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Is It Possible for Foreigners to Buy Land or Land in Turkey?
It is possible for foreign real persons to buy land or land in Turkey. However, this right; It is subject to some legal limitations according to the buyer's citizenship, the region where the real estate is located, its surface area and its intended use.
Especially in immovables that do not have a building on them, the obligation to prepare a project and submit it to the approval of the relevant public institution may arise after acquisition. For this reason, title deed, zoning, agriculture and security zone checks should be carried out together before purchasing land or land.
Can Foreigners Buy Land in Turkey?
Citizens of countries that are allowed to acquire real estate in Turkey can buy land within legal limitations. It is not mandatory for the buyer to have a residence permit before.
However, it should not be thought that a building can be built immediately on an immovable registered as "land" in the title deed. The zoning plan, construction conditions, road frontage, parcel size and municipal records of the real estate should be examined separately.
The fact that an immovable property appears as land in the title deed does not necessarily mean that a residential or commercial building can be built. The right to build is determined according to the current zoning status document to be obtained from the municipality.
Can Foreigners Buy Agricultural Land in Turkey?
Foreign real persons can purchase fields, vineyards, gardens or similar agricultural land if they meet the conditions of citizenship and regional acquisition. Also Citizenship Process for Foreigners Buying Real Estate should be evaluated together with the concrete case.
However, the Soil Conservation and Land Use Law No. 5403 and the rules regarding agricultural land sizes, division and purpose of use are applied in agricultural lands. In addition, the foreign buyer may need to prepare a project for the agricultural activity to be carried out on the real estate.
Before purchasing agricultural land, the agricultural nature of the land, irrigation status, soil class, whether it is shared or not, and whether there are agricultural sites or protection restrictions on it should be investigated.
Limits on Land and Land Acquisition by Foreigners
| Limitation | Basic Rule |
|---|---|
| Citizenship eligibility | The buyer must be a citizen of the country where he is allowed to acquire real estate in Turkey. |
| Border across the country | As a rule, the total of immovables that a foreign real person can acquire throughout Turkey cannot exceed 30 hectares. |
| District-based border | The total area of immovables acquired by foreigners cannot exceed 10 percent of the surface area of the district subject to private ownership. |
| Security zones | Acquisition in military prohibition, military security or special security zones may be prohibited or subject to permission. |
| Unbuilt real estate | The project to be developed for the land or land may need to be submitted to the approval of the relevant public institution within a certain period of time. |
The President may impose additional restrictions on certain nationals, regions or types of immovable properties for reasons of public interest and national security.
Two-Year Project Obligation in Unstructured Immovables
If a foreign real person purchases a land or land on which there is no building, he must submit the project to be developed on the real estate to the approval of the relevant ministry within two years from the date of acquisition.
The type of project varies according to the nature of the property. Projects related to agricultural production, animal husbandry, greenhouses or similar activities can be prepared on agricultural lands. In zoned lands, the investment to be made must be in accordance with the zoning plan and the decision to use the real estate.
If the project is not submitted, accepted or completed on time, the liquidation of the real estate and the termination of ownership may come to the fore. Therefore, even if the land or land is to be purchased only for the purpose of increasing value, the project obligation should not be ignored.
Checks Before Purchasing Land or Land
Before the title deed transfer, only the price and location of the real estate should not be evaluated. The following legal and technical checks should be carried out: Legal Rights of Foreigners Buying a House in Turkey its content explains other legal points related to this stage.
- Whether the seller is the real owner in the title deed,
- Whether there is a mortgage, lien or court measure on the immovable,
- Whether the immovable is registered as a land, field, vineyard, garden or any other nature,
- Shared ownership and the status of other stakeholders,
- Whether the immovable has a façade to the cadastral road,
- Zoning plan and right to construction,
- Expropriation, road widening or public service area decision,
- Forest, pasture, site, coastal or protected area limitations,
- Whether a non-agricultural use permit is required,
- Whether it is located in an area closed to foreign acquisition or subject to permission.
Things to Consider When Buying Shared Land or Land
In a shared title deed, the foreign buyer becomes the owner of a certain share of the immovable, not a specific physical section. The seller's statement that "This share belongs to this part of the land" does not constitute independent ownership rights by itself.
