---
title: Foreigner Property Purchase (Yabancı Mülk Edinme) in Türkiye
country: turkey
service: "foreigner-property-purchase-tkgm-deed-reciprocity-caps"
category: housing
difficulty: complex
estimated_time: "End-to-end commonly four to six weeks from the *WebTapu* preliminary application to deed issuance, depending on the property location and *Tapu Müdürlüğü* workload. The deed itself is issued the same day as the signing appointment once all checks clear and fees are paid."
cost_range: "Statutory *tapu harcı* of four per cent of the declared property value (split two per cent buyer / two per cent seller) plus a döner sermaye service fee, a mandatory SPK-licensed appraisal, DASK earthquake insurance for residential property, and a sworn-interpreter session where the buyer does not speak Turkish."
last_verified: 2026-05-25
canonical: https://publicservices.guide/turkey/foreigner-property-purchase-tkgm-deed-reciprocity-caps/
status: current
confidence: low
tags:
  - housing
  - "property-purchase"
  - tapu
  - "title-deed"
  - tkgm
  - webtapu
  - foreigner
  - reciprocity
sources:
  - https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/yabancii-db/yabanci-uyruklu-gercek-kisilerin-islem-basvurulari-hakkinda
  - https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/en
  - https://webtapu.tkgm.gov.tr/
  - https://randevu.tkgm.gov.tr/
  - https://www.invest.gov.tr/en/investmentguide/pages/acquiring-property-and-citizenship.aspx
  - https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/tapu-ve-kadastro-genel-mudurlugu
  - https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/sites/default/files/2020-12/YABANCILAR%20%C4%B0%C3%87%C4%B0N%20BA%C5%9EVURU%20YOLLARI%2018haziran_EN.pdf
---

# Foreigner Property Purchase (Yabancı Mülk Edinme) in Türkiye

**Country:** 🇹🇷 Turkey  
**Last verified:** 2026-05-25  
**Estimated time:** End-to-end commonly four to six weeks from the *WebTapu* preliminary application to deed issuance, depending on the property location and *Tapu Müdürlüğü* workload. The deed itself is issued the same day as the signing appointment once all checks clear and fees are paid.  
**Cost:** Statutory *tapu harcı* of four per cent of the declared property value (split two per cent buyer / two per cent seller) plus a döner sermaye service fee, a mandatory SPK-licensed appraisal, DASK earthquake insurance for residential property, and a sworn-interpreter session where the buyer does not speak Turkish.

## Required documents

- **Valid passport** *(Pasaport)*
  - Required: Original passport plus a clear photocopy. The original is briefly retained during the registration process.
  - Cost: Already issued
  - _Note:_ A notarised Turkish translation of the passport identity page is required where the passport is in a non-Latin script. Latin-script passports are typically accepted without translation; the local Tapu Müdürlüğü confirms on intake.
- **Turkish tax identification number** *(Vergi Kimlik Numarası)*
  - Required: Obtained from any Vergi Dairesi (Tax Office) on presentation of the passport and an address declaration, or via the Revenue Administration's online channel.
  - Cost: Free
  - _Note:_ Mandatory prerequisite for the tapu harcı payment and the deed transaction. Foreigners may apply for a potential tax identification number through the Revenue Administration's dedicated foreigner channel before residence-permit approval.
- **SPK-licensed appraisal report** *(SPK Lisanslı Gayrimenkul Değerleme Raporu)*
  - Required: Independent valuation from a Sermaye Piyasası Kurulu (Capital Markets Board) licensed appraiser. Delivered electronically into the WebTapu file.
  - Cost: Indicative ₺10,000–₺25,000 per the current SPK appraisal-tariff schedule
  - _Note:_ Report is valid for three months from issue. The SPK-appraised value is the de facto declaration basis for tapu harcı; under-declaration against the appraisal is no longer feasible.
- **Municipal current-market-value certificate** *(Belediye Rayiç Değer Belgesi)*
  - Required: Issued by the local belediye (municipality) for the property at the registered cadastral parcel.
  - Cost: Municipal fee — modest, varies by belediye
  - _Note:_ Supplied to the Tapu Müdürlüğü alongside the SPK appraisal. The certificate carries the municipal assessed value used for the emlak vergisi base.
- **Earthquake insurance policy** *(DASK)*
  - Required: Doğal Afet Sigortaları Kurumu (DASK) compulsory earthquake insurance certificate for residential property.
  - Cost: Premium varies by area in square metres and location
  - _Note:_ Mandatory for any residential property registration. The policy is issued through any DASK-authorised insurer; the certificate number is recorded against the deed.
- **Biometric photographs**
  - Required: Two recent biometric photographs of the buyer (6×4 cm) and one of the seller.
  - Cost: Photographer fee — typically modest at provincial photo studios
  - _Note:_ Photographers near Tapu Müdürlüğü offices commonly know the format on sight.
- **Sworn-interpreter accompaniment** *(Yeminli Tercüman)*
  - Required: Mandatory at the deed-signing appointment where either party does not speak Turkish. The interpreter translates the deed and its terms verbally.
  - Cost: Indicative ₺1,500–₺3,000 per signing session
  - _Note:_ The buyer engages and pays the interpreter directly. The Tapu Müdürlüğü maintains lists of locally recognised sworn interpreters but does not appoint one.
- **Notarised power of attorney** *(Vekâletname)*
  - Required for proxy signing only: Notarised power of attorney where the buyer or seller signs through an authorised representative. Apostille-certified where executed abroad.
  - Cost: Per notary tariff schedule (variable)
  - _Note:_ Foreign-issued vekâletname documents are accepted only with apostille certification and certified Turkish translation.

