Turkey: documents and checks for expat buyers

A growing share of overseas buyers do not live in the country they hold a passport from. They may be Russian-speaking or Polish-speaking residents of Poland, another EU state or elsewhere, buying in a third country. For a Turkish agency this changes the intake: the documents, the proof of funds and the question of status are less standard than with a local or a tourist buyer. This briefing sets out what to collect and check, and where the rules are specific to Turkey.

Who the cross-border expat buyer is

The buyer often has a passport from one country, a residence permit in a second and savings in a third. They usually buy at a distance, rely on a language that is not Turkish, and are cautious about money moving between banks. None of this is a problem in itself. It does mean you should ask early about where the funds sit, which bank will send them and how the buyer will sign if they cannot travel.

What to collect before the first viewing

• A valid passport (and, if relevant, a residence permit in the country where the buyer lives). Ask for a clear scan, not a photograph taken at an angle.
• A Turkish tax number. Foreign buyers need one, and it is usually issued within a few days; reports put the whole preparation stage at about one to two weeks.
• A bank account in Turkey. Guides describe it as highly recommended and, in practice, the foreign-currency step below requires a Turkish bank.
• A short written statement of purpose: holiday home, investment, residence application. It shapes every later step, including the appraisal.
• Contact details, a preferred language for documents and a named person who may act under power of attorney, if any.
• Where the money comes from, in plain words, before the buyer reaches the bank.

Client checks and anti-money-laundering

Turkey's main anti-money-laundering law is Law No. 5549. It sets customer identification, suspicious-transaction reporting and related duties for the parties it names, and the financial intelligence unit, MASAK, supervises them. We have not confirmed whether and how estate agents are covered by the obliged-party list, so ask a Turkish lawyer how your own agency is classified. Even if you are not obliged, the bank, the land registry and the notary will apply their own checks to every buyer, so collecting good records yourself is cheaper than repairing them later.

• Identify the person and write down what you saw: name, date of birth, nationality, document numbers.
• Ask for the source of funds and keep the explanation and the supporting document together.
• Screen the buyer and the seller against the sanctions lists that apply to your agency and your bank. Do this lawfully and consistently, and record the result.
• If something does not add up, slow down or step back. Never advise a buyer on how to avoid a check.

Checks that are specific to foreign buyers

• Military and security zones. Foreigners cannot acquire property in military forbidden zones, military security zones or other strategically restricted areas. The land registry consults the security authorities. Reports of how long this takes range from a couple of days to several weeks, and a property that has already been cleared for sale to a foreigner may not need a fresh check. Ask the registry before the buyer pays a deposit.
• Quantity limits. Foreign individuals face a national ceiling of 30 hectares in total and a limit of 10 per cent of the privately owned land in a district. Apartment buyers are rarely affected; buyers of land can be.
• Nationality. Some sources say nationality-specific limits can apply for security or diplomatic reasons. We found no reliable current list, so do not rely on an old chart. Check the position for the buyer's passport with the land registry or a lawyer.
• Appraisal. A licensed valuation is needed if the buyer is applying for a residence permit or citizenship through the purchase, and many buyers get one anyway to compare the price.

Status questions to raise early

Property can support a residence permit. Law-firm guides for 2026 give a minimum value of USD 200,000 recorded in the title deed, payment through official banking channels and a valuation by a capital-markets-licensed appraiser. A separate route to citizenship starts at USD 400,000 and puts a note on the title deed that the property cannot be sold for three years. These are guides rather than the decrees themselves, so treat them as a starting point, check the current rule and never promise a buyer an outcome. Tell the buyer to speak to a lawyer about tax residence in the country where they live.

Language and signing

Use a sworn translator for anything the buyer must understand and sign. Guides list the use of a language you do not fully understand, without a sworn translator, among the common pitfalls. If the buyer will not attend, a power of attorney is the usual route. Where it is signed abroad, expect it to need notarisation, legalisation or an apostille and a translation, and confirm the exact route with your lawyer before the buyer signs.

An intake checklist you can reuse

• Passport and residence documents scanned and filed.
• Turkish tax number requested and the bank account opened.
• Source-of-funds statement and one supporting document.
• Purpose of purchase and any residence or citizenship plan written down.
• Security-zone check requested for the property.
• Translator and, if needed, power of attorney arranged.
• Payment route agreed with the bank before the deposit.

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 2026 summary of the limits on foreign ownership, a law-firm guide to a residence permit through property and the text of Law No. 5549.

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.