FAQ

Every year more and more foreigners are choosing to buy homes in Turkey, especially in the Turkish Riviera. Important factors for this are, of course, the fantastic climate with warm summers and mild winters, as well as the amazing Turkish hospitality. Not to mention the breath taking views of the sea and the beauty of the mountains behind will really bring you at ease. The price is also attractive for many people, as it is considerably lower than in Europe. Turkey is also proving increasingly interesting for investors. The property prices are still on the rise. We may not know your personal reasons, but there are plenty of arguments!

The Turkish are particularly friendly and hospitable people that love to introduce foreigners to their country and culture. To the Turkish, you are more than welcome!

In this regard, the so-called reciprocity principle applies. Turks have the right to buy property in the Netherlands, so Dutch people can buy property in Turkey.

When you have decided to purchase a property, we will initiate the procedure leading to your legal proof of ownership, the so-called Tapu. The buyer and seller go to the Tapu office in Alanya together where, after the submission of the required documents, the purchase is officially confirmed. The Tapu is an extract from the register describing the ownership and property. The costs for this procedure are for the account of the buyer.

Above all, you must ensure that you do business with the rightful owner of the land and property. NovaPoint Real Estate first checks this for you at various authorities, so you don't have to worry about that!

It is a persistent rumour that after the death of a foreign owner, ownership falls to the Turkish State. This is absolutely not the case! The heirs can simply obtain ownership of the property in Turkey. If desired, we can help you to have this recorded by a notary.

As the owner, you can rent out your house, just like you can in the Netherlands. If an Association of Owners has been established in your complex, it may be that rules have been drawn up regarding this issue that you should take into account. You should also bear in mind that you are liable to pay tax on rental income in Turkey. If you have paid tax in Turkey for this, you do not have to pay tax in the Netherlands. This follows from the Convention for the avoidance of double taxation. NovaPoint Real Estate can provide you with extensive information about this.

Your passport or ID card is sufficient when you travel to Turkey. All travellers must purchase their own E-Visa, including babies and children. (Even if the babies and children are registered in their parents' passports) You can apply for the E-visa online via evisa.gov.tr. you can pay by using one of the following methods, iDeal (the Netherlands), Mister Cash (Belgium), Paypal, credit card, Sofort, or by bank transfer. Once you have received the visa by email, you can then download and print the visa. You must at all times bring the visa, printed to Turkey. This will be checked for accuracy upon arrival at the airport. It is of great importance that all data you enter into your visa application matches the data on your travel document exactly. The validity of the visa is 180 days (approximately half a year). You can stay in Turkey for a maximum of 90 days within this period. You can make multiple journeys within those 180 days, as long as the total amount does not exceed 90 days.

If you wish to stay in Turkey for a longer period, it is necessary to apply for an Ikamet (residence permit for Turkey). As a property owner in Turkey, you will receive an Ikamet for a minimum of 1 year. The Turkish government is making it easier for foreigners to obtain a residence permit for Turkey. Both the application and the granting of a residence permit is a standard administrative procedure that runs smoothly. NovaPoint Real Estate is happy to help you with the application for your Ikamet.

You can buy a car in Turkey, although there are some restrictions as to who can drive it. You can take your car to Turkey for a year (time period varies sometimes), but then it has to leave the country. Importing cars is very costly.

Every foreigner who wants to work in Turkey needs a valid work permit. These permits are issued by the Turkish Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS). This means you must send the necessary documents to the Turkish embassy or consulate in your home country, while your employer provides the required documents to the MLSS. If you and your employer have submitted the application, the MLSS will process the application within 90 days. If the application has been approved, you must go to the Turkish Embassy in person to have the work permit stamped into your passport. If you apply in Turkey, you can collect your visa and permit from the MLSS office in Ankara.

You must register as a resident at the local city council. You can then use this extract from the register to go to the utility company to put the connection in your name. When you buy a property at NovaPoint Real Estate, we will join you to arrange this for you on the spot.

Non-recurrent costs: for Tapu and Iskan (Iskan only for new developments). The amount of these costs is determined by the Government and depends on the value and classification of your home. Furthermore, the transfer of the electricity and water subscription.

Annually recurrent costs: Association of Owners costs for the management of the complex. With this, certain costs are covered, such as the salary of the caretaker and other employed staff, the maintenance of the swimming pool, the maintenance of the garden, and so on. It is compulsory for everyone, immediately after the handover of keys, to have a building, household and mandatory earthquake insurance to close. You annually owe property tax to the municipality.

You can and it’s even advisable if you buy or have bought your own house in Turkey. Regularly recurring charges, such as electricity and water, can then be transferred via direct debit to the relevant authorities. That way, there is no risk that these utilities being disconnected.

You can open a bank account at any Turkish Bank. The only thing you need, is a valid ID and a Turkish tax number. NovaPoint Real Estate is happy to help you with these formalities.

Whether you can keep your pension or benefit abroad varies per situation. For example, the type of benefit is of influence. There may also be agreements between the Netherlands and the country where you live/work. On rijksoverheid.nl you can read the general information about taking a benefit or pension abroad.

Anyone who lives in the Netherlands and owns a house or other real estate in Turkey or any other country, must indicate this in Box 3 of their tax return. The Netherlands has a tax treaty with Turkey stating that real estate is taxed in the country where the real estate is located. That is why you receive a deduction in the Netherlands to avoid double taxation. If the tax return is filled in correctly, no tax is payable in the Netherlands.

The consulate is located in Istanbul and the embassy in Ankara. Below you can find the contact details.

Dutch consulate general In Istanbul

Dutch embassy in Ankara

Alanya has a very attractive climate with warm summers and mild winters. In the summer, temperatures can rise up to 35º Celsius, while in the winter the temperatures can fluctuate between 12 and 20º Celsius.