Mortgage for Foreigners in Türkiye: Is It Possible? Banks, LTV and Documents

Many foreigners ask the same question before they buy in Türkiye: can I get a mortgage here? The short answer is yes, but it is not easy. Turkish banks do lend to foreign nationals. Most of them want you to live in Türkiye, earn income here and pass their own credit checks. Loans to residents are in Turkish lira only, and the national regulator caps how much of the home’s value a bank may lend. This guide explains how it works as of November 2026.

Key points

• Turkish banks and participation (Islamic) banks offer housing loans to foreigners, but each bank sets its own conditions. Many lend only to people who live in Türkiye and have Turkish-sourced income.
• People resident in Türkiye cannot take foreign currency or FX-indexed loans under Decree No. 32. Residents borrow in Turkish lira.
• The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) caps loan-to-value (LTV) by home value and energy class. Under its decision of 29 January 2026, the maximum ranges from 90% down to 20%.
• The bank appraises the home and registers a mortgage (ipotek) on the title deed at the land registry. Mortgages under housing finance are exempt from title deed fees.
• Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) is needed for the purchase, and the bank will expect it on the mortgaged home.

This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Check your own case with the bank, a Turkish lawyer or a licensed adviser.

Can a foreigner get a mortgage in Türkiye?

Yes, if a bank accepts your application. No law bars foreign nationals from Turkish housing loans, but banks decide who qualifies. Their published conditions show how much they vary:

• QNB says on its English mortgage page that the customer must be resident in Türkiye, with income from Türkiye, a Turkish address on the residence certificate and valid work and residence permits.
• İş Bankası says its housing loan for expatriates can only go to people who hold a Blue Card or dual citizenship.
• Türkiye Finans, a participation bank, has a product for foreigners. It finances non-Turkish residents of Türkiye in lira. It also says applicants whose residence is registered abroad may be offered foreign currency loans as well as lira.

In practice, the strongest applicant is a foreigner with a residence permit, a work permit or a Turkish employer, a Turkish bank account and some credit history in Türkiye. If you live abroad and earn abroad, expect fewer options. Ask several banks, and get their conditions in writing.

Lira or foreign currency?

A 2018 amendment to Decree No. 32 on protecting the value of the Turkish currency took effect on 2 May 2018. It says individuals resident in Türkiye may not take foreign currency loans, at home or from abroad. Residents may not take FX-indexed loans either. So if you live in Türkiye, your mortgage will be in Turkish lira, even if your salary or savings are in euros or pounds.

That creates a currency risk. Your monthly payment is fixed in lira, so if your income is in another currency, its value against the lira will change what the loan costs you.

For non-residents, foreign currency lending is a bank decision. Türkiye Finans says it may be possible. Do not assume every bank offers it.

How much can you borrow: the BDDK LTV limits

The BDDK sets the maximum loan as a share of the home’s value. Its decision No. 11364 of 29 January 2026 links the cap to the home’s value in lira and its energy class, shown on the Energy Identity Certificate (Enerji Kimlik Belgesi) under Law No. 5627. The decision applies to consumer loans used to buy a home and to consumer loans secured on a home.

The limits, by home value, for energy class A or B, class C and other classes:

• Up to TL 5 million: 90%, 80%, 70%
• TL 5-7 million: 80%, 70%, 60%
• TL 7-10 million: 70%, 60%, 50%
• TL 10-20 million: 50%, 40%, 30%
• Over TL 20 million: 40%, 30%, 20%

Some points to keep in mind:

• These are maximums. A bank can lend less. Türkiye Finans, for example, says on its page for foreigners that it finances up to 75% of the appraised value.
• Press reports on the January 2026 decision say the old split between new and second-hand homes was dropped. They also say lower limits apply if the borrower, their spouse or a child under 18 already owns a home.
• The bands are in lira. Many homes that foreigners buy on the coast or in Istanbul cost more than TL 10 million, where the cap falls to 50% or less. Plan for a large deposit.
• Read the current rate picture in our mortgage rates report.

Interest rates

Rates change often, so treat any figure as a snapshot. Weekly data reported in October 2026 put the average lira housing loan rate at 41.66% a year for the week of 9 October 2026. Banks quote monthly rates, so compare the annual cost (yıllık maliyet oranı) on the payment plan, not only the headline rate. Participation banks use a profit share instead of interest, but the payment plan works the same way.

Documents banks usually ask for

Bank lists differ, but legal and bank sources point to these:

• Passport and, if you have one, your residence permit (and work permit where the bank asks for it).
• Turkish tax number (vergi numarası). See our tax number guide.
• Proof of income, such as payslips, an employer letter, tax returns or bank statements. Some banks require income from Türkiye.
• Proof of address, such as a residence certificate (ikametgah) with a Turkish address.
• Credit history. Banks check your record in Türkiye. Some also look at a credit report from your home country.
• Property documents, such as the title deed details and the sale agreement.
• Translations. Türkiye Finans says foreign documents need an apostille (or consular certification for countries outside the Hague Convention), plus a sworn Turkish translation notarised in Türkiye.

