Foreigners can own property and land in Turkey but before 2012 Turkey had a strict reciprocity law in place which restricted many nationals from owning property in Turkey unless a Turkish national could in return, buy a home in that respected country. However, in May 2012 a new law was introduced by the Turkish government which lifted a large amount of these restrictions and opened the Turkish property market to nationals of more than 130 different countries.
Some rules still remain in place, such as property owned by a foreign national in a Turkish town cannot exceed 10% of the town’s land area and a foreign national cannot purchase more than 300,000sqm of land in Turkey without first acquiring approval from the ministry of interior.
1. These countries can now buy property in Turkey, however, restrictions are in place:
China, Denmark, East Timor, Fiji, Israel and Jordan.
2. The following countries can now buy property in Turkey:
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
3. The following countries can by property but have restrictions on the type of property and land purchases:
Morocco – no agricultural land permitted.
Egypt – no agricultural land permitted.
Latvia – no agricultural land permitted.
Afghanistan – no agricultural land permitted and special permission is needed for other types of property.
Albania – can only buy residential property and office space in Turkey, no other type of property in Turkey is permitted.
4. Nationals from the following nations need permission from the Turkish Ministry of Interior before they are allowed to buy:
China, India, Iran, Iraq and Palestine.
5. The following nationals from these countries do not need any special permission to buy property, land or commercial investments in Turkey:
Argentina, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Canada, Chad, Colombia, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Guinea, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Mali, Moldova, Monaco, Namibia, Niger, Northern Cyprus, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cote D’Ivoire, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States of America.
6. Some areas in Turkey have restrictions for nationals of certain countries buying property in Turkey. Nevertheless, these nationals can still buy property in other regions of Turkey:
Russian and Ukrainian nationals cannot buy property along the Black Sea coast of Turkey.
Greek nationals are not permitted to purchase property on the Black Sea coast and some Aegean districts of Turkey.
If you are interested in owning real estate in Turkey contact your own countries Embassy or the Turkish Embassy to check if you’re Nationality has any restrictions on you owning property or land in Turkey. Also, enquire as to the location you wish to buy as there may be some restrictions there. Once you have bought property or land you will be given your Tapu which is the Title Deeds to your land or property and this is your proof of ownership. Happy house hunting!
