Alanya — Paradise on Earth
Alanya is the southernmost and warmest city in Türkiye on the Mediterranean coast. More than 300 sunny days a year, average temperature +15℃ in January. It has the longest holiday season, green all year round, lots of fruits and vegetables grown in the region. In addition, magnificent beaches stretch along all districts of Alanya, and 56 hawe the Blue Flag quality mark. Alanya is surrounded by the Taurus Mountains with pine forests in the north side. No industry, it’s an ecologically clean region.
Alanya is suitable not only for tourism, but also for permanent residence. There are hospitals, shopping centers, cafes and restaurants, farmers' markets in every area, sports clubs, schools and universities, parks, playgrounds, outdoor exercise machines in the open air — everything for a comfortable life. Alanya is officially recognized as the sports capital of the Mediterranean! All kinds of sports are available: on land, in water and in the air. You will find many places for unforgettable excursions and walks in Alanya and surrounding aras.
Alanya is constantly developing. New parks are appearing, embankments are being developed, recreation areas are being updated. The city's population is growing. Real estate in Alanya will take your life to a new level, because it is not just square meters, but also a way of life.
Real Estate Purchase
Foreigners can purchase real estate in Türkiye and receive the same title deed as citizens. There are no time limits for owning real estate. You become the owner of a proportional share of the land under the residential complex, buying an apartment. The rights of property owners in Türkiye are reliably protected by law.
In Türkiye, you can quickly and easily buy an apartment, duplex, townhouse, villa, land, or commercial real estate. A passport is enough to register the ownership. Türkiye does not request the source of origin of money for the purchase, while in other countries it may be necessary to legalize a large amount of money and go through a number of bureaucratic formalities.
Ownership of real estate in Türkiye gives the right to obtain a residence permit or citizenship under a simplified procedure. You can purchase real estate in Türkiye with interest-free installments and even remotely. Renting out can bring you passive income.
Tapu
The only document confirming the right of ownership of any real estate in Türkiye is Tapu. It registers ownership of an apartment and a share of the land on which the residential complex is located. Tapu of foreigners and Turkish citizens do not differ.
The Tapu indicates: the full name of the owner, description of the property (type, district, location), information about the land, date of acquisition of the property, registration number, and a photo of the owner. Tapu can serve as the basis for obtaining a residence permit or Turkish citizenship if the value of the property and its location meet certain conditions.
Obtaining Tapu is mandatory: without this document, the buyer will not be considered the legal owner. If you buy real estate under construction, obtaining Tapu is preceded by an agreement with the developer, which has full legal force. It is drawn up in Turkish and in the native language of the seller/buyer. After the construction is completed and the price of the apartment is paid, the buyer pays taxes and fees. Then the Tapu is issued at the cadastral office.
Residence Permit
You can stay in Türkiye for 60/90 days during a 180-day period without a visa. For a longer stay, you will need to apply for a residence permit (İkamet izni). It gives the right to access medical services for insurance, public education, purchase a car and replace a driver's license, apply for a Schengen visa and other important benefits. But it does not give the right to work.
There are different types of residence permits: tourist based on real estate rental, property owner based on Tapu, family, student, permanent (after 8 years of residence), etc. Foreigners working in Türkiye receive a work visa, equivalent to a residence permit.
A residence permit for real estate ownership gives the right to apply for Turkish citizenship after 5 years of extension. This, and a longer processing period, distinguishes it from a tourist one. You can initially obtain a residence permit under Tapu for properties worth $200,000 or more (if the Tapu was obtained after 16.10. 2023). While purchasing real estate worth $400,000 or more gives the right immediately apply for citizenship.
To obtain a residence permit, you must submit an application to the Turkish Migration Department (Göç İdaresi), provide the necessary documents (passport, health insurance, birth certificates with an apostille for children, and a marriage certificate for spouses), pay government fees, and provide a lease agreement or Tapu for the property.
Driver's License Exchange
Foreigners can drive in Türkiye for six months with a driver's license from countries of their citizenship. Then foreigners can do an “entry-exit” or get a Turkish license, but only if they have obtained Turkish citizenship or a residence permit.
You need to contact Nüfus Müdürlüğü (Population Affairs Directorate). If you have received a Turkish passport, then there is no need to send the old license to your home country, a second Turkish one will be issued. If only a residence permit, the license will be sent to the place of issue indicated on the driver's license. Then you can pick it up in your country yourself.
The procedure takes place in two stages, each with its own list of documents. You need to register twice on the website andevu.nvi.gov.tr (tab “Sürücü Belgesi”). The progress of the review can be tracked online. Temporary licenses are issued for driving, they will be immediately displayed in the e-devlet.
Car Purchase
A foreigner can buy a car in Türkiye. The tax on the purchase of a car depends on the engine capacity and the initial cost. You must also pay VAT (or KDV). The following are included: annual transport tax, insurance, technical inspection.
To purchase a car, you will need: a passport or a notarized translation of your passport, a residence permit, a Turkish tax number (TIN), a notarized power of attorney to register the car with the local government (Trafik tescil sube), and car insurance. Foreigners receive license plates starting with the letter "M" (misafir).
