What exactly changed
On 2 June 2026, a briefing was held at the Alanya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ALTSO) together with the migration authority. After it, local officials announced: four coastal districts of Alanya - Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar and Kargıcak - are open again for residence-permit applications. These districts had been closed to new applicants since 2022, when the share of foreigners there exceeded the set threshold.
Reportedly, the e-İkamet online application system has already started accepting addresses in these districts.
An important caveat: as of publication, there is still no official document from the migration authority (Göç İdaresi) - the reopening rests on statements by local officials and the chamber. Formal rules are promised soon.
What has changed by September 2026
Three months on, the picture is clearer. The main point: the reopening has been confirmed in practice. Applications for addresses in Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar and Kargıcak go through e-İkamet and permits are being issued. Among the recipients are people who were refused in 2023-2025 precisely because of their address. In every case we know of, the applicant owned property valued at $200,000 or more on the title deed (TAPU).
Market participants also report that applications are being accepted again in Alanya centre, Oba and Türkler. This comes from agencies and lawyers, not from the authority: a specific address still needs to be checked before you pay a deposit.
What has not happened: Göç İdaresi has published neither a decision nor a list of open districts. The reopening happened "through practice", without a single document. Two conclusions follow. First, claims that "closed districts have been abolished across Turkey" have no official backing, and we do not repeat them. Second, the closure mechanism (a foreigner share of roughly 20% per neighbourhood) is still in force, so a district that buyers flock back to can close again. The migration authority looks at the address status on the day you apply, not the day you sign the deal.
One more practical point: tourist residence permits (based on a rental contract) are effectively no longer issued for new applications in the greater Antalya area. The workable route to relocating to Alanya is property worth $200,000 or more and a permit based on it; the conditions are covered below.
What about the rest of Turkey
Market participants report that residence-permit applications in the e-İkamet system are again going through in many previously-closed districts across the country - hence phrasings like "residence permits are available again in any district". The districts most often named as still closed are certain parts of Istanbul (for example, Fatih and Esenyurt).
It is important to understand: today this is the practice of filing and statements by market participants, while there is still no official migration-authority (Göç İdaresi) document that would formalise a nationwide reopening. So the status of a specific district and address should still be checked before a deal - and we will update this article as soon as an official decision is published.
Buying property and a residence permit are two different things
A common confusion. A foreigner can buy property almost anywhere in Turkey - that right was never restricted. "Closed districts" concern only one thing: you cannot register a residence permit at the address of the purchased apartment while the share of foreigners in that neighbourhood is above the threshold (around 25%).
So even after a district "reopens", the rule stands: a reopened district ≠ automatic residence-permit approval at a specific address. Each address is checked separately, and a neighbourhood's status can change again.
What this means for buyers
For anyone who was considering Alanya (Mahmutlar and nearby districts) for a Turkey residence permit, this is good news: these locations are back in play, and demand for them is likely to pick up. Below are the key conditions on the amount and type of permit; the full purchase process and costs are covered in our Turkey property guide.
How much the property must be worth for a residence permit
The minimum threshold for an owner's residence permit is $200,000. How the value is confirmed and which permit you get depends on the purchase date:
Bought property
before 15 January 2025
Appraisal report
$200,000 · valid for 3 months
Residence permit via TAPU
for 1-2 years · grants the right to citizenship after 5 years
Tourist residence permit
for 1-2 years
Bought property
after 15 January 2025
No appraisal needed
only the TAPU is checked
The TAPU states
a cadastral value in lira equal to $200,000
Residence permit via TAPU
for 1-2 years · with the right to citizenship after 5 years
Tourist residence permit
for 1-2 years · without the right to citizenship after 5 years
An owner's residence permit is renewed as long as you own the property, and after 5 years of residence it opens a path to citizenship by naturalisation. This is not the same as citizenship by investment from $400,000 - which is processed in 8-12 months.
Who else can get a residence permit
Pensioners
If the apartment is their property. Documents needed: a pension certificate with apostille and translation.
Children of any age
Who live with the pensioner-owner and care for them - can also obtain a residence permit.
What to do now
If you are considering a property in Alanya for a residence permit, the main rule is: check the specific address (neighbourhood/mahalle) against the migration authority's database before the deal. A district being "reopened" in words and the real status of an address in the system can differ, especially while there is no official document.
At ANPA Estate this check is part of our transaction support: before you pay a deposit, we confirm that a residence permit can actually be registered at the chosen address.
Published 16 June 2026, updated 17 September 2026. Next update: when Göç İdaresi publishes an official decision or a list of districts.