Turkish Citizenship Property Valuation: What to Check Before You Buy

A home with a $400,000 price tag does not automatically qualify for Turkish citizenship. The valuation, official investment amount, sale documents and bank payments all need to support the purchase. If someone says, “The appraiser will make it qualify,” stop and ask how they can support that claim before you pay.

Recent news reports have raised concerns that some properties may have been valued too highly. For buyers, the practical step is to check the documents carefully. The price should make sense when compared with similar properties. The valuation should follow the official process, and the sale documents and payment records should tell the same story.

This guide explains what to check under the rules in place on 19 October 2026. It keeps confirmed rules separate from claims in the news that have not been proved.

What do we know, and what has not been proved?

The 18 October news report contains unproved claims

Haberiniz reported on 18 October 2026 that people in the property sector had raised concerns about valuations being set too high. They also questioned how some valuation companies were chosen.

The article says that important claims have not been independently checked and confirmed. It does not prove that a particular company broke the rules or that every citizenship valuation is unreliable.

The September citizenship figures include different reasons

In a 21 September report published by Habertürk, Anadolu Agency quoted an Interior Ministry statement. It said that decisions granting citizenship to 6,134 people had been cancelled or withdrawn. This total included family members:

• 5,391 people: their citizenship decisions were cancelled after investment approval certificates for 1,150 investors were cancelled because of problems with investment transactions.
• 743 people: citizenship decisions for 263 investors and their family members were withdrawn for public-order or national-security reasons.

These figures cover cases up to the September statement. They are not a new total for the week of 18 October. They also do not mean that all 6,134 people were involved in false property valuations.

The same report discusses an Istanbul investigation separately. Its figures should not simply be added to the total above.

Who can prepare the report after the GEDAŞ change?

The updated TKGM Circular 2024/2, changed by an approval dated 28 September 2026, allows other qualified valuation companies to prepare reports for citizenship purchases. GEDAŞ is no longer the only company that can do this work.

A company must be authorised by the Capital Markets Board (SPK), have active membership of the Turkish Association of Appraisers (TDUB), and be part of the Real Estate Valuation Information System (TADEBİS). Having more companies to choose from does not mean that a seller's price or an agent's promise can replace the official report.

The property owner submits the request through Web Tapu. If a company or another legal organisation owns the property, its authorised representative applies. The applicant can choose a company through the system or let the system choose one automatically. The fee must be paid before the work is assigned.

Choosing a company through this official process does not, on its own, show that anything is wrong. Check that the company meets the rules, the request follows the correct steps, and the property details and market evidence support the value in the report.

Our guide to the GEDAŞ rule change explains the process in more detail.

What is the difference between the valuation, TTB and citizenship approval?

The valuation report gives an assessment of the property's value. The Tutar Tespit Belgesi (TTB) shows the property investment amount that can be accepted for citizenship purposes under the land-registry rules. Having a TTB does not mean your citizenship application has been approved.

Under TKGM Circular 2024/4, the TTB is prepared using the valuation report. It is sent electronically through TADEBİS to TAKBİS/Web Tapu. A paper TTB handed in outside this process is not accepted for the transaction.

The sale amount shown in the official documents and the bank payment records also matter. A high enough valuation does not solve a problem with a sale contract, an unexplained refund or missing bank records. The authorities still need to check whether the investment meets the rules and decide on the citizenship application.

The Presidency Investment Office's official guide describes a minimum qualifying property investment of $400,000, or the relevant amount in another foreign currency. A restriction saying that the property cannot be sold for three years must be recorded on the title. Meeting the minimum investment amount does not guarantee citizenship approval.

What should you check in the valuation report?

Ask your adviser to read the full report. It should identify the property, show evidence from the inspection, compare similar properties and explain any changes made when comparing their values. A single page showing a dollar amount is not enough to understand the purchase.

Circular 2024/2 requires at least three signatures: those of the responsible valuation expert, the reviewer and the valuation expert. The report must also include at least three property photos, with at least one taken inside. The approved building plans must be compared with the actual property, and differences between what is legally approved and what is there must be explained.

Even if all these parts are present, you may still need to ask questions. Does the report describe the apartment you visited? Are the size and condition correct? Are the properties used for comparison similar enough, and does the report explain the differences?

