Turkey 2026: what changed for foreign buyers

Turkey's rules for foreign buyers did not change in one place in 2026. A few changes touch the daily work of an agency: how the price is paid, how earthquake insurance is bought, and how rentals are regulated. This briefing lists what we found, with the date and the source type, and says plainly where a point needs a lawyer.

Payments: the Secure Payment System

Press reports citing the Ministry of Commerce say the Secure Payment System for real estate was due to become mandatory on 1 July 2026 and was moved to 1 October 2026 to complete technical work with the land registry. As described, the buyer pays into a blocked account and the money is released to the seller after registration. Cash and direct transfers to the seller are reported as no longer valid from the start date.

What it means for an agency: agree the payment method with the bank before the deposit, put the blocked account step in your timeline and do not collect money outside the system. What we could not confirm: how the system works together with the foreign-currency certificate that foreign buyers submit, and any exceptions. Ask your lawyer.

Insurance: DASK from 5 September 2026

A law-firm note reports that from 5 September 2026 the earthquake policy no longer passes to the buyer with the property. The buyer takes a new policy in their own name before the title deed appointment, and the seller can ask the insurer to refund the unused premium after the registration. The note does not mention penalties. Add the policy to the closing checklist and make sure it matches the title deed.

Residence and citizenship thresholds

Law-firm guides for 2026 give a minimum of USD 200,000 for a residence permit through property, recorded in the title deed, paid through official banking channels, and valued by a capital-markets-licensed appraiser. A separate route to citizenship is given at USD 400,000 with a note on the title deed that the property cannot be sold for three years. These are secondary summaries. Check the current decree and the applicant's own situation, and do not promise a buyer a permit.

Short-term rentals under Law No. 7464

The law has applied since 1 January 2024 and covers rentals of residences for tourism purposes of up to 100 days per contract. As summarised by a law firm:

• The owner needs a permit certificate from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism before letting.
• In most buildings the unanimous consent of the flat owners is required, with exceptions for buildings that provide hotel-like services and have management provisions that allow it.
• Where one person owns more than three units in a building, permits are limited to a quarter of the independent sections.
• Only the owner or a Group A travel agency may mediate the rental, and sub-letting is prohibited with narrow exceptions.
• Guest identity must be reported, and a ministry plaque must be displayed.
• Penalties reported range from TRY 100,000 to TRY 1,000,000 for letting without a permit, with separate fines for a missing plaque and for unauthorised mediation.

For agencies, the practical point is to tell investment buyers early that a flat is not automatically eligible to let to tourists. The note does not say whether foreign owners face extra conditions, so ask.

Taxes and fees that did not change in our sources

The title deed fee is 4 per cent of the declared price and, according to several guides, is not higher for foreigners. VAT on new buildings is given as a range from 1 to 20 per cent. One guide reports that gains on a property sold after five years are exempt, while an earlier sale can be taxable. Check these against the current tax code for each sale.

Limits that stay in place

Foreign individuals face a nationwide ceiling of 30 hectares and a limit of 10 per cent of the privately owned land in a district. Military and security zones remain closed to foreign buyers. One source warns that nationality-specific limits can apply and that old charts should not be trusted; it names none, and neither do we.

What to change in your own process

• Update your timeline: tax number, bank account, security-zone check, appraisal if needed, exchange certificate, blocked-account payment, DASK policy, title deed appointment.
• Brief your lawyer and bank on the Secure Payment System before the first sale after the start date.
• Tell investment buyers about the rental permit and consent rules before they commit.
• Keep a dated note of each rule and its source. These rules have moved several times.

What we could not confirm

• The interaction between the Secure Payment System and the foreign-currency certificate.
• Whether estate agents are obliged parties under the anti-money-laundering law.
• Any current list of nationality-specific limits.
• Exact timing of the security-zone check.

Working with D.H. Realting

D.H. Realting is a trilingual (Russian, English, Polish) overseas-property platform. We introduce buyers, including expats and cross-border buyers, to property in other countries and support the process. Agencies that handle the deal locally and want to be introduced to such buyers can contact us through our partners page. We do not publish commission terms or promise any volume of enquiries here; those are discussed one to one.

Sources we relied on: a law-firm summary of Law No. 7464, a report on the Secure Payment System postponement and a law-firm note on DASK.

This briefing is informational only. It is not legal, tax or investment advice, rules change often, and the sources named above are summaries rather than the legal texts. Confirm every point with a local lawyer and the competent authority before you rely on it.