What real estate counts towards Turkish citizenship in 2026

What generally counts: housing, commerce, land

The main misconception of investors is that only an apartment is eligible for citizenship. This is wrong. The Turkish Citizenship by Investment Law considers any property eligible for a clear TAPU (certificate of title from the land registry) if its assessed value reaches the threshold. Several categories of objects fall under this definition.

• Housing - apartments in new buildings and on the secondary market, apartments, villas, townhouses, penthouses. The most common and predictable option.
• Commerce - offices, retail premises, shops on the first lines, hotel rooms with a share, premises for rent. A commercial property is suitable for citizenship, unlike a residence permit for real estate, where commerce is not suitable.
• Earth - land plots, including for development, subject to a clean TAPU and assessment for the required amount. An important nuance regarding the earth is discussed separately below.

Keyword - registered ownership. The property must be completed and registered with the seller, and there must be a valid TAPU on it without any encumbrances. This immediately cuts off several popular but risky schemes, which are discussed below.

TAPU without encumbrances: why it solves everything

TAPU (Tapu Senedi) is a Turkish title deed issued by the General Directorate of Land Registry (Tapu ve Kadastro Genel Mudurlugu). Without a TAPU reissued for the investor, citizenship cannot be obtained in principle - it is the entry in the cadastre that records the fact of the investment. But simply having a TAPU is not enough: the document must be clean, unencumbered.

What is considered an encumbrance and blocks the application:

• Mortgage (ipotek) - if there is an outstanding bank pledge on the property, the investment is not counted until the encumbrance is removed.
• Arrests and judicial restrictions - any notes on interim measures, disputes, inheritance claims.
• Mark on previous participation in the program - if an object has already been used for someone's citizenship, it has a restrictive mark (kisitlama serhi) on it and cannot be counted again.
• Unfinished construction - purchase under a preliminary agreement at the excavation stage, without a reissued TAPU for a finished object, is not suitable for the program.

Before the transaction, an extract from the cadastre must be ordered. We discuss in detail the real verification of the purity of TAPU and the history of the object in the guide to Turkish citizenship through real estate - it contains typical mistakes that cause investors to lose both money and months. You can check the status of the department on the official website of the cadastre tkgm.gov.tr.

Summation: how to collect $400,000 from several objects

One of the most useful and underrated aspects of the program: the $400,000 threshold does not have to be covered by one object. The law allows summarize several propertiesso that their combined assessed value reaches or exceeds the minimum. This opens up flexible scenarios.

• Two or three apartments instead of one road - for example, to diversify rental income in different areas of Istanbul or Antalya.
• Mix of residential and commercial - an apartment for yourself plus retail space for rent, which in total covers the threshold.
• Purchasing from the same or different sellers - objects can be from different owners, the main thing is that each of them meets the requirements of the program.

The summation conditions are strict: each object must have its own pure TAPU, each is subject to a separate SPK assessment, and all items must be purchased as part of a single application, issued around the same time. You cannot buy an apartment six months later and add it to an already filed case. The total assessed value of all objects must be at least $400,000 - preferably with a small margin so that fluctuations in the lira exchange rate or the opinion of the appraiser do not drop you below the threshold. A detailed analysis of the budget is in the material about cost of Turkish citizenship, and we have collected the general logic of the program in a guide to Turkish citizenship by investment.

SPK score: three numbers that must match

The heart of the entire inspection is the formal cost estimate. It is not carried out by a realtor or the seller himself, but by a valuation company licensed by the Turkish Capital Markets Council (Sermaye Piyasasi Kurulu, SPK). The assessment report is uploaded into the government system and verified by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. If the assessed value of the property (or the sum of the items) is less than $400,000, the application will be rejected, even if more is actually paid.

In practice, inspectors ensure that the threshold is met immediately three digits, and each must be at least $400,000:

• Actual transaction price - the amount that the investor actually transferred through a Turkish bank with the issuance of a certificate of currency purchase (Doviz Alim Belgesi).
• Estimated value according to SPK report - independent market assessment of the licensed company.
• Price indicated in TAPU - the cost recorded during the re-registration of ownership in the cadastre.

If at least one of the three numbers is below the threshold, the case for this object falls apart. Therefore, underestimating the value in TAPU for the sake of saving on tax on the transfer of rights is a common but fatal mistake: formally, on paper, the investment no longer reaches 400,000. The valuation regulator is the official SPK (spk.gov.tr).

Who you can’t buy from: ban on foreigners participating in the program

This rule fails dozens of investors every year who buy a property on the secondary market. Under citizenship Real estate purchased from a foreign citizen does not count, who himself had previously used it (or another object) in the citizenship by investment program. The logic of the state is simple: the same object should not be endlessly resold from foreigner to foreigner, each time generating a new passport.

What exactly is prohibited:

• Buying from a foreigner who has already obtained Turkish citizenship through this property.
• Purchasing an object that has a restrictive mark indicating previous participation in the program.
• Transactions between the investor's spouse, the investor and related companies aimed at circumventing the rules.

Safe option: buy from a Turkish citizen or a Turkish legal entity (for example, from a developer). That is why the primary purchase from the developer is the cleanest scenario: the property has no history of resales between foreigners. When purchasing on the secondary market, it is necessary to check not only the purity of the TAPU, but also the citizenship of the entire chain of previous owners and the presence of marks on participation in the program.

Sales ban for 3 years: what is recorded in TAPU

Investing in real estate under Turkish citizenship is not a one-time purchase, but an obligation to hold the asset. When registering a transaction in the cadastre, TAPU is marked restrictive note prohibiting sale for three years (often called kisitlama serhi). The investor is legally obligated not to sell the property for at least 36 months from the date of acquisition.

