Due to the many questions been asked about the three subjects (visa, residence permit and Turkish citizenship), we at I Home International would like to write you a comprehensive article explaining the details of these matters in term of their types, costs, and how to obtain them, in addition to all the requirements and necessary papers. Turkey is one of the most favourable destinations for people in the recent years. It has become the focus of attention for investors and businessmen around the world due to its strategic location, that it is located in the centre of the world, connecting the continents of Asia and Europe, the eastern with the western culture, and because of its varied landscape, cool weather, beautiful culture and art. In addition to its ancient history and authentic civilization, as well as its rapid development in trading, manufacturing and urbanization.   Visa to Turkey To travel to Turkey, there are several objectives such as investing in real estate, conducting business, getting an education, also for the therapeutic services or to enjoy the famous tourist places and recreational activities. I In order to travel to Turkey legally, you must obtain a visa. To obtain this visa easily, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched an electronic platform through which you can log in and choose the appropriate language for you from nine languages available, and apply for visa. After you get the approval, you can print it in order to show it up when you arrive at the airport in Turkey. To know more about this platform click on the link: Electronic Visa Application System   The most important points you should know about obtaining a visa to Turkey: First, what is visa? It is an official document through which you can enter a certain country, and it varies according to the nationality of the person applying for it in terms of the required papers and how much it costs. Second, this is not your only chance to get a visa to Turkey, where you can get it in the traditional way from the airport when you arrive to Turkey. It is worth mentioning that the cost of obtaining visa from the airport is higher than the electronic platform mentioned above. Third, Companies operating in the field of tourism, which deals with groups of tourists, can obtain visa for them in a collective and easy way through the platform. Fourth, there are dedicated accounts on this platform to check the validity of passengers' visa at the airport. However, it is recommended that you take a hard copy of the visa you are extracting from the electronic platform in order to avoid any problem while you are at the airport. Fifth, this visa is valid only for the purposes of tourism and trade. For other purposes such as study and work, there are special types of residence permits will be explained later.   Residence permits in Turkey   There are several types of residence permits in Turkey, including those are used for tourism or business purposes. We will mention all the details as follows:   First, short-term residence permit This permit gives the person the right to stay in Turkey and allow him to travel and return without any need to obtain a new visa as long as the permit is valid. It is granted for one year, and sometimes it can be granted for two years provided that the validity of the passport of the person applying for the permit is valid at least for two years. What are the requirements for short-term residence permit in Turkey? 1- Get an appointment from the website https://e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr/. 2- Documents that prove the place of residence in Turkey, such as house rental contract or the title deed. 3- Translated copy of the passport into Turkish language and ratification of this translation by Notary or Noter. 4- 4 personal photos. 5- Health insurance valid enough for the length of time of your residence permit. 6- A tax number that can be extracted within one minute from the tax department of the district where you applied for the residence permit. 7- For children under the age of 18, you must bring a birth certificate or family book and translate it into Turkish language and be confirmed by a Notary or Noter. Short-term residence permit allows you to visit Turkey and stay in it, also to travel freely between cities during its validity period. When it is expired, you can renew it by fulfilling all the requirements again.   Second: long-term residence permit: It can be obtained with the approval of the Ministry of Interior after proving that this person has completed eight years of continuous residency in Turkey. Also, the following conditions must be met: Not having received any social assistance in the past 3 years. - - Sufficient and stable income to maintain yourself and your family. - Valid health insurance. - Not posing a public security threat.   Third: fixed-term work permit: It can be obtained through an application submitted by the company in which the person works, to the Ministry of Labor. The duration of this permit would be one year for the first time, and it could be renewed for two years. It is worth mentioning that this permit grants the wife and children the right to obtain a family residence permit, and to benefit from the health insurance services of the husband. The documents required for this permit are very simple, you only need a photo of your short-term residence permit, plus two personal photos. The company you are working for will submit the application and track the progress of the procedures, and once your permit is issued, it will be sent by PTT to the address of the company you work for and it will be delivered to your hand. Note: Syrians covered by the Temporary Protection Law may obtain a work permit issued by a temporary protection card (Kimlik). In this case, they are not allowed to travel from Turkey and return again.   