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Source Freshness Review — Foreign buyer eligibility

A foreign-buyer eligibility source-freshness review rechecks nationality, legal capacity, the specific property, location restrictions, current documentation, DAB and transaction purpose against current TKGM guidance, clearly separating an ordinary purchase from the additional citizenship route.

Author / reviewer: JUANA Real Estate Last reviewed: 2026-09-14
Source Freshness Review — Foreign buyer eligibility

Source Freshness Review — Foreign Buyer Eligibility

Foreign-buyer eligibility is not a permanent yes-or-no field. The conclusion depends on the buyer nationality and legal form, the specific property and its location, the purpose of the transaction and the documents available on the application date. A conclusion from an earlier purchase should therefore not be copied into a new file, and an old commercial checklist should not be treated as controlling law. The primary operating source is current TKGM guidance together with the applicable Land Registry Law framework and transaction instructions for foreigners.

Begin with nationality and legal form

Reconcile the passport or national identity document with the name used in the contract, bank records and land-registry application. Determine whether the buyer is a foreign natural person, a foreign company or another type of entity because the rules are not identical. Article 35 of the Land Registry Law provides the framework for acquisition by qualifying foreign natural persons subject to statutory restrictions, including area and location limits. Foreign legal entities and Turkish companies with foreign-capital characteristics can fall under different provisions. A rule that answers the natural-person question should not be used to clear a company.

The property and its location are part of eligibility

The review is not only about the buyer. Tie the conclusion to the parcel or independent-unit identifier and exact location. TKGM guidance explains that statutory and geographical restrictions apply, including prohibitions connected with military or security zones and the quantitative limits in the land-registry framework. A buyer may therefore be generally able to acquire real estate in Türkiye while a particular parcel is not available to that buyer. Property-level evidence must remain visible in the file.

Refresh the document checklist

TKGM currently lists, among the relevant purchase-application materials for foreigners, title or title information, passport or national identity evidence with translation where needed, municipal property value, DASK for buildings, identity information and photograph, a foreign identity number or tax number where the procedure requires it, the Döviz Alım Belgesi transmitted through the banking channel, a sworn interpreter when a party does not know Turkish, and representation documentation when an agent acts. This list should be stored with a verification date, not copied into a static checklist that is never refreshed.

DAB and the payment path

Current TKGM instructions confirm the DAB mechanism for acquisitions by foreign natural persons under the applicable foreign-exchange process. The DAB should be linked to the correct buyer, transaction and amount and the bank reference retained. For citizenship-related acquisitions, TKGM also requires bank evidence of the transfer from buyer to seller under the published procedure. The two documents should not be treated as synonyms: DAB evidences the prescribed foreign-exchange conversion path, while a bank receipt evidences a transfer between identified parties.

Ordinary acquisition is not the citizenship route

This is one of the most important freshness distinctions. TKGM Circular 2024/4, effective with the relevant changes from 9 December 2024, introduced the Tutar Tespit Belgesi, or TTB, for real-estate transactions used to support citizenship by investment and stated that valuation reports are not required in other transactions merely because a foreigner is involved. Current TKGM FAQs state that TTBs issued after that system change have a six-month validity period. A file that mechanically repeats the older idea that every foreign purchase needs the same valuation report is therefore not a current procedure file.

When to reopen eligibility

  • Nationality, passport, identity number or name spelling changes.
  • The property, parcel or portfolio of properties changes.
  • The purpose changes from an ordinary purchase to a citizenship application.
  • Price, payment method or financing structure changes.
  • Time has passed or TKGM issues a new circular, instruction or FAQ update.

FAQ

Does every foreign purchase currently require a valuation report?

No. Current TKGM guidance distinguishes citizenship transactions using the TTB framework from other transactions. The procedure should be checked for the actual application date.

Is the DAB the same as proof that the seller received the purchase money?

No. They prove different events. Citizenship transactions additionally require the bank payment evidence described by TKGM.

Does a generally eligible nationality make every property eligible?

No. The specific property, location and statutory restrictions must still be checked.

Official sources

  • TKGM — Procedures Guide for Foreigners: https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/yabancii-db/land-registry-and-cadastre-procedures-guide-foreigners
  • TKGM — Purchase application documents: https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/yabancii-db/basvuru-icin-gereken-belgeler-nelerdir
  • TKGM — DAB announcement: https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/yabancii-db/yabanci-gercek-kisi-edinimlerinde-doviz-alim-belgesi-genelgesi-hakkinda-duyuru
  • TKGM — Circular 2024/4: https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/yabancii-db/turk-vatandasligi-kanunu-uygulama-yonetmeligi-hk-20244-sayili-genelge

Frequently asked questions

Is nationality alone enough to confirm that a foreign buyer may acquire a specific property?

No. Eligibility must be checked for the exact buyer and exact property under the rules applicable at the transaction date, including any property-specific restriction and the required transaction documents.

When should foreign-buyer eligibility be rechecked?

Recheck before a material payment and again before title transfer if the file has remained open long enough for rules, documents or property restrictions to change.

Is ordinary foreign-buyer eligibility the same as citizenship-by-investment eligibility?

No. A buyer may be legally eligible to purchase without the transaction meeting the separate investment threshold, valuation/payment evidence and restriction requirements for citizenship.

Sources

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