How foreigners buy an apartment in Tuzla
Most passports allow you to hold the deed to an Istanbul flat in your own name. Below is the paperwork, the fees beyond the price, the checks worth paying for and the honest position on residence permits and citizenship.
A purchase in five stages
Brief and viewings
You give us a budget, a room count and the things you will not compromise on. We line up flats that fit and show them to you on site or over a live video walk-round.
Tax number and account
Any tax office will issue your vergi numarası when you show your passport. With it you can open the Turkish bank account the payment will pass through.
Official valuation
A licensed appraisal firm inspects and values the flat. The Land Registry asks foreign buyers for this report before it books the transfer.
Deed transfer
Once DASK earthquake cover is issued, buyer and seller sign at the tapu office. A sworn interpreter attends if you do not speak Turkish, and the new title deed is issued in your name.
Permits afterwards
Your deed can be used in a residence permit application. Citizenship is a separate route, open only from $400,000 of property kept for three years.
The paperwork to gather
- Your passport, and a notarised Turkish translation of its photo page.
- A Turkish tax number, which any tax office will issue.
- A pair of recent biometric photos for the deed file.
- The appraisal report from a licensed valuation firm.
- A valid DASK compulsory earthquake insurance policy in the flat’s name.
- Bank papers showing how the purchase money reached Türkiye.
Fees and taxes on top of the price
| Item | Amount | Usually paid by |
|---|---|---|
| Title deed duty (tapu harcı) | 4% of the value declared at the Land Registry | Commonly 2% each, but negotiable |
| Appraisal report | The valuation firm’s set fee | Buyer |
| DASK earthquake insurance | Yearly premium, set by floor area and construction type | Buyer |
| Interpreter and notary | Charged per document or session | Buyer |
| VAT on new-build sales | Varies with the flat and the seller; get the VAT-inclusive figure in writing | Buyer, within the price |
| Agency commission | Fixed in a signed agreement before any viewing | As that agreement states |
Once you own the flat, the regular bills are the annual property tax, the yearly DASK renewal, utilities and the building’s monthly service charge (aidat).
Due diligence worth doing
- Whoever is selling appears as owner at the Land Registry, with no mortgage, attachment order or other entry on the record.
- An iskan (occupancy permit) exists, so the property is registered as a completed dwelling.
- The construction year, and which earthquake regulation the design followed.
- Any unpaid aidat, utility bills or municipal tax that a new owner might inherit.
- Gross versus net area, and a price per square metre in line with comparable flats nearby.
Checks that matter more in Tuzla
Some questions come up in Tuzla more than elsewhere on the Anatolian side, so we answer them before you view:
- What the windows face. Open sea, the marina and a shipyard dock can all be sold as a “sea view”.
- The real walk to Aydıntepe, İçmeler or Tuzla station, timed rather than guessed.
- Whether a “metro nearby” claim refers to a line that is open, or only to a planned extension.
- Which mahalle is on the deed, since addresses near the Pendik and Kocaeli boundaries are easy to misread.
Permits, citizenship and what a deed can do
A title deed to an Istanbul home can be submitted in support of a short-term residence permit. Approval is the immigration authority’s decision, and the qualifying property values and eligible areas are revised periodically.
Citizenship through investment is a different route. It requires property valued at $400,000 or more by an official appraisal, and the deed must carry a three-year restriction on selling. You may combine more than one property to reach that figure; a single flat below it does not qualify.
The rules move. Before you commit, a lawyer confirms the current requirements for your case, and we do not guarantee the result of any permit or citizenship application.
Frequently asked
Do I have to be in Istanbul for the purchase?
Not necessarily. If you grant a lawyer power of attorney, signed before a Turkish notary or at one of Türkiye’s consulates in your country, the lawyer can complete the deed transfer in your place. Plenty of buyers still choose to fly in for the deed appointment and the handover.
Which currency is the sale in?
Asking prices are often given in US dollars, yet the deed records the value in Turkish lira, and foreign buyers are normally asked for bank evidence that their money was converted through a Turkish bank. We send you the current list of documents before you transfer anything.
From offer to keys, how long is typical?
For a finished flat with its deed already issued, plan on a few weeks after you agree the price; booking the valuation and the tapu slot are what take time. With an off-plan unit, the developer’s completion date decides.
Can I live in Türkiye once I own the flat?
It gives you grounds to apply for a short-term residence permit, not an automatic right. The immigration authority assesses each file and changes the rules from time to time, so we help with the documents and refer you to a specialist adviser.
Buying from another country?
Tell us your country, your budget and the kind of Tuzla flat you have in mind. We answer with suitable homes and a timetable for each stage of the purchase.
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