Neighbourhoods Closed to Foreigners' Residence Permits in Turkey: What It Means for Buyers

Some of our clients come to us having already chosen a particular neighbourhood because relatives or friends live there, and then we tell them the neighbourhood is “closed”. The word is worrying at first, but its meaning is specific, and knowing it saves you from buying a property that does not serve your goal.

What does a “closed neighbourhood” mean?

Since 2022, Turkey has followed a policy of distributing its foreign population and preventing it from concentrating in particular neighbourhoods. If the share of foreigners in a neighbourhood exceeds a threshold set by the Presidency of Migration Management, the neighbourhood is closed to new address registrations by foreigners. The threshold in force since 2022 is 20% of the neighbourhood's population.

What is affected?

• Registering a new address for a foreigner in that neighbourhood.
• A new residence permit application based on an address there, including a first property-based residence permit.
• Moving a resident's address from another neighbourhood to the closed one.

And what is not affected?

• Buying and registering at the land registry: you can buy and own the property; the closure does not affect your ownership.
• Renting out: you can rent it to Turkish tenants or to anyone whose status allows them to live there.

How does this affect your buying decision?

If you are buying for a residence permit

Before any reservation, check that the neighbourhood is not closed according to the latest list. A beautiful property in a closed neighbourhood may not give you the residence permit you bought it for. General details are in the residency through property guide.

If you are buying for investment or holidays

The closure matters less, but it may reduce demand from foreign tenants in that neighbourhood, so study the local rental market.

If you are buying for citizenship

The citizenship application follows a different track, but the temporary residence permit that accompanies it requires an address, so review the situation with your agent or lawyer.

Where are closed neighbourhoods concentrated?

They are common in large cities with big foreign communities, above all in some Istanbul neighbourhoods. Trabzon is far less affected because its share of foreigners is smaller. But the list changes, and you should not rely on outdated information. To get to know Istanbul's areas, read the Istanbul prices guide, and for Trabzon the guide to the best neighbourhoods for Arab families.

How do we check for you?

1. We identify the property's exact administrative neighbourhood from the land registry record, not from the complex's name or the area's common name.
2. We check it against the latest published list.
3. We give you the result in writing before you reserve.

In short

A closed neighbourhood does not prevent buying, but it can prevent a new residence permit. If a residence permit is your goal, make checking the neighbourhood the first step, not the last, and remember that the rules are updated: what was open yesterday may close tomorrow.

We check the neighbourhood status of every property we offer to residence permit clients. Contact us, or browse properties in Trabzon.