreigner whose permit is cancelled is not required to provide a new justification when reapplying (regulation Art. 21/11).
Sale of the immovable property removes the basis of the permit. A foreigner who will continue to stay in Türkiye must apply to the governor’s office within ten days of the date on which the basis ceases, for a residence permit appropriate to the new purpose of stay. The existing permit is terminated as of the date on which the basis ceases (6458 Art. 29/1; regulation Art. 26). On a sale, ownership changes hands by registration in the title deed (Turkish Civil Code Art. 705). The situation of a person who sells and immediately buys another dwelling is not separately regulated in Turkish legislation.
Time limits: which applies to what, and when does it start?
Time limits other than those stated as “working days” are calendar days. Notification is the official delivery of the decision to you; litigation periods run from that date. Holidays are counted in litigation periods; if the last day falls on a holiday, the period is extended until the end of the first following working day (Turkish Law on Administrative Procedure Art. 8).
| Purpose | Period | When it starts | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application from within Türkiye | Must be made before the visa or visa-free stay period expires; it is also accepted if the period has been exceeded by no more than ten days. If it has been exceeded by more than ten days, a deportation decision is issued | The day the visa or visa-free stay period ends | Regulation art. 21/2; 6458 art. 54/1-e |
| Completing a missing document | Thirty days; if the deficiency is not remedied, the application is removed from processing | The date on which the deficiency is notified to you | Regulation art. 22/1 |
| Beginning to use a permit obtained from a consulate | Six months; if it is not used, the permit ceases to be valid | Not separately specified in the legislation; the dates on the permit document should be checked | 6458 art. 19/1; Regulation art. 19/5 |
| Address registration and change of address | Twenty working days | For a permit obtained from a consulate, entry into Türkiye; for a permit obtained within Türkiye, delivery of the document; for a change of address, the date of the change | 6458 art. 26/2; Regulation art. 22/12, art. 23/2 |
| Application for an extension | May be made up to sixty days before the permit expires; it must be made before the period ends | Counting back from the end of the permit period | 6458 art. 24/2 |
| Application for a new permit if the immovable property is sold | Ten days | The date on which the ground ceases to exist | Regulation art. 26/1 |
| Stay abroad | Must not exceed a total of one hundred and twenty days in the preceding year | The preceding year, counting back from that date | Regulation art. 29/1-c |
| Staying in Türkiye after refusal or non-extension | A document allowing a stay of no more than ten days is issued. If the extension is refused and the person does not leave within ten days, a deportation decision is issued | Not separately specified in the legislation; the date on the document should be checked | Regulation art. 22/11; 6458 art. 54/1-j |
| Departure from Türkiye if the permit is cancelled | A deportation decision is issued for persons whose permits are cancelled; as a rule, the decision grants a period of between fifteen and thirty days | As specified in the decision | 6458 art. 54/1-f, art. 56/1 |
| Action against a refusal, cancellation or non-extension decision | Sixty days | The day following the date on which the decision is served in writing | Turkish Administrative Procedure Law art. 7, art. 8 |
| Action against a deportation decision | Seven days; the court’s decision is final | Service of the decision | 6458 art. 53/3 |
| If service cannot be effected at your address during the action | The file is removed from processing. If a new address is not notified within two months, the action is deemed not to have been brought | The date on which the file is removed from processing | Turkish Administrative Procedure Law art. 26/3; 6458 art. 31/7 |
| Application to the regional administrative court against a decision of the administrative court (appeal before the Regional Court of Appeal) | Thirty days | Service of the decision | Turkish Administrative Procedure Law art. 45 |
| Re-application after refusal or cancellation | If an application is made within six months, a new ground is required | The refusal or cancellation decision | Regulation art. 21/10 |
The two-month period is not a period for bringing an action. It is the period granted for you to notify a new address if the court cannot effect service at your address after the action has been brought.
Action against a refusal or cancellation decision
Service and remedy. A refusal, cancellation or non-extension decision is served on the foreigner, their legal representative or their attorney at law; the service document also states how the rights against the decision are to be exercised (6458 art. 25/2). The Law does not provide for a separate administrative authority to hear objections to residence permit decisions; the remedy is an action before the administrative courts. Before bringing an action, and within the period for bringing an action, revocation of the decision may be requested from the superior authority or, if there is no superior authority, from the authority that made the decision. This application suspends the period for bringing an action. If no reply is given within thirty days, the request is deemed to have been refused and the period resumes from where it left off (Turkish Administrative Procedure Law art. 11). The Law does not give this application any effect of extending the period of stay in Türkiye.
Service while abroad. Service may be made at your address in the address registration system. If no one is found at the address, the document is left with the headman and a notice is posted on the door; the day the notice is posted is deemed to be the date of service. Even if you do not live at that address, the result is the same (Turkish Notification Law art. 21). If you have an electronic service address, service is deemed to have been made at the end of the fifth day following the day the document reaches that address (Turkish Notification Law art. 7/a). In other words, the period for bringing an action may begin and expire while you are abroad. If you will remain abroad for a long time, have official correspondence sent to your address in Türkiye monitored.
