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Updated: June 2026

Case study · Turkey · Citizenship

How a Family Obtained Turkish Residence Permit for a British School with Full Property Valuation

Saltanat wanted to relocate her children to an international British school in Ankara, requiring a long-term residence permit tied to a stable residential address. However, the Ankara real estate market is unique: property values in the deed (Tapu) are often understated by sellers to avoid taxes, which undermines the investor's case. Below is how we compelled the seller to declare 100% of the actual property value in the Tapu.

Sergey EvdokimovSergey EvdokimovManaging Partner, BRIDGESReading time8 min readVerificationReviewed by an expert

This case is based on a real matter. The name and certain identifying details have been changed to protect confidentiality.

BRIDGES client story - How a Family Obtained Turkish Residence Permit for a British School with Full Property Valuation
Contents

Case at a glance

Situation, solution and outcome in seven lines

Client
Saltanat, 39, a restaurant owner from Astana (two children)
Goal
Residence Permit for children's education in Ankara.
Challenge
Undervalued property deeds by sellers undermine the investor's case.
Solution
Property in the Çankaya diplomatic district, 100% valuation in Tapu ($215,000).
Result
Residence Permit obtained within 2 months, children enrolled.
Result
Residence Permit obtained within 2 months, children enrolled.
Result
Residence Permit obtained within 2 months, children enrolled.

Client story

Client's Story

Where they started

Saltanat is thirty-nine years old and owns a restaurant business. Her goal is to relocate her children for studies at an international British school in Ankara. School enrollment required an official long-term residence permit tied to a stable residential address. Housing budget: $210,000.

Why the standard route did not work

The Ankara real estate market is distinctive: property values stated in the deed (Tapu) are frequently understated by sellers to evade taxes, which undermines the investor's residence permit case.

What BRIDGES had to solve

The Ankara real estate market is distinctive: property values stated in the deed (Tapu) are frequently understated by sellers to evade taxes, which undermines the investor's residence permit case.

Why a standard answer would not do

The Ankara real estate market is distinctive: property values stated in the deed (Tapu) are frequently understated by sellers to evade taxes, which undermines the investor's residence permit case.

The seller wanted to understate the price in the documents, and I did not even notice. Karim explained that I risked being left without residence and found an apartment with the full price near a British school. The children started school on time.

Saltanat · restaurant ownerThe name and certain identifying details have been changed to protect confidentiality.

Why This Was Challenging

Why This Was Challenging

Undervalued property deeds. Understatement by sellers for tax purposes.

  1. 01Compliance with budget limits. The amount in Tapu must be genuine.
  2. 02Market specifics. Ankara.
  3. 03Hidden risk. Undervalued cadastre = rejection.

The logic of the solution

How the matter progressed: from checks to result

The chart is built from the facts of this matter and shows the logic of the work without decorative or unverified data.

BasisStage 1

Selected an apartment. In the diplomatic district of Çankaya.

  • 01
    Stage 2

    Required full property value disclosure. $215,000 in Tapu.

  • 02
    Stage 3

    Mitigated tax risks. Completely.

  • 03
    Stage 4

    Obtained residence permit in 2 months. Children enrolled.

  • 04
    Stage 5

    Obtained residence permit in 2 months. Children enrolled.

Takeaway. Takeaway: for a Turkish residence permit based on property, what counts is not the price agreed on the market but the official cadastral value. Plan the purchase around that figure, not around the asking price.

How we verified the cadastre.

How we verified the cadastre.

The work was split into verifiable stages so that every conclusion rested on documents.

  1. 01

    Selected an apartment

    In the diplomatic district of Çankaya.

  2. 02

    Found alternative properties in the diplomatic district of Çankaya

    Required full property value disclosure. $215,000 in Tapu.

  3. 03

    Mitigated tax risks

    Completely.

  4. 04

    Obtained residence permit in 2 months

    Children enrolled.

  5. 05

    Obtained residence permit in 2 months

    Children enrolled.

  6. 06

    Obtained residence permit in 2 months

    Children enrolled.

How the work went

From first contact to the result

  1. 01Selected an apartment
  2. 02Found alternative properties in the diplomatic district of Çankaya
  3. 03Mitigated tax risks
  4. 04Obtained residence permit in 2 months
  5. 05Obtained residence permit in 2 months
  6. 06Obtained residence permit in 2 months

The sequence and timing reflect this specific case and depend on how complete the documents are and on the decisions of the competent authorities.