It is possible to temporarily import a car to Türkiye with a residence permit for a period of two years. If all the rules are met (including the 185-day rule), in addition to the owner, his immediate family members can drive a car in Türkiye with foreign license plates.
If you plan to leave the country for a short time by plane, the car should be left in the parking lot and at least 24 hours in advance to inform the customs service. Even your immediate family members will not be able to use your car.
After two years, the owner of a car with foreign license plates is required to clear customs or leave.
The maximum period of stay for cars owned by pensioners is 4 years. At the same time, having a pension certificate allows you to leave and return to the Republic of Türkiye at any time, that is, the 185-day rule does not apply.
Work Visa
A foreigner can start working in Türkiye only if he has a Turkish work visa and a work permit (çalışma izni).
The employer is responsible for preparing documents and health insurance. The procedure can take several months or more. Therefore, it is important for “seasonal” workers to find a company for official employment in advance.
If you have a residence permit, you can apply for a work permit in Türkiye without leaving. If you do not have a residence permit, you can only do so outside the country through the Turkish embassy.
A work visa allows you to apply for citizenship after 5 years of continuous residence and renewal.
Starting a Business
Significant changes came into effect on October 1, 2024. Now, a foreigner does not need to hire 5 Turkish citizens when opening a company. Also, the founder can independently apply for a work permit for himself if at least $100,000 is contributed to the company's authorized capital. The amount can then be used for business or withdrawn.
The founder will receive a work visa (registration is possible in any area), the spouse and children under 18 years of age receive a residence permit (only in an open area).
You can register an LLC (Limited Şirket) or JSC (Anonim Şirket) through the MERSİS system. You will need: a passport, tax number and capital data, Residence permit (if available).
The requirement to hire 5 Turkish citizens per foreign employee has been canceled, but the number of foreign workers should not exceed 50%. This significantly makes it easier to open a small business. For example, the required minimum of employees may work in the service or trade sector. After 5 years of extension of such a work visa, you can apply for Turkish citizenship.
Turkish Citizenship
There are different ways to obtain Turkish citizenship: 5 years of continuous residence with a residence permit or work visa; 3 years of marriage with Turkish citizens; investment in real estate from $400,000; contribution to the economy from $500,000; special merits in science, medicine, sports and other industries.
The easiest and fastest way to obtain a Turkish passport is to invest in real estate. You need to purchase one or more suitable real estate. At the same time, the cadastral value of $400,000 is not the only requirement; the property must meet a number of criteria. One of the most important is that citizenship should not have been previously obtained for it, and the previous owners must only be Turkish citizens.
Citizenship through the purchase of real estate can be obtained without passing an exam on knowledge of the Turkish language. It is not necessary to live in Türkiye. The procedure takes an average of six months, while waiting for a naturalization application to be considered can take years, and the probability of refusal is high. The acquired property can be rented out or resold 3 years after receiving the passport.
Türkiye offers the most favorable conditions for obtaining citizenship, opens up great prospects for work, business, and education.
Schools and Kindergartens for a Child
Foreigners with a residence permit (RP) can enroll their children in municipal or private schools and kindergartens. Usually, children are accepted to municipal kindergartens from the age of 3, and to private kindergartens from the age of 2. School education lasts 12 years and is divided into three stages, each of which takes place in a separate school: primary from 5.5 years (ilk okul), middle (orta okul); senior lyceum (lise) or college. Before primary school, it is advisable to attend a preparatory class (anasınıf).
It is not difficult to enter a Turkish school with a residence permit. A certified translation of the school certificate with grades is required, and for admission to the first grade you need only a residence permit. You can apply to any private or free municipal school in your place of residence. As a rule, children learn Turkish quickly, and there are many students from the CIS in schools.
All schools offer a paid transfer service on special school buses from home to school and back.
Alanya has a large selection of private schools and colleges, including English-language schools, working on prestigious international programs: Classic-M (Russian school), Amerikan Kültür Koleji, ÖHEP, TED, Yedi Bilim, Bahçeşehir, Alma Mater (Russian school), İsabet, Doğa Koleji, Waldorf, HEP, Yaşam Tasarım, Овітній старір (Ukrainian school) and others. There are also two universities in Alanya — Alaaddin Keykubat and HEP. The choice is quite wide, you can find options that match your preferences and budget.
Health Insurance
Health insurance is mandatory to obtain a residence permit. There are state policies with standard minimum coverage and private ones with broader coverage.
Insurance covers new diseases not related to chronic diseases. Private insurance will cover most of the costs, up to long-term postoperative rehabilitation. State policies partially cover the costs in municipal clinics. Private insurance covers childbirth and pregnancy care one year after the policy is issued. In state policies, childbirth is not included.
The price of private insurance depends on the type of policy and age. Insurance can be opened until the age of 64 (after that, it is not needed for a residence permit). Children under 18 are insured together with their parents, some insurance companies allow insurance with a grandmother or grandfather with a notarized permission.
SGK is the most extensive, family state health insurance, which also covers pregnancy. You can include all family members who have a residence permit. SGK can only be issued from the second year of residence in Türkiye with a residence permit. When applying for a work visa, the employer independently issues insurance for the employee.