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Foreigners need Council of Ministers permission to buy or lease long-term

Rule record · last verified 14 September 2026

In force since 10 November 2008.

Rule

A foreign natural or legal person may buy immovable property in Northern Cyprus only after obtaining a purchase permission from the Council of Ministers, and may take a long-term lease only with prior Council of Ministers permission.[1]

Practical implication

Signing a contract and paying does not make you the owner. Title can only pass into your name after the permission is granted and published, and within the deadlines that then run.

Applies to

Who:
Other foreign nationals · Citizens of states recognising the TRNC with reciprocal rights · Turkish citizens · Individuals · Companies and other legal entities · Trustees acting for a foreigner

Where this rule comes from

Instrument
Immovable Property Acquisition and Long-Term Lease (Aliens) Law, No. 52/2008, consolidated with amending Law 39/2024, Articles 3, 5, 8(1) and 9
Authority
Assembly of the Republic (Cumhuriyet Meclisi), TRNC
Jurisdiction
Turkish Cypriot administration (TRNC)
Basis
Legislation · asserted by us within this jurisdiction
Verification
Primary source verified. We read the primary text ourselves on 14 September 2026.
Legal review
Not yet reviewed by a named legal reviewer. Marked for priority review.

Regulatory events

History of this rule

  • — First published from the primary text. (version 1, First published)

Sources for this rule

Numbered in order of first use. Each entry names the kind of source it is and the day we read it.

  1. [1]
    Immovable Property Acquisition and Long-Term Lease (Aliens) Law, No. 52/2008, consolidated with amending Law 39/2024

    Central Legislation Office, TRNC · Legislation and gazettes · 10 November 2008 · original in Turkish · accessed 14 September 2026 · source record

Cite this record

https://northcyprusreference.com/en/rules/ptp-required-for-foreigners

Identifier ptp-required-for-foreigners · Open data · challenge this rule