Sending Money to Turkey for a Property Purchase: Safe Payment for Foreign Buyers

Two rules shape this process. First, a buyer without Turkish citizenship must sell the foreign currency used for the purchase to a bank before the title transaction and obtain a Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate (DAB). Second, the secure payment system for title deed transactions, in force as a regulatory framework in October 2026 and scheduled to become mandatory on 1 December 2026, aims to release the price to the seller only when ownership passes to the buyer.

This article addresses how and to whom the price is sent to Turkey; the title deed transfer itself, rental income and taxes are separate subjects. Every bank record should clearly identify who paid whom, for which property and under which agreement. The first step is therefore to confirm in writing who owns the receiving account and when each payment will be made.

1.Which Account Should Receive the Purchase Price?

As a rule, the price should be sent to the account of the person or company that will appear as the seller at the land registry. When the registered owner, the seller named in the contract and the account holder are the same, the purpose of the payment is clear. Risk begins when they differ.

A common problem is payment into the account of an estate agent, a relative of the seller or a company introduced as an intermediary. These people may lack authority to receive money for the seller. Even if they have authority, the buyer cannot control whether they pass the funds on. If the seller says no payment was received, the buyer faces a separate dispute with the recipient and may not obtain the property.

When buying from a company, especially a developer, pay the account of the company named as seller in the contract. The personal account of a company officer is not the company's account. If the seller's name is absent from the banking record, the payment may not legally count as payment to the seller.

2.Does Ownership Pass When the Money Reaches Turkey?

No. Money arriving in Turkey, or even reaching the seller, does not by itself transfer ownership. The Turkish Civil Code provides that ownership of immovable property is acquired by registration. Registration is the recording of the buyer as owner after the official deed is drawn up at the land registry.

That rule explains why timing matters. Any payment made before title deed transfer leaves the buyer with a claim, not ownership. If the seller fails to transfer the property, sells it to someone else or an attachment is placed on it, the buyer may need to sue to recover the money.

The sale and a promise of sale also require official form. A sale is executed at the land registry; a promise of sale is executed before a notary. A "reservation form" or "sales agreement" signed at an estate agency does not have that form. Paying a large sum under such a document means sending money without the protection of ownership.

3.What Is a Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate (DAB), and Why Is It Required?

The Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate, known as the DAB, is a bank document showing that foreign currency brought in for a property purchase by a buyer without Turkish citizenship has been sold to a bank and converted into Turkish lira. Under the Central Bank of Türkiye's Capital Movements Circular, the currency is sold to the bank before the title transaction and the bank issues the certificate. The General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM) has required it for purchases by foreign individuals since January 2022.

The DAB documents that the price was paid with foreign currency brought from abroad and records the amount. It states the buyer's name, passport or foreigner identification number, property number and US-dollar equivalent. A DAB therefore identifies the property for which it was issued and cannot be reused for another purchase.

Only the buyer, seller or their representatives or attorneys-in-fact may sell the currency to the bank for this purpose. The bank sends the certificate electronically to the relevant land registry office on the same day.

Does the Rule Depend on Nationality?

The test is whether the buyer has a bond of Turkish citizenship, not which foreign nationality they hold. The same rule applies to Russian, Iranian, Iraqi and British buyers. The position of former Turkish citizens and dual nationals must be checked separately because the existence of a Turkish citizenship bond directly affects whether a DAB is needed.

4.What Does the Amount on the DAB Determine at the Land Registry?

The Turkish-lira amount shown on the DAB is declared to the land registry as the sale price. Under TKGM Circular No. 2022/1, the value in the official deed is based on that amount and the title deed fee is calculated accordingly. Commissions or payments other than the property price must not be added to the foreign-currency amount on the certificate.

For foreign buyers, this rule effectively ends the old practice of declaring less than the actual price. If some of the price is paid outside the DAB, for example in cash or into another account, that part will not appear in the official record. This creates tax risk and makes it harder to prove the full amount paid later.