What are the advantages of this work permit? - Treatment at state expense in all country hospitals. - Benefit from pension after the age of 60. - Obtain the Turkish citizenship after the fifth year. - Children have the opportunity to join Turkish schools free of charge. - Travel from Turkey and return again at any time. - Obtain bank loans.  - It is included by the minimum wage, which is currently estimated at 2,030 TL. This is regarding to employees. For business owners, they can get work permit when they open a company or launch a business.   Fourth: Student residence permit in Turkey: Students from all over the world are applying for Turkish universities, both for Turkish scholarships, which cover a wide range of tuition costs (sometimes up to 100% in addition to a monthly salary for the student) or for the quality of education offered by private and public Turkish universities. Once a foreign student gets the acceptance from the university, he can come to Turkey and obtain a short-term residence permit, then he can transfer it to student residence permit.   Fifth: Humanitarian residence permit: It is special for those refugees who resorted to Turkey, and were given a kind of permits according to their situation. For example: Syrians who have taken a temporary protection card (Kimlik) so they can officially stay in the Turkey and carry out their transactions on a regular basis such as issuing a driving certificate or opening bank accounts. Also, it allows Syrians to benefit from free medical services.   Sixth: Family residence permit: It could be obtained in two ways: 1- If a spouse has Turkish nationality, the other foreign spouse is entitled to apply for Turkish citizenship after 3 years of marriage, provided that the family bond between the spouses is proved during this period. Children born on Turkish territory also obtain Turkish nationality if one of the parents is Turkish. 2- If the husband or wife has obtained a work permit as mentioned above, this entitles them to apply for a family residence permit for the husband or wife and children.   Seventh: Investment residence permit: It is a temporary permit granted to the owners of real estate in Turkey for one year and it can be renewed, and it is similar to the work permit which gives the right to the wife and children to obtain a family residence permit as accompanying to the owner. How to get investment residence permit in Turkey? You must fulfill those requirements: - Taboo or title deed. - Insurance against earthquakes. - Passport valid for at least 6 months. - Health insurance for all members of the family. - A family statement translated to the Turkish language and certified by the Turkish Embassy. To learn more about our unique projects: IHOME 118   Obtain Turkish citizenship Due to the rapid growth of Turkish economy, obtaining Turkish citizenship has become a target for many people, especially businessmen who want to launch their business. Therefore, Turkish government provided facilities and incentives for obtaining Turkish citizenship, in which they has lowered the minimum amount of capital investment required to obtain Turkish citizenship from $1 million to $250,000. Also, Turkish citizenship was also required to deposit $3 million in a Turkish bank, which was reduced to only $500,000. There are also some cases of obtaining Turkish nationality to foreigners through the following methods: 1- Investment with a capital of $500,000 or the equivalent of other currencies in the technological or industrial fields. 2- Investment of $250,000 in real estate sector for three years without selling the property. 3- Establishing a project and recruit 50 Turkish citizens. 4- Deposit $500,000 or the equivalent of other currencies in Turkish banks or the Treasury of the State or the Turkish Investment Fund for a 3 years. In addition to all the facilities and opportunities offered by the government for foreigners to obtain Turkish citizenship, a new decree was announced, stating that it is possible to obtain Turkish citizenship now once there is a contract of buying a property, with no need for a title deed or Tabo document. There is also an exceptional nationality that is given to famous businessmen, artists and athletes, as well as talented students. To learn more about obtaining Turkish citizenship: press here If you have any question or if you need additional details, just write your information below and our real estate consultant will contact with you to answer all your questions regarding real estate and investment in Turkey. I HOME International offers real estate brokerage services, combining its clients and property developers throughout Turkey, including new projects, resorts and vacation rental services. Since the launch of I HOME International in 2015, it has redefined the concept of real estate brokerage in terms of quality, credibility and progress within the business by developing the concept of partnership with the client by representing it in a manner commensurate with changes in real estate sector.