What is important to understand about this period:

• The mark is visible in the cadastre - you will not be able to carry out a purchase and sale transaction ahead of schedule purely technically, the cadastre will not let it through.
• Can be rented - the ban applies only to sales, and not to receipt of rental income. The object can generate money for all three years.
• Violation hits your passport - if you somehow sell the property ahead of schedule, this may lead to retroactive revocation of the acquired citizenship, not only from the investor, but also from family members who received passports with him.
• After three years the property is vacant - upon expiration of the period, the restriction is lifted, and the property can be disposed of without consequences for citizenship.

In practice, a three-year horizon should be included in the investment strategy in advance: choose an object that not only passes the threshold, but will also retain liquidity and value after three years, so that, if desired, you can exit the asset without losses.

Primary versus secondary: which is cleaner for the program

Both new buildings and secondary housing formally qualify for citizenship, but their risks and convenience are different. Understanding this difference saves the investor both nerves and money.

The main advantage of the primary property is its legal purity: you buy directly from a Turkish developer-legal entity, bypassing the ban on transactions with foreigners participating in the program, and receive the right to VAT exemption. Disadvantage - you can only buy a ready-made, commissioned object with a completed TAPU; An apartment under construction will not be suitable for the program. Resales provide more choice in location and room for bargaining, but require a thorough legal check of the history of the property and the citizenship of the previous owners.

Land for citizenship: suitable, but with reservations

Land plots are, in principle, included in the list of eligible properties: if a plot is issued a pure TAPU and its SPK assessment reaches $400,000, it is counted as an investment. But there are nuances to land that make it a less popular and more nuanced option compared to residential and commercial.

• The type of site matters. The most convenient place for the program is development land (with the appropriate purpose). Agricultural and some special categories of land for foreigners are limited or require additional permits.
• Land valuations are more volatile. The market value of a plot depends more on the purpose, infrastructure and zoning, so confirming the threshold of 400,000 using an SPK report can be more difficult than confirming a finished apartment.
• Military and border zones are prohibited. Foreigners are not allowed to buy land in areas near military installations and in a number of border areas - this is checked at the registration stage.
• Liquidity is lower. After three years, leaving the plot may be more difficult than selling a liquid apartment in Istanbul or Antalya.

Conclusion: land is a working, but niche tool. It suits investors who understand the local market and are planning developments, but for most applicants residential or commercial remains the more predictable route to a passport.

VAT exemption for new buildings: up to 18-20% savings

Separate financial bonus for foreign buyers - VAT exemption (KDV) when purchasing a new property. This benefit is prescribed in Turkish tax legislation and can save the investor a significant amount - about 18-20% of the cost of the property, depending on its type.

To obtain an exemption, several conditions must be met simultaneously:

• The buyer is a non-resident. A foreign citizen who does not have tax residency and permanent residence in Turkey, with a valid basis for residence abroad.
• First sale from the developer. The exemption applies only to the first transfer of the property from the developer (legal entity, VAT payer), and not for resale on the secondary market.
• Payment in foreign currency from abroad. The money must come from a foreign bank in foreign currency, with proper documentation of the transfer.
• Holding an object. Property purchased with exemption cannot be sold within the specified period - otherwise VAT will have to be paid on penalties.

The exemption is not automatically granted: every condition is checked, and the loss of even one document (for example, confirmation of a currency transfer) may deprive the investor of the exemption. This is especially convenient for a participant in the citizenship program - buying a primary property from a developer is already the cleanest scenario for other reasons, and the VAT exemption also makes it more financially profitable.

Conditions and options: how to collect a passing investment

We will summarize all the requirements for real estate for Turkish citizenship in 2026 into a single checklist. An object (or a sum of objects) passes under the program if all points are completed at once:

• Type - housing, commercial or land with the possibility of obtaining a pure TAPU.
• Threshold - SPK assessment at $400,000 or more; match of three numbers (transaction price, valuation, value in TAPU).
• TAPU - re-registered as an investor, without mortgage, arrests or marks of previous participation in the program.
• Salesman - a Turkish citizen or a Turkish legal entity, and not a foreigner participating in the program.
• Payment - transfer through a Turkish bank with a Doviz Alim Belgesi certificate.
• Hold - willingness not to sell for at least 3 years (mark in TAPU).
• Summation - for several objects, each with a separate TAPU and assessment, all within one application.

The cleanest and most predictable scenario is the purchase of a ready-made primary property from a developer for an amount with a margin above the threshold, with VAT exemption and a pre-verified legal history. If you're considering real estate as a path to a passport, start with financial and legal due diligence of specific properties - this is where your application will make or break. Request a BRIDGES GLOBAL Consultationso that we select and check properties that fit your budget before you make a deposit.

Checking the property before the transaction: where investors lose money

Between the phrase the object qualifies for citizenship and the actual receipt of a passport lies the stage of due diligence, which is often underestimated. This is where the fate of an investment is decided, and this is where our team sees the most failed deals.

• Owners' nationality history. We check whether the object has not been used previously in the program, whether it has a restrictive mark, and whether the seller is a foreign participant.
• TAPU purity. We order a fresh extract from the cadastre: mortgages, arrests, disputes, encumbrances - all this comes up before the transaction, and not after it.
• Realistic assessment. Before making a deposit, we estimate whether the property will meet the SPK assessment by the required amount so that all three figures coincide with the threshold.
• Zoning and permits. For land and commerce, we check the purpose, restrictions for foreigners, military and border zones.
• Taxes and VAT. We calculate the total cost taking into account the tax on the transfer of rights and possible exemption from VAT.

Our reviews will help you compare the Turkish passport with other fast programs UAE vs TurkeyandGrenada vs Turkey - they show where properties give you the most bang for your buck.