Exemption for Gulf States and Saudi Arabia Citizens in Closed Zones (Except Iraq) 2025

As of 2025, an important change came into force within the scope of the new practice of the Migration Management. In areas closed to residence permits in Turkey, exemptions were provided for citizens of certain countries. In this scope

– Bahrain

– United Arab Emirates

– Qatar

– Kuwait

– Oman

– Saudi Arabia

citizens will be able to apply for residency even in areas closed to residence permits.

However, Iraqi nationals are not included in this exemption . Iraqi nationals will not be able to apply for residence in closed areas.

Why was the New Application Introduced?

Especially in metropolitan cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Antalya, many regions were closed to residence permits due to the dense foreign population. This was causing serious problems for foreign investors and real estate owners.

One of the biggest problems was the requirement of a residence permit for subscription transactions such as electricity, water and natural gas. The new regulation aims to enable citizens of Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia to easily open billing subscriptions in the regions where they invest and obtain a residence permit.

2025 Current Areas Closed for Residence in 2025 (Istanbul)

Below are some districts and neighborhoods in Istanbul that are closed to residence as of 2025 by the Directorate of Migration Management:

– Fatih district – All neighborhoods

– Esenyurt district – All neighborhoods

– Avcilar district – All neighborhoods

– Kucukcekmece district – All neighborhoods

– Başakşehir district – All neighborhoods

– Sultangazi district – All neighborhoods

– Bağcılar district – All neighborhoods

– Zeytinburnu district – All neighborhoods

– Bahcelievler district – All neighborhoods

– Esenler district – All neighborhoods

⚠️ This list is updated annually by the Migration Management Authority. For the most up-to-date information, it is recommended to visit the official website of the Directorate of Migration Management directly or contact MFY LEGAL.

Advice for Investors and Foreign Citizens

Changing legal regulations in residence and real estate transactions may affect your investment process. For this reason, it is important to get information about current regulations and practices in order to proceed your applications smoothly.

As MFY LEGAL, we offer professional consultancy to foreign investors and real estate buyers in these processes. Contact us to get information about current developments.