For a purchase under a promise-of-sale agreement, a DAB is issued only for the part paid in advance. Nor can a statutory mortgage be placed on the buyer's property for the balance. Instalment or deferred-payment plans must therefore be structured around the DAB rule.

5.Is the Seller Paid in Foreign Currency or Turkish Lira?

The seller is paid in Turkish lira. The currency brought by the buyer is first sold to a bank, and the lira equivalent reaches the seller's account. The Capital Movements Circular expressly requires payment to the parties in Turkish lira.

The currency in which the contract states the price is a separate question. Persons resident in Turkey cannot generally agree a foreign-currency price for a property sale between themselves. An exception permits a foreign-currency price where a buyer with no bond of Turkish citizenship is a party. The contract may therefore state dollars or euros, while the amount is converted and paid to the seller in lira.

The distinction matters if a refund is disputed. If the contract states a lira price but the buyer sent euros, a refund may be calculated in lira at the rate on each payment date rather than returned in euros. The contractual price currency should therefore be stated clearly before payment.

6.Should I Send Funds to My Own Turkish Bank Account or Directly to the Seller?

Both routes are possible. What matters is that the currency is sold to a bank and the DAB is issued for the correct buyer and property. A buyer can transfer funds to a foreign-currency account in their own name in Turkey and convert them there. Funds may also go directly to the seller's foreign-currency account, in which case the seller or their representative sells the currency to the bank.

Using the buyer's own account allows them to retain control until the day of the title deed transfer. In practice, foreign applicants are asked for a tax number to open a bank account in Turkey, so preparation is needed. Sending directly to the seller involves fewer steps but puts the money in the seller's hands before the title deed transfer.

Whichever route is chosen, the transfer reference should state the property's address or block and parcel numbers and whether the payment is a deposit, advance or balance. That reference is the simplest later evidence of which transaction the transfer funded.

7.What Is the Title Deed Secure Payment System, and When Will It Become Mandatory?

The title deed Secure Payment System aims to release the property price to the seller at the same time as title passes to the buyer. The Ministry of Trade established the framework through a provision added to the Regulation on Real Estate Trade on 29 April 2026. If any part of the price is paid in cash, by bank transfer or by electronic funds transfer, that payment is to be made through the system.

The mandatory start date changed more than once. The initial regulation envisaged 1 July 2026. An amendment published in the Official Gazette on 1 October 2026 set 1 December 2026 instead. It also provided for a Ministry-authorized integrator and for a protocol to determine excluded sales, the pilot scheme and usage fees.

The portion financed by banks, finance companies or savings-finance companies falls outside the system. A fee for each transaction is deducted from the amount transferred to the seller. As of October 2026, the fee amount has not been announced publicly.

8.Does the Secure Payment System Remove the DAB Requirement?

No. As of October 2026, the rules on secure payment contain no provision removing a foreign buyer's DAB obligation. The two rules serve different purposes: the DAB records conversion into Turkish lira, while the payment system determines when the seller receives the money.

The Secure Payment System is not a substitute for a DAB. Detailed operating rules explaining how the bank sale of the currency and transfer through the system will work together have not yet been published. The Ministry's protocol and banks' technical arrangements should clarify them.

This uncertainty matters particularly for purchases near December 2026. The contract should state the payment method, how the schedule will adapt if the system starts operating, and who ultimately bears its fee. Otherwise, an appointment at the land registry may be postponed because the parties' arrangements do not comply with the new rule.

The table compares what was known about the two requirements as of October 2026.

This table reflects regulations published as of October 2026; the Ministry's protocol may change the system's operational details.

9.What Should I Check Before Paying a Deposit or Advance?

Pay a deposit or advance only after checking the title register, whether the seller owns the property, and any mortgages, attachments or annotations. Foreigners cannot acquire property in some military or security zones; that restriction must also be checked before payment.

The document underlying a deposit matters too. A sale or promise of sale that lacks the required official form is invalid. Money paid under an invalid agreement may be reclaimed under unjust enrichment rules, but doing so often means bringing a lawsuit.