Expert comment

Undervaluation of cadastral value is widespread practice in Turkey. For an ordinary buyer this is acceptable, but for an investor obtaining residence permit, this guarantees rejection. Guaranteed rejection. We strictly control to ensure the amount in Tapu and bank receipt match cent for cent. Match cent for cent. .

Sergey Evdokimov, Managing Partner, BRIDGESSergey EvdokimovManaging Partner, BRIDGES

Outcome

What the client received

Client
Saltanat, 39 years old, restaurant business owner (2 children).
Goal
Residence Permit for children's education in Ankara.
Challenge
Undervalued property deeds by sellers undermine the investor's case.
Solution
Property in the Çankaya diplomatic district, 100% valuation in Tapu ($215,000).
Result
Residence Permit obtained within 2 months, children enrolled.
Result
Residence Permit obtained within 2 months, children enrolled.

Practical takeaway

What matters in a similar situation

  • Takeaway: for a Turkish residence permit based on property, what counts is not the price agreed on the market but the official cadastral value. Plan the purchase around that figure, not around the asking price.
  • The risk of refusal because of an understated cadastral value was removed completely: the amounts in the Tapu and the bank receipt matched to the cent, and the migration service found no grounds to refuse.
  • Checking the property’s cadastral status at the deal stage rules out risks when the whole family later applies for residence. We will look at your situation.

FAQ

Questions people ask in a similar situation

01Why does an understated cadastral value get in the way of a residence permit?

The Turkish migration service checks the official amount in the Tapu against the İkamet programme threshold. If the seller understated the price in the documents, the amount may fall short of the threshold, and the status will be refused even if the real price was higher.

02Can you agree with the seller to show the full value in the Tapu?

Yes, but not every seller will agree: many understate the price to save on sales tax. We look for properties and sellers for whom a deal at the full official value is normal practice, for example in districts with a high share of foreign buyers.

03What happens if the amounts in the Tapu and the bank receipt do not match?

A discrepancy creates a risk of refusal: the migration service may treat it as a sign that the deal is not genuine. So we always make sure both amounts match to the cent.

04How long does it take to obtain residence for the children’s schooling?

In this case, about 2 months from choosing a suitable property to receiving the residence permit, including control of the deal documents.

05Can you obtain Turkish residence specifically to enrol children in school?

Yes. A long-term residence permit tied to a stable home address is often a precondition for enrolment in international schools that require the family’s official resident status.

06Which documents were key in this case?

In the diplomatic district of Çankaya. Required full property value disclosure. $215,000 in Tapu.

07Why did the standard route not suit the client?

The Ankara real estate market is distinctive: property values stated in the deed (Tapu) are frequently understated by sellers to evade taxes, which undermines the investor's residence permit case.

08What risk had to be closed before filing?

Undervalued property deeds. Understatement by sellers for tax purposes.

09How did BRIDGES check that the chosen solution would hold?

Children enrolled. Children enrolled.

10What confirmed the result in the end?

Client: Saltanat, 39 years old, restaurant business owner (2 children).. Goal: Residence Permit for children's education in Ankara.. Challenge: Undervalued property deeds by sellers undermine the investor's case.. Solution: Property in the Çankaya diplomatic district, 100% valuation in Tapu ($215,000).. Result: Residence Permit obtained within 2 months, children enrolled.. Result: Residence Permit obtained within 2 months, children enrolled.

About the author

Sergey Evdokimov

Author: Sergey Evdokimov

Managing Partner, BRIDGES

As Founder and Managing Partner of BRIDGES, I am responsible for the firm's strategy and personally lead its most complex client matters, including cases in which citizenship or residence decisions require a strategic view and consideration of capital.

I begin by defining the objective: the outcome the client needs, the facts that affect the choice, and the matters that require further review. I then establish the available directions, the sequence of work, and the key decision points.

Once the strategy has been agreed, I oversee the BRIDGES team's key decisions and remain involved at the stages that shape the course of the matter. The purpose is to give the client a clear rationale for the chosen direction and a precise understanding of the next steps.

Prepared on the basis of BRIDGES practice and reviewed by a subject-matter expert.

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Anna KovalevskayaHead of Legal, BRIDGES
Anna Kovalevskaya, Head of Legal, BRIDGES

Names and certain details have been changed to protect client confidentiality. The result described reflects one specific situation and is neither a public offer nor a guarantee of a similar outcome. Programme terms are stated as of 2026 and may change - please confirm current parameters with a BRIDGES consultant.