## Costs

- **Tapu harcı (title-deed transfer tax):** 4 TRY — Statutory rate is four per cent of the declared property value, split two per cent buyer and two per cent seller. The SPK-appraised value is the declaration basis; the percentage figure (4) shown here represents the statutory rate — apply against the appraised value for the cash amount. Foreign and Turkish buyers pay the same rate.
- **Döner sermaye (TKGM service fee):** 0 TRY — Fixed schedule published annually by TKGM. Operators confirm the current-year tariff with the local Tapu Müdürlüğü on intake; figures fluctuate and have moved across recent years.
- **SPK-licensed appraisal report:** 10000–25000 TRY — Indicative range from the current SPK appraisal-tariff schedule. Report is valid three months from issue. Mandatory for every sale to a foreign buyer.
- **DASK earthquake insurance:** 0 TRY — Premium varies by area in square metres and by location. Mandatory for residential property registration; the certificate number is recorded against the deed.
- **Sworn-interpreter session:** 1500–3000 TRY — Mandatory at the deed-signing appointment where the buyer does not speak Turkish. Buyer engages the interpreter; the Tapu Müdürlüğü does not appoint one.
- **Notary fees (passport translation and vekâletname):** 0 TRY — Per the notary tariff schedule. Variable by document type and length; non-Latin-script passport translations and apostille-certified foreign powers of attorney are the most common items.

## Steps

### 1. Before contracting — confirm nationality eligibility under the Presidential-decree list

- (Applicant) Email the TKGM Foreign Affairs Department at forforeigners@tkgm.gov.tr with the prospective buyer's nationality, or ask at any Tapu Müdürlüğü before signing a purchase contract
- (TKGM Foreign Affairs Department) Confirm whether the nationality is on the current Presidential-decree list of countries permitted to acquire real property under Article 35 of Tapu Kanunu
- (Applicant) Save the confirmation in writing for the Tapu Müdürlüğü file

> **Tip:** The list of eligible nationalities is set by Presidential decree (post-2018 transition from Council of Ministers) and is not published as a single canonical document. Confirm in writing before paying any contract deposit.

### 2. Before the WebTapu filing — obtain a Turkish tax identification number *(Vergi Kimlik Numarası)*

- (Applicant) Visit any Vergi Dairesi (Tax Office) with the passport and an address declaration, or apply via the Revenue Administration's online channel for a potential tax identification number
- (Vergi Dairesi) Issue the vergi kimlik numarası — free of charge — for use in tapu harcı payment and the deed transaction

> **Tip:** Foreigners who need a tax identifier before residence-permit approval can obtain a potential tax identification number through the Revenue Administration's dedicated online channel.

### 3. Before the WebTapu filing — order the mandatory SPK-licensed appraisal report *(SPK Lisanslı Değerleme Raporu)*

- (Applicant or seller) Engage a Sermaye Piyasası Kurulu (Capital Markets Board) licensed real-estate appraiser
- (SPK-licensed appraiser) Inspect the property and deliver the valuation report electronically into the WebTapu file for the transaction
- (Applicant) Note the report-issue date — the report is valid for three months and must remain valid through the signing appointment

> **Tip:** The SPK-appraised value is the de facto declaration basis for tapu harcı. Under-declaration of the contract price against the appraisal is no longer feasible.