A judgment of the 3rd Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation dated 17 March 2025 (E. 2024/2667, K. 2025/1674) illustrates the risk. Under agreements signed at an estate agency without official form, a buyer sent the seller both lira and EUR 94,394.63; the properties were not delivered. The court ordered repayment because the agreements were invalid. But as the contractual price was in lira, it awarded the lira equivalent at the rate on each payment date rather than a refund in euros. The buyer's request to use the rate on the enforcement date was rejected.

10.Why Is Payment to an Estate Agent's Account Risky?

Money sent to an estate agent or another third party may leave the buyer without the property or the funds if it never reaches the seller. If the agent has no authority to receive payment for the seller, and the seller does not later approve it, the buyer has not discharged the debt to the seller.

In a judgment dated 23 October 2018 (E. 2016/576, K. 2018/9888), the 13th Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation considered a buyer who agreed to purchase an apartment through estate agents. The buyer sent EUR 1,000 and EUR 55,950 to one agent's personal account, with the balance due at title deed transfer. The agents did not pass the money to the developer; the sale did not occur and the money was not refunded. The buyer started enforcement proceedings and sued after an objection. The court upheld the claim, and the Court of Cassation affirmed.

The buyer prevailed in that case but did not obtain the apartment and could seek repayment only through enforcement and litigation. Paying an intermediary rather than the seller creates a claim against the intermediary, not necessarily against the seller.

11.Why Does the Bank Ask About the Source of Funds?

Banks have a legal duty to investigate the source of large international transfers. Law No. 5549 on the Prevention of Laundering Proceeds of Crime requires banks to identify customers before a transaction and report suspicious transactions to the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK). A bank may not tell the parties that it has made such a report.

A delayed transfer or a request for more documents does not, by itself, mean a criminal suspicion. But funds that cannot be explained may delay the transaction and put the title appointment at risk. Banks are more likely to ask questions when the sender differs from the buyer, the money passes through several countries or it comes from third parties.

Relevant evidence includes account statements showing how savings accumulated and, where applicable, contracts for an earlier property sale or inheritance and gift documents. Breaking a large transfer into smaller ones merely to avoid bank scrutiny can itself draw attention. If the account is fully restricted, the next steps are discussed in our separate article on blocked bank accounts.

12.Can the Price Be Paid in Cryptocurrency or Cash?

Cryptoassets cannot be used directly for payment in Turkey. A Central Bank regulation effective since April 2021 prohibits their direct or indirect use in payments. A buyer holding cryptoassets must first convert them into fiat currency through an authorized platform and send the property price through a bank.

Cash presents several problems for a foreign buyer. It does not establish a clear connection to the bank sale underlying the DAB and makes payment difficult to prove. From 1 December 2026, cash payments are expressly within the Secure Payment System's scope; cash will not be a way around it.

The bank may also ask where the cryptoassets came from. If the buyer cannot document their acquisition, the platform that held them and the account into which the fiat proceeds were paid, the transfer may stop before reaching Turkey.

13.What If I Paid but the Title Was Never Transferred?

If payment was made but title was not transferred, the buyer can generally seek repayment. The legal basis depends on whether the agreement is valid. A valid promise-of-sale agreement may support performance or damages. If the agreement lacks official form, the money is reclaimed under unjust enrichment rules.

The appropriate route also depends on the type of agreement, the recipient of the payment and whether the seller transferred the property to someone else. If the seller sold to a third party, recovering the property will often be impossible and the claim will become one for money.

The reverse risk concerns sellers. The General Assembly of Civil Chambers of the Court of Cassation has held that, absent a clause requiring retransfer of ownership if the price is not paid, the seller's claim is for the price, not the property. Sellers therefore seek payment before transfer. The Secure Payment System was created to address this mutual lack of security. The contract and payment records must be reviewed together to choose a legal route; if you have them, you can contact Legal Istanbul for an assessment.

14.Why Does Proof of Payment Depend on Bank Records?

Payment of a property's price must generally be proved with written evidence; bank records are among the strongest. The Court of Cassation has held that an allegation that the actual price was paid must be proved by documentary evidence, not witness testimony.