There are two separate 12-month rules

Under Circular 2024/2, valuation reports can be used for land-registry transactions for 12 months. Certain changes that affect the property's value can mean a new report is needed earlier.

Circular 2024/4 has a separate rule: no more than 12 months may pass between the TTB and the application for the citizenship-related transaction. Ask your adviser to check both dates against your planned purchase. These time limits do not mean that the property's market value will stay the same.

Five warning signs to check before you buy

A rent guarantee or a seller introducing you to a valuation company does not automatically mean fraud. The problem is when an agreement is unclear, someone has a personal interest that could affect their work, or the documents hide what is really happening. Get clear answers before paying a deposit that you cannot get back.

A simple checklist before you sign

1. Compare the price. Would the home still make sense at this price if citizenship were not part of the offer? Look at its location, condition and likely resale market. Keep the comparisons you use.
2. Check the property and the people involved. Make sure the title, contract and valuation refer to the same property and apartment. Have ownership, debts, mortgages, other legal limits and the rules for your particular purchase checked.
3. Check the official valuation process. Confirm that the company is allowed to do the work. Check the purpose of the request, the report date and the electronic record through the official process. Review the full report and TTB with your adviser.
4. Match the amounts. Compare the purchase agreement, official sale amount, bank transfers and any refunds or separate agreements. Find out why any amounts differ before completing the purchase.
5. Prepare the bank documents. Arrange the required Döviz Alım Belgesi (DAB), the foreign-exchange purchase certificate, for the foreign-buyer transaction. TKGM's guidance also requires proof of the bank transfer from buyer to seller for the citizenship route.
6. Check the three-year restriction. Make sure the required no-sale note is recorded on the title. Understand the consequences before agreeing to sell early or accept a buy-back deal.
7. Check the family applications. Confirm who is applying, how each person qualifies to apply, and which documents each person needs.
8. Keep the full file. Save contracts, reports, official certificates, payment receipts and important messages so you can explain the purchase later if needed.

TKGM's foreign-exchange certificate guidance explains the bank documents. The DAB and the payment receipt have different purposes. Do not assume that one replaces the other.

Do not plan your budget around an unconfirmed fixed “$1,500 citizenship valuation fee.” Ask for the current official fee and get any separate adviser fees in writing.

Can a problem with the investor's file affect the family?

Yes, it can. The September statement includes family members in its figures. NVI's guidance on citizenship cancellation also explains that a cancellation can affect a spouse and children who gained citizenship through the person concerned.

This does not mean that every question about a valuation automatically leads to the whole family losing citizenship. The facts, the legal reason for the decision and how each person gained citizenship matter. If you receive an official request for information or a cancellation notice, get legal advice about your case promptly and keep the original documents.

A fall in the property's price after purchase is also different from evidence that the original sale or valuation was false or did not follow the rules. Keeping the property for three years should not be presented as a way to protect a file that had problems from the start.

How can SimplyTR help you review your plans?

Start with the property and its documents. Ask us to help you work out what needs checking about the price, valuation process, payments and your family's applications before you commit to buying.

If you have already found a property, bring the listing, draft contract, available ownership details and proposed payment plan. A review can help identify missing information and questions that need a qualified valuation expert, the relevant authority or an independent lawyer.

Book a free citizenship property consultation to discuss your plans. You can also read our Turkish citizenship by investment guide and property-buying guide for foreign buyers.

Sources and what this guide covers

• TKGM Circular 2024/2, updated 28 September 2026: which companies can prepare reports, how to apply and what the report must include.
• TKGM Circular 2024/4, updated text: the TTB and how it must be sent electronically.
• TDUB notice, 29 September 2026: confirmation that the circular was updated.
• Invest in Türkiye: acquiring property and citizenship: the minimum investment and three-year no-sale rule.
• Anadolu Agency report published by Habertürk, 21 September 2026: quotes from the Ministry statement. The original Ministry webpage was not retrieved during the source review.
• Haberiniz, 18 October 2026: claims in the news that have not been independently confirmed.

The sources were checked on 19 October 2026. This guide gives general information for buyers. The checklist suggests practical checks; the result of each citizenship application depends on the facts and the decisions of the responsible authorities.