### 4. Pre-arrival or in-country — file the WebTapu preliminary transfer application *(WebTapu Ön Başvuru)*

- (Applicant and seller, or authorised representatives) Log in to webtapu.tkgm.gov.tr and create the transfer-application file for the property
- (Applicant and seller) Upload the buyer's and seller's identity documents, the SPK appraisal report, and the supporting documents listed by the Tapu Müdürlüğü workflow
- (Tapu Müdürlüğü) Run the eligibility check against the Presidential-decree list, the military-zone query against the General Staff or its delegated local command, and the ten per cent district-cap check
- (Applicant) Monitor the WebTapu file status for the clearance result

> **Tip:** TKGM frames the WebTapu route as the canonical entry point for foreign natural-person property transactions: "Yabancı uyruklu gerçek kişilerin Türkiye'de taşınmaz edinimi, 2644 sayılı Tapu Kanunu'nun 35. maddesi kapsamında düzenlenmektedir." The Tapu Müdürlüğü eligibility, military-zone, and district-cap checks all run from this filing.

_Links:_
- [WebTapu — TKGM electronic transactions portal](https://webtapu.tkgm.gov.tr/)
- [TKGM Foreign Affairs Department — procedural page](https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/yabancii-db/yabanci-uyruklu-gercek-kisilerin-islem-basvurulari-hakkinda)

### 5. After WebTapu screening clears — pay the tapu harcı and döner sermaye *(Tapu Harcı Ödemesi)*

- (Tapu Müdürlüğü) Generate the tapu harcı bill against the SPK-appraised value at the statutory four per cent rate (split two per cent buyer / two per cent seller)
- (Applicant and seller) Pay the tapu harcı at a Vergi Dairesi or via the Revenue Administration's online payment channel; settle the döner sermaye service fee at the same time
- (Applicant) Retain official receipts for presentation at the signing appointment

> **If this fails:** Where the buyer has contracted to absorb the full four per cent as a private price-allocation outcome, the legal split remains two per cent buyer / two per cent seller on the receipts. The Tapu Müdürlüğü does not adjust the receipts to reflect contractual allocation.

### 6. After payment clears — book the deed-signing appointment *(Tapu Müdürlüğü Randevusu)*

- (Applicant) Book the in-person signing slot at the local Tapu Müdürlüğü via randevu.tkgm.gov.tr
- (TKGM appointment portal) Confirm the slot by SMS to both parties; many offices schedule same-day or within two business days
- (Applicant) Engage a sworn interpreter (yeminli tercüman) for the signing session if the buyer does not speak Turkish

> **Tip:** The Tapu Müdürlüğü does not appoint the sworn interpreter. The buyer engages and pays the interpreter directly; Tapu Müdürlüğü offices keep lists of locally recognised sworn interpreters.

_Links:_
- [TKGM appointment portal (randevu)](https://randevu.tkgm.gov.tr/)

### 7. On the appointment date — attend the Tapu Müdürlüğü and sign the deed *(Tapu Senedi İmzası)*

- (Applicant and seller, or notarised representatives) Attend the appointment in person at the local Tapu Müdürlüğü on the booked date
- (Sworn interpreter, where required) Translate the deed and its terms verbally to the foreign party at the registrar's table
- (Tapu Müdürlüğü registrar) Verify the WebTapu file, the tapu harcı receipts, and the DASK certificate for residential property; record the deed in the register
- (Applicant and seller) Sign the deed; (Tapu Müdürlüğü registrar) countersign and issue the tapu senedi (title deed) the same day

> **Tip:** Ownership transfers at registration; the tapu senedi is the legal record. Keep the original document in safe storage and a clear scan for future filings.

### 8. After deed issuance — register utilities, file emlak vergisi, and confirm DASK *(Tapu Sonrası İşlemler)*

- (Applicant) Register utility connections (electricity, water, natural gas) in the new owner's name with the local providers using the tapu senedi and the Yabancı Kimlik Numarası
- (Applicant) File the property with the local belediye for emlak vergisi (annual property tax), paid in two equal instalments in May and November
- (Applicant) Confirm or renew the DASK policy and keep the certificate number with the deed records
- (Applicant) For undeveloped-land purchases, calendar the two-year deadline to submit a development project to the relevant Ministry for approval

> **Tip:** Annual emlak vergisi runs at residential 0.1 per cent (0.2 per cent metropolitan), commercial 0.2 per cent (0.4 per cent metropolitan), and land 0.3 per cent (0.6 per cent metropolitan) of the municipal assessed value; the same schedule applies to foreign and Turkish owners.