That rule makes cash handovers dangerous. Money passed over at the land registry or in a café is particularly hard to prove later. If the seller denies receiving it, the buyer may be left with witnesses alone.

A bank record, by contrast, shows who paid whom, when and how much. Keep every receipt, SWIFT message, DAB if applicable, and the contract together. They are central evidence both in a dispute and in administrative procedures such as a citizenship application.

15.What Matters When Payment Is Made for a Citizenship Investment?

For Turkish citizenship by investment, both the amount and the documentation must be complete and genuine. As of October 2026, the Regulation Implementing the Turkish Citizenship Law requires the purchase of eligible property worth at least USD 400,000. A three-year no-sale undertaking is annotated in the title register.

The DAB matters not only for title registration but also for the citizenship file. A judgment of the 10th Chamber of the Council of State dated 5 February 2026 (E. 2024/405, K. 2026/361) illustrates the consequences. An Afghan national said he had agreed with a developer for investment citizenship and delivered USD 250,000. An investment eligibility certificate was issued and he acquired Turkish citizenship in September 2022. Authorities later found that the DABs for the investment were inaccurate. The eligibility certificate was cancelled and citizenship revoked in April 2023. The Council of State dismissed his action, reasoning that citizenship required a genuine and lawful investment; the judgment remained open to appeal.

Even after citizenship has been granted, it may be revoked if the payment documents are later found to be false. The detailed conditions are covered in our property investment citizenship guide.

16.Can I Make the Payment and Title Transaction by Power of Attorney While Abroad?

Yes. A foreign buyer can authorize someone to conduct the title transaction and sell the foreign currency to a bank without being in Turkey. The Capital Movements Circular permits the buyer's attorney-in-fact to carry out the currency sale.

A power of attorney also creates one of the greatest payment risks. If it allows the attorney-in-fact to receive the price or make payments for the buyer, that person may control the funds. The wider the authority, the less control the buyer retains over their money.

The authority should therefore be limited to the identified property and transaction. Authentication and translation requirements for a power of attorney issued abroad must be checked separately. We explain the risks of buying by power of attorney in another article.

17.at Which Stage Should Payment Be Made, and Against Which Document?

Each payment should be proportionate to the legal protection the buyer has at that stage. More protection can justify a larger payment. Paying a large sum without protection shifts the entire risk to the buyer.

The table shows common payment stages and the corresponding protection.

This is a general framework. Penalty, withdrawal and refund terms in the particular agreement may change the degree of protection.

18.Which Payment Mistakes Occur Most Often?

Many problems arise from haste and trust rather than deliberate dishonesty. A buyer trusts a familiar agent, believes a seller's promise to hold the price if paid this week, or treats the bank's questions as unnecessary formalities.

Common mistakes include:

• Sending the price to an agent, a seller's relative or a company officer's personal account instead of the seller's account.
• Paying a deposit without checking the title register, mortgages and attachments.
• Paying part in cash or outside the DAB and accepting a lower declared price at the land registry.
• Omitting the property details from the transfer reference and failing to keep receipts.
• Giving an attorney-in-fact broad authority to receive the price and transfer it to any account.

In each case, the record connecting the payer, recipient and property breaks down. Reconstructing that link later often requires litigation.

19.Conclusion: Keep the Payment Trail Complete

For a foreign buyer, safe payment means maintaining an unbroken documentary trail from the first transfer to the title deed. Sale of the currency to a bank, issue of a DAB for the correct buyer and property, and payment to the seller tied to title deed transfer are links in that chain.

From 1 December 2026, the Secure Payment System is scheduled to add another link. It aims to reduce the risk of the seller receiving the price before title passes, but cannot itself cure payment to the wrong person, unexplained funds or an invalid agreement.

Two purchases involving the same amount sent from the same country can therefore end differently. In one, funds reach the seller under a formal agreement and a correct DAB. In the other, they disappear into an intermediary's account. The difference lies in the checks made before transfer.