Last Updated on 10/10/2022
Closing of residence permits in Turkey in 8 districts in Istanbul
Last Friday, Suleyman Soylu, the Turkish interior minister, announced further limitations relative to the address registrations for foreigners and the application for Residence permits in Turkey.
8 new Istanbul districts are closed for residence permits in Turkey
The Turkish minister of interior affairs Soylu announced that new foreign applications for residence permits in Turkey will not be accepted in eight districts in Istanbul, including Küçükçekmece, Başakşehir, Bağcılar, Avcılar, Sultangazi, Esenler, and Zeytinburnu, at a press conference on “Migration” held at the provincial office of migration.
Added to the previously banned districts of Fatih and Esenyurt, foreign residency registrations are now prohibited in 10 districts in Istanbul.
Rule of 25% for address registration in Turkey
These new amendments come from the rule of 25% relative to foreigners’ settlement in Turkey. According to Turkish law, the percentage of foreigners permanently or temporarily residing in any specific region of Turkey shall not be higher than 25% of the total population. Therefore, to respect this law, the government decides to close the overpopulated areas to foreigners’ address registration and, consequently getting residence permits in Turkey in these areas won’t be possible. For the same reason, in addition to the aforementioned neighborhoods and districts, 16 provinces became off-limits to immigration by foreigners seeking refugee status or other forms of temporary international protection.
Foreign owners of Real estate properties are an exception
However, the minister also noted that this new amendment includes certain exceptions. Foreign investors who purchased a property in Istanbul in any of the mentioned districts are still able to get Turkish residence permits for themselves and their families. Moreover, Students whose universities are in those districts are also eligible to get residence permits in Turkey.
Apart from that, foreigners who apply for residence permits for health issues can also get xemptions from this decision.
Residence permits in Turkey by real estate
Before July 2022, there was no minimum purchase price requirement for real estate when applying for residence permits in Turkey. Foreign nationals and their families were able to purchase real estate in Turkey for any price and receive a one-year renewable residency permit. However, Starting from July 2022, foreigners willing to become legal residents in Turkey through real estate must purchase a property for at least 75,000 dollars in major cities such as Istanbul. However, in other Turkish cities, the property must have a minimum worth of $50,000.
Yet, we should point out that there are different types of residence permits in Turkey. You can learn more about them in the following article.
Turkish Citizenship by real estate
Foreign nationals have the right to obtain Turkish citizenship if they invest in one or more properties totaling 400,000 USD or the equivalent amount in Turkish lira. This amount increased in June 2022 after it was 250,000 $.
Yet, the relevant property must be in the ownership of the applicant for at least 3 years. This commitment will appear in the title deed.
However, as soon as they obtain the title deed, they can submit an application for Turkish citizenship.
This investment program seems more advantageous than getting residence permits in Turkey through real estate. In fact, the evolution of demographic and urban features in Turkey might result in amendments to certain rules and laws relative to foreign situations. However, foreign nationals who acquire Turkish citizenship through any method will grant it for life except in certain extreme situations.
If you want more information on Turkish Citizenship by Real Estate or residence permits in Turkey, MEO Consultants can provide you with a comprehensive advisory.
Likewise, we recommend those who consider investing in real estate in Turkey take a look at the specialized articles that track the latest trend in the market.
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