## FAQ

### Which nationalities are eligible to acquire property in Türkiye?

Eligibility is set by Presidential decree under Article 35 of Tapu Kanunu (Law No. 2644). The list of permitted nationalities is not published as a single canonical document on the TKGM portal. The operator route to confirm eligibility is to email the TKGM Foreign Affairs Department at forforeigners@tkgm.gov.tr or to ask at any Tapu Müdürlüğü before contracting. The bilateral-reciprocity precondition that historically applied was removed by Law No. 6302 of 18 May 2012; eligibility now turns on the Presidential-decree list, not on whether the buyer's home country grants equivalent acquisition rights to Turkish nationals.

### How much is the title-deed transfer tax (tapu harcı)?

Tapu harcı is four per cent of the declared property value, split statutorily two per cent buyer and two per cent seller. Foreign and Turkish buyers pay the same rate. The SPK-licensed appraisal report fixes the declaration basis, so the practice of declaring a contract price below market value is no longer feasible. In commercial negotiation the buyer often contracts to absorb the full four per cent as a price-allocation outcome; the legal two-and-two split remains unchanged.

### Do I need a military permission certificate?

Not as a separate buyer-facing certificate. The buyer-facing military permission step that previously existed has been abolished; the substantive prohibition on acquisition inside military prohibited zones and military security zones remains in force. The Tapu Müdürlüğü runs the zone-check directly against the General Staff (Genel Kurmay Başkanlığı) or its delegated local command as part of the WebTapu workflow. If the property is inside a prohibited or security zone the registration is refused; if it is inside a special security zone, registration requires written permission from the governor's office (valilik) before completing.

### What are the property-acquisition caps for foreigners?

Two statutory caps apply. A foreign natural person may acquire up to thirty hectares of real property nationally, aggregated across all parcels held anywhere in Türkiye. Separately, foreign owners in aggregate may not hold more than ten per cent of the privately owned area of any one administrative district; once the district ceiling is exhausted, no further foreign acquisitions in that district are registrable regardless of any individual buyer's headroom against the thirty-hectare cap.

### Is VAT (KDV) waived for first-time foreign buyers?

Yes, on conditions, for the first delivery of new-construction residential or workplace property. The exemption sits in Article 13/i of VAT Law No. 3065, added by Law No. 6824 with effect from 1 April 2017. The buyer must be a foreign natural person not resident in Türkiye or a qualifying expatriate Turkish citizen; the property must be the developer's first delivery; at least half the price must enter Türkiye in foreign currency before invoice issue with the balance paid within one year; and a one-year resale restriction applies. Early resale triggers retroactive VAT collection.

### What is the WebTapu portal and is it mandatory?

WebTapu is the canonical electronic preliminary application surface for Tapu transactions, run by TKGM. Buyers, sellers, and authorised representatives file the transfer application through WebTapu. The Tapu Müdürlüğü uses the WebTapu submission to run the eligibility check, the military-zone query, and the ten per cent district-cap check before the in-person signing appointment is booked through randevu.tkgm.gov.tr. The SPK-licensed appraisal report is delivered into WebTapu by the licensed appraiser.

### What happens if I buy undeveloped land?

Foreign buyers who purchase undeveloped land (fields, building plots) must submit a development project to the relevant Ministry for approval within two years of acquisition. Failure to file the project, or failure to complete the approved project within its specified timeframe, triggers a statutory liquidation procedure. The obligation is annotated on the title deed at registration and is checked at the project-approval review.

### Can I use the property purchase to obtain Turkish citizenship?

Yes, through the citizenship-by-investment route administered separately by the Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık directorate. The property must be acquired at or above the statutory threshold raised to US$400,000 by a Cabinet Decision published in the Resmî Gazete on 13 May 2022 with effect from 13 June 2022. A three-year resale restriction is annotated on the title deed. The citizenship application runs in parallel with the property registration and is procedurally distinct; see the related citizenship-by-investment guide for the full eligibility and document set.