In the interest of our company to enhance the trust of its customers and to inform them about all the details related to buying and selling real estate in Turkey, we will explain in this article the types of real estate taxes, that some of them are paid only for one time, some paid annually, and some paid monthly, and we will correct the wrong ideas promoted by some people or fraudulent companies to exploit the ignorance of foreigners about Turkish laws as they do not have sufficient information about Turkish tax system. For instance, the state does not impose any additional taxes on foreigners when buy real estate in Turkey, only those property taxes that paid by Turkish citizens and foreigners alike. Turkish government provides these facilitations in order to attract investors and encourage them to invest in real estate, which is one of the most vital sectors that has a great impact on Turkey's economy. Thus, the government is working now on many reforms to reduce these taxes.     So, all that is rumored about taxes imposed only on foreigners is not true. It should be noted that property taxes in Turkey is reasonable compared to other countries competing in real estate sector. To learn about the law of obtaining Turkish citizenship through real estate investment: press here       One-time paid taxes: 1- Value Added Tax (VAT): The value of this tax is calculated according to the value of the property, ranging from 1% to 18%, since the type of the property, its area, the level of construction and the price per square meter of the land on which the property has based affect the tax's value. It is not calculated from the total area of the property but from the net area, and it is paid only once, when you buy the property. In this context, Turkey Parliament has announced a new law since late February 2017 regarding the exemption of foreign investor who buy a property for the first time from VAT, which states: "VAT is canceled for foreign investors who buy property for the first time when buying a property in Turkey, where this tax exemption applies when they pay in foreign currencies". It is worth mentioning that more than 160 countries around the world impose VAT on real estate, and Turkey is the only country where you can be exempted from VAT in the way that described above. 2- Property Title (TAPU SENEDI) Tax: This tax is imposed when you register the property in your name and start issuing the title deed for your home, and its value is 4% of the price of the property as agreed in the contract, and the amount is divided into both, the seller and the buyer, 2% per party. This applied for small properties such as homes, apartments and villas. To learn more about Property Title in Turkey: read here Take a look on some of our projects in Turkey: IHOME80 , IHOME134     Taxes and fees that paid annually: 1- Annual Property Tax: It is a property tax that must be paid once-a-year since you own a real estate in Turkey, whether you are a foreigner or a Turkish citizen. It worths only 0.002% of the value of the property as registered in the title deed, and it is paid to the local municipality in the beginning of each year. 2- Seismic and natural disaster insurance fees: Seismic insurance is mandatory for real estate owners, and the fees usually does not exceed 0.1% of the value of the property, and it is paid to an insurance company. Fees that paid monthly: 1- Aidat: These fees are paid by the owners to the company supervising the residence due to the services that are available, such as swimming pools, playgrounds, gardens, surveillance and camera system, in addition to the maintenance and services of cleaning. The value of these fees varies from one residence to another depends on the quality of the services provided, and it is ranging between $1.0 - $1.5 per square meter, a maximum. Find out about our special project in Beylikduzu with the best services available: IHOME118   In order not to be a victim of fraud, the buyer must deal with well-known companies with extensive experience in real estate sector, and be aware of all the details related to buying properties in Turkey. To read more about the future of real estate investment in Turkey: The future of real estate investment in Turkey     

Have you ever heard of the famous Marmara Park Mall in European Istanbul? If you have not read about it, you must recognize it after seeing this picture. Marmara Park Mall is one of the largest shopping malls in Istanbul. It contains a lot of international brands and many restaurants of different types of cuisines, and it is the main destination for tourists who are seeking the latest fashion trends with special offers. Now you may ask how the famous Marmara Park Mall is related to our article, which is about Esenyurt, that known as an overcrowded and low-class district? The answer is, Marmara Park Mall is located in Esenyurt. Yes, it is true! Esenyurt is a very large district and some of it are actually popular and crowded neighborhoods, which known for their cheap prices either in buying or renting. On the other side, Esenyurt includes the famous Marmara Park Mall, many residential compounds and a lot of public places, in addition to surveillance and security services . If you interested to see our nearest project to Marmara Park Mall, with these incredible features: - The project is ready for immediate move, with first payment of 40% and installment up to 24 months, and you can get a 10% discount on cash payment. - The dynamic location of the project, that it is located in Beylikduzu, near to the E5 highway and the educational, entertainment and other services that makes it very distinctive and special. - Integrated recreational facilities with high quality materials and large green areas. - The project is located in Beylikduzu, which represents the modern center of Istanbul, and it is promising for a high return on investments. For more information: click here Now, if you want to know more about the development in real estate sector in Istanbul and to recognize Esenyurt district correctly, we would tell you that real estate sector is one of the most powerful sectors that have a great impact on Turkey's economy. This comes in line with the boom in real estate that happened in 2017 and 2018, which expected to continue in 2019 because of what Turkish government provides to facilitate the procedures of buying and selling, and because of its effort to motivate foreign investors to invest in Turkey. In the last two years almost 23,000 houses were sold and the GDP rose by about 5%. To read more about the future of real estate investment in Turkey: The future of real estate investment in Turkey Istanbul is the first destination for investors who want to buy a property, because of its ideal and developing projects, and one of Istanbul's most desirable district is Esenyurt. Find out some of our projects in Esenyurt:  IHOME 59 , IHOME 123     Esenyurt located in the European side of Istanbul. It is one of the largest areas in Istanbul with an area of 2,770 hectares. It is divided into popular districts and modern neighborhoods, each has its own beauty. Its municipality was founded in 1989, and it is also part of Istanbul municipality, which is responsible for managing services and developing all aspects of urban life in the city. It is close to Avcilar district, which is directly overlook the Sea of Marmara, and it is also close to Beylikduzu, which considered as one of the best and most vetal districts in Istanbul, that it is located in the center of the city, where the main services and all transportation are availabile (it passes through the E5 highway, the main road in Istanbul).  