Client story
Client's Story
Where they started
Mustafa is an entrepreneur from Baghdad, and his plan was clear: purchase a spacious villa in Bursa (approximately $450,000 USD), relocate his wife and four children, and obtain a residence permit. He had the capital and had identified the property—all that remained was to finalize the purchase. It was at this point that a barrier emerged that does not exist for purchasers from many other countries.
Why the standard route did not work
The issue is that citizens of certain countries, including Iraq, cannot simply purchase real estate in Turkey: they are subject to a requirement to obtain authorization from relevant authorities (essentially, a security clearance prior to the transaction). This is not a prohibition, but rather an additional step—yet a significant one: without authorization, the transaction cannot be registered, and consequently, a residence permit based on real estate cannot be issued.
What BRIDGES had to solve
The primary problem was the timeline. Such authorization, processed through normal channels, can take months to review—often exceeding six months. For a family with four children planning relocation and schooling, such uncertainty meant a state of limbo: unable to purchase, unable to relocate, unable to make plans.
Why a standard answer would not do
Mustafa contacted BRIDGES, understanding that the objective was not to circumvent the requirement—which cannot be bypassed—but to fulfill it correctly and expeditiously: submit for authorization in such a manner that consideration would be prioritized rather than languish in a general queue for months.
I was ready to purchase the villa and had the funds, but discovered that as an Iraqi, I needed state authorization to make the purchase, and obtaining it could take over six months. With four children, this is simply unbearable—everything hangs in the balance. Sergey did not attempt to circumvent anything; instead, he acted within the law but expeditiously: he organized priority submission for authorization through Ankara. We obtained it in 45 days, purchased the villa, and the entire family received residence permits.