Court. The action is brought before the administrative court (6458 art. 101). The administrative court is the court of first instance that hears actions brought against decisions of the administration. The competent court is the administrative court at the place where the deciding authority is located (Turkish Administrative Procedure Law art. 32). For applications made within Türkiye, the decision is made by the governor’s office (6458 art. 25/1); for an application made in Alanya, this is the Antalya Governor’s Office. If you are abroad, you may also submit the statement of claim to a Turkish consulate; once the fee and postal charge have been collected and the statement has been registered, the action is deemed to have been brought (Turkish Administrative Procedure Law art. 4, art. 6). The action may be brought by the foreign national, their legal representative or their attorney at law; the Law lists all three together (6458 art. 31/7).
The action does not stay the decision. Bringing an action does not automatically stay implementation of the decision (Turkish Administrative Procedure Law art. 27). A stay of execution ordered by the court is called a stay of execution, and this request is made separately in the statement of claim. The court may grant the request if implementation of the measure would cause harm that is difficult or impossible to compensate and the measure is clearly unlawful, provided that both conditions are met. This decision is as a rule granted against security, but the court may not require security. A refusal of the request may be challenged once within seven days from the day following service; a second request on the same grounds may not be made (same article).
Special rules introduced in 2024. Law no. 7533 introduces three rules for actions brought against refusal of a short-term residence permit application and cancellation of the permit (6458 art. 31/7):
- The file is completed early. The file is deemed ready for decision upon submission of the respondent administration’s defence or expiry of the defence period. The second exchange of pleadings under the general procedure does not apply (Turkish Administrative Procedure Law art. 16). It is therefore important that all claims are stated fully in the statement of claim.
- If an address is not notified, the action is discontinued. If service cannot be made at the address given during the action, the file is removed from processing and any stay of execution decision automatically ceases to have effect. The period for notifying a new address, which under the general rule is one year, is two months in these actions; if an address is not notified within that period, the action is deemed not to have been brought (art. 26/3).
- A hearing is at the court’s discretion. Under the general rule, in an action for annulment a hearing is held upon the request of either party (art. 17); in these actions the court decides whether a hearing will be held.
These rules apply to actions brought after 30 November 2024 (6458 provisional art. 3). The subsection does not separately mention a decision not to extend the permit; whether these rules also apply to an action concerning non-extension is disputed.
Frequently asked questions
I own a house in Türkiye; can I obtain a residence permit?
You may apply, but a permit is not a right. The Law lists persons who own immovable property among those who may be granted a short-term residence permit (6458 art. 31/1-b). The dwelling must be used for this purpose and must meet the characteristics and value determined by the Ministry of the Interior (art. 31/6; regulation art. 28/3).
May I rent out my flat?
The permit is conditional on the dwelling being used for residential purposes (regulation art. 28/3). Use of the permit contrary to the purpose for which it was granted is a ground for cancellation (6458 art. 33/1-b). The effect of renting out the dwelling on the permit should be assessed before it is rented out.
Can I reapply immediately after a rejection?
If you reapply within six months, you will be asked to provide a new justification (Article 21/10 of the regulation). A new application based on the same immovable property does not replace bringing an action challenging the rejection decision.
I hold a Mavi Kart. Do I need a residence permit?
No. Persons within the scope of Article 28 of the Turkish Citizenship Law are not required to obtain a residence permit (Article 20/1-b of the regulation).
Governing legislation
Turkish Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection — Articles 7, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 29, 31, 32, 33, 53, 54, 56, 101, 121/A, and Provisional Article 3 — mevzuat.gov.tr
Turkish Regulation on the Implementation of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection — Articles 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 28, 29 — mevzuat.gov.tr
Turkish Law No. 2577 on Administrative Judicial Procedure — Articles 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 16, 17, 26, 27, 32, 45 — mevzuat.gov.tr
Turkish Law No. 7201 on Notification — Articles 7/a and 21 — mevzuat.gov.tr
Turkish Law No. 5901 on Citizenship — Articles 11, 12, 15, 28 — mevzuat.gov.tr
Turkish Regulation on the Implementation of the Turkish Citizenship Law — Article 20 — mevzuat.gov.tr
Turkish Civil Code No. 4721 — Article 705 — mevzuat.gov.tr
Related pages
- Tenancy and Real Estate Law — parent page
- Acquisition of immovable property by foreigners in Türkiye
- Turkish citizenship through investment
- Foreign heirs: inheritance of immovable property in Türkiye
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute a legal opinion. As the circumstances of each case vary, you are advised to seek legal support from your attorney at law for your specific situation.