There may be usage disputes with other stakeholders. In addition, there may be a risk that the real estate will be put up for sale as a result of the legal pre-emption right of the stakeholders or the lawsuit for the elimination of the partnership.
For this reason, the identity of the other owners in shared immovables, the actual usage order and the share ratios in the title deed should be examined in detail.
Can You Buy a Field and Build a House?
A house, villa or commercial building cannot be built on an immovable registered as a field in the title deed. For construction, zoning plan, parcel size, road frontage, agricultural use and license conditions must be met.
The presence of a house or building near the immovable does not indicate that a building can be built on the purchased land. For the right to build, the records of the municipality, special provincial administration and, when necessary, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry should be examined.
Making purchases based on verbal promises such as "it will be opened for development soon" or "the zoning problem will be solved in a short time" creates a significant investment risk. About the relevant aspect of the process The Process of Buying Real Estate in Turkey for Foreigners There is detailed information on the page.
Can Land or Land Be Used to Apply for Citizenship?
The purchase of vacant land or agricultural land alone is not sufficient to apply for Turkish citizenship through real estate investment. In connection with this topic Real Estate Law You can also review the content titled.
The real estate to be used for purchase for citizenship purposes must be in the nature of an independent section with condominium ownership or condominium servitude or a land with a structure in accordance with the legislation. For this reason, it is important for investors with citizenship purposes to have a special suitability examination before purchasing vacant land or fields.
Does Buying Land or Land Provide a Residence Permit?
Buying land or land does not provide an automatic residence permit to a foreigner. In the short-term residence permit based on real estate ownership, the real estate must be residential and used by the applicant for housing purposes.
For this reason, the acquisition of vacant land, field, vineyard or garden is generally not sufficient for a residence permit based on real estate ownership. People with residence purposes should check the quality of the residence and current residence conditions before purchasing.
Documents Required in the Title Deed Transfer Process
In the purchase of land or land by a foreign real person, passport or country ID, identity information statement, tax or foreigner identity number, foreign currency purchase document and power of attorney, if any, are generally submitted.
If the foreign buyer does not speak Turkish, an authorized sworn translator must be present during the title deed process. It is important to pay the sales price through the bank and by writing the real estate information in order to prevent disputes that may arise in the future.
Lawyer Support in Land or Land Purchase
In land and land purchases, it is not enough to have a clean title deed record alone. The zoning, agriculture, security, cadastre and project obligations of the real estate should be evaluated separately.
In the examination to be made by the lawyer, the seller's authority, title deed encumbrances, shared ownership, zoning status, project obligation and payment agreements can be checked together. The legal examination must be carried out before the deposit or sales price is paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a foreigner buy a field in Turkey?
Yes. If the citizenship and territorial acquisition conditions are met, the field can be purchased. However, agricultural project and usage obligations may arise.
Do foreigners need a residence permit for land purchase?
It is not mandatory to have a residence permit in advance to purchase real estate.
How much land can foreigners buy?
As a rule, the total real estate acquisition of a foreign real person throughout Turkey cannot exceed 30 hectares. A 10 percent limit is also applied on a district basis.
Can a foreigner build a house on the field he bought?
The fact that the immovable is in the nature of a field does not mean that a building can be built. Zoning, non-agricultural use, road and license conditions must be met.
Do foreigners need to prepare a project for the land they buy?
The project to be developed in immovables that do not have a building on it may need to be submitted to the approval of the relevant institution within two years from the date of acquisition.
Can Turkish citizenship be obtained by purchasing vacant land?
Vacant land or agricultural land alone is not eligible for citizenship application through real estate investment. A separate evaluation can be made in terms of the land on which there is a structure in accordance with the legislation.
Is it risky to buy a shared field?
In shared immovables, a certain share of the immovable is purchased, not the ownership of a certain section. A detailed examination should be carried out due to the risks of pre-emption, use and elimination of partnership.
Legal information: This content has been prepared for general information purposes. Land and land acquisition conditions of foreigners; It may vary depending on citizenship, the nature of the immovable, the region where it is located and the purpose of use. Before purchasing, a legal and technical examination specific to the real estate should be carried out.