The appraisal

Before it approves a loan, the bank has the home appraised (ekspertiz). Türkiye Finans says valuations are done by independent firms licensed by the Capital Markets Board. QNB says it uses its own expert appraisers. The bank lends against the appraised value, so a low valuation means a smaller loan.

This bank appraisal is separate from the valuation report the land registry requires in every sale with a foreign buyer. Our valuation report guide explains that one.

The mortgage at the land registry

The loan is secured by a mortgage (ipotek) registered on the title deed at the land registry office. Ask your bank how it coordinates the sale and the mortgage registration at the land registry, and when it releases the funds to the seller.

Under Article 59(1)(o) of the Fees Law No. 492, added by Law No. 5582 in 2007, mortgages set up under housing finance are exempt from title deed fees. The sale itself still carries the usual 4% title deed fee. Our costs of buying a home explainer covers that. When you have repaid the loan, ask the bank for the paperwork to have the mortgage removed from the deed (ipotek fekki).

The land registry’s own purchase list for foreigners still applies. Your Key Türkiye lists your passport, a photo, the compulsory DASK earthquake insurance policy and a document showing that foreign currency equal to the sale value was exchanged at a bank. Ask your bank how the currency document works for the part of the price paid with the loan.

Step by step

1. Talk to banks early. Ask each one whether it lends to your residence status and in which currency. Ask too for its maximum LTV, term and fees.
2. Check the property. Make sure it can be sold to foreigners, and find out its energy class, which affects the LTV.
3. Gather documents. Get your tax number, permits, income proof and any apostilled, translated papers.
4. Apply and get a pre-approval. The bank runs credit checks and sets a provisional amount.
5. Appraisal. The bank’s appraiser values the home. The final loan amount depends on this value.
6. Insurance. Arrange DASK, and any other policies the bank asks for.
7. Land registry appointment. The sale is completed and the bank’s mortgage is registered on the deed.

If you cannot be in Türkiye, Türkiye Finans says you can give a power of attorney to a lawyer or other person. For the wider purchase process, read our guide to buying property in Turkey as a foreigner.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I get a Turkish mortgage without a residence permit?

A: It is difficult. Many banks require residence in Türkiye and Turkish income. A few, such as Türkiye Finans, have products for applicants living abroad. Ask each bank.

Q: Can I borrow in euros, pounds or dollars?

A: Not if you are resident in Türkiye. Decree No. 32 bars residents from foreign currency and FX-indexed loans. Some banks say non-residents may be offered foreign currency loans.

Q: What is the maximum loan-to-value?

A: Under the BDDK decision of 29 January 2026, it is up to 90% for an A or B energy class home worth up to TL 5 million. It falls to 20% for a lower-class home over TL 20 million. Banks may lend less.

Q: Does the mortgage add to the title deed fee?

A: No. Mortgages set up under housing finance are exempt from title deed fees under the Fees Law. You still pay the normal fee on the sale.

Q: Can I use a Turkish mortgage for citizenship by investment?

A: Check with a lawyer first. For citizenship, the payments are checked against the USD 400,000 threshold, so how a loan-financed purchase is treated needs case-specific advice.

Planning to buy? Download our free property guide for a step-by-step checklist.

Sources

• BDDK Decision No. 11364 (29/01/2026): maximum LTV for consumer housing loans and home-secured consumer loans by home value (TL 5m/7m/10m/20m bands) and energy class (A-B / C / other) under Law No. 5627; continues rules of Decision No. 10656 (24/08/2023)
• NTV (31 Jan 2026): new LTV rules from February 2026; new/second-hand distinction removed; reduced ratios where borrower, spouse or child under 18 already owns a home
• BEMO (31 Jan 2026): BDDK 29.01.2026 housing loan decision summary (90/80/70% up to TL 5 million)
• KPMG Türkiye tax bulletin (25 Jan 2018): Decree No. 32 amendment (Decision 2018/11185, effective 2 May 2018): real persons resident in Türkiye may not use FX loans; residents may not use FX-indexed loans
• Türkiye Finans: Mortgage Finance for Foreigners (residents TL only; non-residents may get FX; up to 75% of appraised value; up to 120 months; apostille, sworn translation and notarisation; power of attorney; CMB-licensed valuers)
• QNB: Mortgage loans (customer must be resident in Türkiye, Turkish-sourced income, Turkish address on residence certificate, valid work and residence permits; in-house appraisers)
• İş Bankası: House loan, expatriates section (only Blue Card holders and/or dual citizens)
• FFK Partner Hukuk (Feb 2025, updated Aug 2025): foreigners and bank loans in Türkiye: residence permit, income proof, tax number, credit score, some banks check international credit report
• Fees Law No. 492 Art. 59(1)(o), added by Law No. 5582 Art. 31 (effective 06/03/2007): title deed fees not charged on mortgages under housing finance (Alomaliye circular summary)
• Your Key Türkiye property acquisition guide (TKGM): passport, photo, compulsory DASK policy, foreign currency exchange document; citizenship payment checks
• Taşınmaz Haber (18 Oct 2026): TL housing loan rate 41.66% for the week of 9 October 2026

Photo: Itidal / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons