Author: Luxury Estate Turkey
Viewed 18 times
09 June 2026
Recent developments in certain Alanya neighborhoods that are closed to residence permit applications for foreigners have come back into the spotlight—particularly for foreign buyers who wish to live in the city of Alanya, Turkey, by purchasing real estate. According to information from public sources and as we noted in our previous article, a significant step has been taken to review the application process in these neighborhoods—Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar, and Kargıcak—which have long been associated with these restrictions.
This new development quickly attracted attention from investors and foreign nationals who want to buy an apartment near the sea in Alanya, move to Turkey, obtain a residence permit or own property in an area with an established foreign resident community. For property searchers from Russian-speaking countries and CIS nationals in particular — as well as people from Norway, the United Kingdom, Finland and many other European countries — Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar and Kargıcak remain among the most researched parts of Alanya due to their social life, existing foreign population and steady property demand.
At this point, though, it helps to set the right expectations. Reopening a neighbourhood to residence permit applications does not mean every application will be approved automatically. What it shows is that the geographic restriction — the one that used to block a new application simply because the address sat in a closed neighbourhood — is starting to be lifted for these areas. Foreigners who want to obtain a residence permit in Turkey still have to meet the other conditions tied to their application type and to current regulations.

For foreigners seeking to obtain a residence permit by purchasing real estate in Turkey, two distinct application routes are currently available as of 2026. These two routes do not yield the same outcome, neither from a legal standpoint nor in terms of long-term planning. Therefore, when purchasing property in Alanya, you must consider not only the location of the apartment but also the type of application, the value of the property, and the current residence permit conditions.
This route can be assessed through a property that has its habitation certificate (iskan) and sits in an area open to residence permit applications. It is usually granted for periods of 6 to 12 months, and in some cases the file can be reviewed without a valuation report or proof of income.
There is one thing to be clear about here, though. In practice this format is treated as a tourist residence permit. For that reason it can be a limited solution for anyone planning long-term migration. It may not count as residence time toward citizenship, the application conditions can change over time, and renewals don't always go the same way each time.
So for foreigners who are only planning short- or medium-term life in Alanya, it may be enough on its own. But if the goal is permanent life in Turkey, a future citizenship application, or a stronger residency position, this route should not be seen as sufficient by itself.
A residence permit based on the property's value is treated as a more serious, long-term route. In this format which is called "Category B", the property has to sit in an area open to residence permit applications, and its value on the title deed (tapu) — in Turkish lira terms — has to be at least the equivalent of $200,000.
During the purchase, it isn't only the sale price that matters, but the paperwork too. The currency exchange document (döviz alım belgesi), the title deed record, the building's technical documents and the other papers in the application file all have to be prepared correctly. A missing or incorrect document can affect the application even when the property's value is high enough.
When the legal conditions are met, this type of residence permit can offer a stronger basis — one that may later count toward the residence time needed for citizenship. So for foreigners planning long-term life in Turkey, who are weighing their property purchase together with a residency strategy, it is the option that deserves more careful attention.
When an area is closed to residence permit applications, it usually means that a foreign national cannot make a first residence permit application based on an address in that area. Even if the person has rented an apartment or purchased real estate there, the system may not accept that address for a new application.
When an area opens for applications again, it means that applying for a residence permit based on an address in that area becomes possible again. However, this does not mean that the application will be approved automatically.
The term “open area” means:
However, the term “open area” does not mean:
For this reason, when assessing the areas that have returned to the agenda for residence permits in Alanya, it is not enough to look only at whether the neighbourhood is open. The property address, the applicant’s personal situation, the application type, the accuracy of the documents and the current practices of the migration authorities should all be considered together.
As of 5 June 2026, publicly verified information points to four areas in Alanya that were previously closed to new residence permit applications by foreigners: Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar and Kargıcak. These areas have returned to the agenda for foreign property owners and people planning to buy property in Alanya for long-term living.
| Area | Status in June 2026 | Who May Find It Relevant? |
|---|---|---|
| Mahmutlar | Publicly reported | People looking for apartments near the sea, Russian-speaking families and investment-focused property searchers |
| Kestel | Publicly reported | Families looking for a quieter area and people searching for property close to the beach |
| Avsallar | Publicly reported | People looking to buy with a more accessible budget compared with central Alanya, families and those considering rental-oriented investment |
| Kargıcak | Publicly reported | People searching for villas, premium apartments, sea-view homes and larger living spaces |
This table provides a general comparison for foreign property searchers who want to quickly understand the areas that currently stand out for residence permit discussions in Alanya. However, the fact that an area has reopened for applications does not mean that individual residence permit applications will be approved automatically. The applicant’s file, property address, application type and the current residence permit requirements in Turkey are still assessed separately.
As of 5 June 2026, the most concrete development that can be verified through publicly available sources concerns four neighbourhoods in Alanya that were previously closed to new residence permit applications by foreigners: Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar and Kargıcak.
The first reports that applications in these areas had started to be reassessed appeared in local Alanya media on 4 June 2026. On 5 June, the issue reached a wider public agenda following a statement by Eray Erdem, President of the Alanya Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The statement clearly named Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar and Kargıcak.
However, an important distinction must be made here. The Alanya Chamber of Commerce and Industry is not an immigration authority that reviews or finalises residence permit applications. The chamber is an influential local institution representing Alanya’s business community, construction sector, real estate market, trade and tourism. For this reason, the statement carries strong public confirmation from the regional business community, but it does not replace an official regulation by the Presidency of Migration Management in Turkey.
Therefore, the current situation can be summarised more accurately as follows: there are strong public statements at local level indicating that residence permit restrictions have been lifted for Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar and Kargıcak. However, the current guidance of official authorities should remain the main reference for application requirements, implementation details and the final assessment process.
Recent residence permit developments in Alanya may create pressure to make quick decisions in the real estate market. In areas such as Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar and Kargıcak, some property owners may revise their price expectations quickly. At the same time, certain listings may be presented as more attractive than they really are by focusing mainly on the possibility of a residence permit.
For this reason, buying property in Turkey should not be based only on price, view or location. If the main goal is a residence permit, the property address, title deed details, habitation status, technical documents and application suitability should be checked before any deposit or purchase decision.
A professional approach keeps the transaction in the right order. The purpose is clarified first, then the property is selected. The documents are reviewed before negotiation. Legal and technical checks are completed before the final purchase decision.
Luxury Estate Turkey has been operating in the Turkish real estate market since 2015. The company has experience in property selection for foreign customers, direct communication with property owners, portfolio management, sales procedures and after-sale support.
Short-term use, long-term living, rental income, resale potential and residence permit planning require different criteria. For this reason, Luxury Estate Turkey reviews each property not only by price and location, but also by its transaction structure and long-term suitability.
During this review, the following points are assessed together:
The fact that some areas in Alanya are being discussed again in relation to residence permit applications does not mean that every property in those areas is automatically suitable. Two properties in the same area may lead to different outcomes depending on their documents, title deed record, declared value and intended use.
Foreign nationals who want to buy property with a residence permit goal should not rely only on the listing description or the seller’s statement. The property should be checked before the purchase, and the transaction should be prepared according to the application purpose.
Luxury Estate Turkey supports its customers through property selection, document review, negotiation, purchase procedures and after-sale stages. The aim is not only to complete a property purchase, but to make sure the decision matches the customer’s living, investment and residence plans.
Luxury Estate Turkey operates as a protected brand in Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, Germany and other markets abroad. Its experience with foreign customers helps the company manage a careful process in residence permit planning, document checks, secure payment, area selection, legal property status and after-sale support.
As a result, when residence permit news affects the market quickly, the right decision is not to choose a property in a hurry. The purpose, documents and transaction structure should be assessed together. Luxury Estate Turkey provides professional support for foreign customers who want to buy real estate in Alanya with a more controlled, transparent and well-planned process.