There has been a drastic reversal in the Turkish residence permit system. Dozens of districts across the country have been excluded from the list of districts closed for registration and extension of residence permits (icamets). The new rules have actually returned the opportunity to apply almost everywhere, according to Turkiye Today.
The background is as follows: Since June 2022, the Turkish Migration Authority has consistently tightened its policy. First, 781 districts were blacklisted, then their number increased to 1169, and by 2023, nine more forbidden zones were added in Istanbul. Citizens of other countries were refused to apply for a residence permit due to the high proportion of visitors in some districts, and these were the most popular locations among foreigners.
According to Turkiye Today, in June 2026 the course changed dramatically. In most previously closed areas in different cities of Turkey, applications for obtaining or extending a residence permit are being accepted again. The only exceptions are two districts of IstanbulFatih and Esenyurt.
Marketing Director of Alanya Property Sales Anastasia Kezik in the editorial comments HomesOverseas.ru I confirmed that information about the opening of districts is actively circulating in the professional environment. "Many people write about it. To date, there are very strong indirect signs that restrictions have been significantly relaxed or lifted for many areas. The problem is that the official Göccedil;304daresi document on lifting restrictions has not yet been published, the expert notes.
She points out that even Turkish migration lawyers, who support the version about the opening of the districts, directly write:There is no official comprehensive announcement yet. Nevertheless, the practice of submitting applications in the e-ikamet system shows that restrictions have indeed disappeared for most districts.
The e-ikamet electronic recording system already reflects the new reality. If earlier, when trying to apply, the owner or tenant of an apartment in a "closed" area saw a window on the screen that it was impossible to do this, now the technical barriers have disappeared.
From a legal point of view, the change solved several long-standing problems at once. For example, foreigners with a valid work permit could not previously apply for a residence permit on the basis of ownership of real estate if their home was located in a "closed" area. Now such a transition has become possible again. In addition, owners of properties more expensive than 200 thousand dollars (the limit required for obtaining a residence permit based on real estate ownership), who previously faced refusals due to territorial restrictions, finally got the chance to issue an icamet.
Can the districts close again and is it worth waiting for a boom in the real estate market?
Answering a question about the possible return of restrictions, Anastasia Kezik explained: "Can the districts be closed? Can. Easy. Initially, the districts were closed not by law, but by an administrative decision due to the excess share of foreigners in the district's population. The official position of the state has always been related to controlling the concentration of foreigners. At the same time, the expert considers it unlikely that previously issued permits will be reviewed retroactively, but does not rule out that the authorities may allow those with a property value of less than 200 thousand dollars to obtain a residence permit.
Speaking about the impact on the real estate market, the expert showed restrained optimism: "Theoretically, the cost of apartments in previously closed areas will increase. Theoretically, more foreigners will start coming. But, to be honest, I doubt that, as optimists say, there will be a new boom. The time has changed. Inflation. Trust has been undermined. And while there is no official document on the opening of the districts, everything remains at the discretion of the local migration centers to grant or not to grant a residence permit.
According to experts, the main systemic problem lies not so much in administrative prohibitions as in the lack of protection of previously acquired rights. When the rules are changed retroactively, bona fide investors find themselves in a vulnerable position. For Turkey, whose long-term strategy relies on the influx of foreign capital and talent, such unpredictability creates serious reputational risks. A further balance between effective migration management and legal certainty will be a key factor in the confidence of expats and investors.Source: Turkiye Today