## Sources

- [Tapu ve Kadastro Genel Müdürlüğü (TKGM) — Foreign Affairs Department, procedural page for foreign natural persons](https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/yabancii-db/yabanci-uyruklu-gercek-kisilerin-islem-basvurulari-hakkinda) — accessed 2026-05-25 — _T1_ — Canonical procedural authority for foreign natural-person property transactions. The TKGM Foreign Affairs page opens with the framing that foreign natural-person property acquisition in Türkiye is governed under Article 35 of Tapu Kanunu (Law No. 2644). It lists the workflow that runs the eligibility check, the dual statutory caps (30 hectares per individual nationally and ten per cent of the privately owned area of any one district aggregated across all foreign owners), and the military-zone screening performed by the registry. The page also confirms that the buyer-facing military permission certificate that previously existed has been abolished, with the zone-check now embedded in the Tapu Müdürlüğü workflow against the General Staff or its delegated local command.
- [Tapu ve Kadastro Genel Müdürlüğü (TKGM) — institutional English landing](https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/en) — accessed 2026-05-25 — _T1_ — Institutional English-language landing for the Land Registry and Cadastre General Directorate. Surfaces the canonical authority name (Tapu ve Kadastro Genel Müdürlüğü), confirms TKGM as the parent body responsible for the Tapu (title-deed) registry, and routes English-language enquiries through the same Foreign Affairs Department channel as the Turkish-language procedural page. The English landing is the substitute primary route now that the historical tapu.gov.tr subdomain is no longer in active use as a public canonical surface.
- [WebTapu — TKGM electronic transactions portal](https://webtapu.tkgm.gov.tr/) — accessed 2026-05-25 — _T1_ — Canonical electronic preliminary application surface for Tapu transactions. Buyers and sellers (or their authorised representatives) file the transfer application via WebTapu. The Tapu Müdürlüğü uses the WebTapu submission to run the eligibility check against the Presidential-decree list of permitted nationalities, the military-zone query to the General Staff or its delegated local command, and the ten per cent district-cap check. The mandatory SPK-licensed appraisal report is delivered into WebTapu by the licensed appraiser and is valid for three months from issue.
- [TKGM appointment portal (randevu)](https://randevu.tkgm.gov.tr/) — accessed 2026-05-25 — _T1_ — Canonical appointment-booking surface for the Tapu Müdürlüğü deed-signing slot. After the WebTapu preliminary checks clear and the tapu harcı is paid, both parties book the in-person signing appointment via randevu.tkgm.gov.tr. SMS notifications confirm the slot. Many offices schedule same-day or within two business days of payment clearance.
- [Presidential Investment Office (Yatırım Ofisi) — Acquiring Property and Citizenship](https://www.invest.gov.tr/en/investmentguide/pages/acquiring-property-and-citizenship.aspx) — accessed 2026-05-25 — _T1_ — Cross-cutting Presidential Investment Office page citing Article 35 of Tapu Kanunu (Law No. 2644) for the foreign natural-person acquisition regime. Paraphrases the post-amendment statutory framing: countries whose nationals are eligible to acquire real estate in Türkiye are determined by the Council of Ministers (post-2018 the President), who may also stipulate special conditions for acquisitions where deemed necessary. Confirms the 30-hectare per-person national cap, the ten per cent district cap aggregated across foreign owners, and the unbuilt-land obligation requiring foreigners who purchase undeveloped land (fields, building plots) to submit a development project to the relevant Ministry for approval within two years of acquisition, failing which a statutory liquidation procedure applies.
- [e-Devlet (Türkiye'nin Dijital Kapısı) — TKGM service catalogue](https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/tapu-ve-kadastro-genel-mudurlugu) — accessed 2026-05-25 — _T1_ — Federal aggregator catalogue surfacing TKGM services. Confirms cross-portal availability of tapu enquiry, tapu harcı payment, WebTapu services, and Tapu Müdürlüğü appointment booking through the e-Devlet aggregator. Access requires an e-Devlet password obtained in person at any PTT branch.
- [TKGM — Electronic Application Means for Foreigners (English procedural PDF)](https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/sites/default/files/2020-12/YABANCILAR%20%C4%B0%C3%87%C4%B0N%20BA%C5%9EVURU%20YOLLARI%2018haziran_EN.pdf) — accessed 2026-05-25 — _T1_ — TKGM-published English-language procedural PDF on electronic application means for foreigners. Confirms the WebTapu preliminary route, the appointment-booking step via randevu.tkgm.gov.tr, and the registry-side eligibility and military-zone screening. Companion to the Turkish-language Foreign Affairs Department procedural page and used as the English-language operator route for non-Turkish-speaking applicants ahead of the in-person Tapu Müdürlüğü signing.

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Verification pending — see the canonical page for the latest trust state.
Canonical: https://publicservices.guide/turkey/foreigner-property-purchase-tkgm-deed-reciprocity-caps/