Learn about our unique project in Beylikduzu : IHOME 118   Esenyurt is one of the most dynamic districts where real estate sector has flourished recently, and it has attracted the attention of foreign investors because of the fast growth of towers and prestigious residential compounds, which is affordable and cheap compared to other districts in Istanbul. In Esenyurt, there are four cultural centers: Esenyurt kultur merkezi, Saadetdere kultur merkezi, Yenikent kultur merkezi, Yunus balta kultur merkezi. Also, it is bordered by Kucukcekmece lake from the east and Buyukcekmece lake from the west, and it is characterized by its beautiful green gardens, such as the famous Recep Tayyip Erdogan Park. There are also many large and important universities nearby Esenyurt, such as Esenyurt University, Beykent University, Istanbul university and Istanbul Gelisim University.   Esenyurt also close to the International Exhibition & Convention Center (TUYAP Istanbul Fair Center), just 5 km away, and Ataturk International Airport is only 26 km away. There are also many restaurants, cafes, shops and large shopping malls with international brands such as Torium Shopping Mall and Marmara Park Mall. To read more about Esenyurt: Esenyurt Area in Istanbul Turkey

Real estate sector is one of the largest and most important sectors that has a great impact on Turkey's economy. This is due to several factors, such as its strategic location, that it is located in the middle of the world and connects the two continents of Asia and Europe and the East with the West civilization. In addition to its history, its large area and being a tourist destination throughout the year. Turkish government has adopted enormous efforts to support and promote real estate sector, in order to attract investors and businessmen from all over the world.   The recent changes happened in Turkish lira have affecte the real estate in Turkey and led to some questions that concern Arab and foreign investors regarding to the future of real estate and investing in Turkey. Read more: What is the impact of the recent decline of the Turkish lira on the real estate market Turkey's economy is expected to witness the largest growth of 5% this year, with plans to increase domestic market independency and to reduce the imports, which create an optimistic vision about overcoming Turkey’s internal and external crisis last year. Turkey's government has signed a huge number of trade agreements and international investment treaties in recent years, reducing the impact of political risks and threats on the state, which reflect a positive effects on most economic sectors, especially the real estate sector during the year. Despite the high rates of inflation and deficit experienced by Turkish economy, there are still many reasons and factors that led to the continued growth of the real estate sector, including: 1- The state of chaos and confusion that the international policy are suffering from, and the increasing restrictions on Muslims in foreign countries, making Turkey the first destination for Arab investors. 2- The instability in Middle East and the decreasing of oil prices, prompting Gulf and Arab investors to expend their money in Turkey's property market, as it has a low risk, and due to the large facilities provided by Turkish government. 3- The rapid economic growth and the continuous increasing in income achieved by tourism sector, that Turkey is considered as the first destination for Arab and foreigners tourists. 4- The agreements and treaties worth billions of dollars conducted by the government, that support and contribute to achieve the vision of the state, which creates a state of reassurance to investors. 5- Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan's standing on his opinion about the non-raising of interest rates, which increases the attractiveness of investors and strengthen the purchasing power. 6- The real estate sector is rarely affected by frequent economic crises. Real estate investment is generally characterized as a long-term investment. Real estate sector is the fuel of Turkish economy, especially in the last decade. It came in the 17th rank among the world's largest economies. It is also the sixth largest economy in Europe with a domestic GDP of over $ 785 billion, the real estate sector representing 19.5% of it. Turkey's economy is among the most promising economies, driven by its desire to generate solid economic development by establishing a significant projects such as the Third Airport in Istanbul, the world's largest airport, the Third Bridge (the Sultan Yawoz Selim Bridge), and Azmeet's Gulf Bridge that considered as the fourth big bridge in the world. There are also many similar projects that Turkey's government intends to establish in other cities and provinces in the coming years during the next phase, which increases the value of investments next to these projects and makes real estate investments very profitable. To read more: Learn about Istanbul's third largest airport worldwide and its impact on Turkey's economy and real estate investment sector     There is a relative relationship between the flow of tourists to Turkey and their ownership of real estate, where tourism is a gateway to look closely at the opportunities for trade and invest and to have a knowledge about the governmental regulations that are convenient for investment, in addition to touching life on the cultural, historical and natural side. To know more about tourism in Turkey: Find out about tourism revenues in Turkey during 2018   According to the Statistics Authority of Turkey, Istanbul is the most attractive city for Arab and foreign buyers, especially the prestigious areas that are overlooking the Bosporus, such as kandilli, bebek, yeniköy and kartal, where real estate prices could reach $100 million. There is also a high demand for private villas near to Sapanca Lake and Kartebe, as well as the beautiful city of Trabzon, which attracts tourists from Arab countries. Take a look on some of our projects in these areas: IHOME 133,  IHOME 111, IHOME 88 For more information on other areas of Istanbul, you can read this article: Best places of residence in Istanbul