A comparison between ownership in the Gulf and Turkey for foreigners

Many people are looking for a comparison between owning property in the Gulf and Turkey for foreigners in order to move to one of these two areas and own real estate in it for the purpose of real estate residence or with the aim of obtaining citizenship in the long term, and in this article we will give you a comparison between the Arab Gulf countries and Turkey in terms of real estate ownership, its conditions and details, we wish you a good follow-up.

Real estate ownership in the Gulf

The Arabian Gulf includes six independent countries, and each of these countries has its different laws and provisions regarding real estate ownership, residence laws and obtaining citizenship, but we will highlight the United Arab Emirates as the first destination in the Arabian Gulf and the country with easier laws and simpler procedures in terms of obtaining residency and real estate ownership in it, specifically the city of Dubai, which is the country's economic capital, where government authorities in Dubai allow foreigners two types of ownership, the first type is ownership Freehold, under which a foreigner can obtain the property permanently and forever and benefit from it in any legal form, lease or resell it, but freehold ownership has specific areas in the Emirate of Dubai allocated by the concerned authorities, and the second type is usufruct ownership, and the foreigner in this type can own anywhere and in any property of the city, but for a specific period of 99 years only.

Real estate ownership in Turkey

There is no doubt that Turkey is one of the best global destinations for those wishing to own real estate and reside outside their countries, especially Arabs, the Turkish government has worked in recent years to improve the Turkish economy by attracting capital and encouraging investment on its territory and provided many facilities to investors and enabled them to obtain Turkish citizenship through real estate investment and others, and the Turkish government canceled the reciprocity law that allowed a large number of citizens of the world to own real estate in Turkey.

In 2017, the Turkish government issued the program for obtaining Turkish citizenship in exchange for investment, which is one of the simplest and easiest ways through which foreigners can obtain Turkish citizenship and a Turkish passport, as this decision was accompanied by many additional facilities and features, and the minimum total real estate that must be owned was initially one million US dollars, but this amount was reduced to 250 thousand US dollars in 2019, then the Turkish government returned to raise the minimum again to 400,000 US dollars in April 2022, and is still in force until now.

Real estate ownership areas in Dubai

As we mentioned in the previous paragraph, absolute ownership of real estate in the city of Dubai is possible, but within the freehold areas designated by the UAE authorities, these areas are:

• um Hurair II (Plot No. 013)
• Al Barsha South Second (Plot No. 002)
• Al Barsha South Third (Plot No. 002)
• Emirates Hills First (Plots No. 004 - 814)
• Emirates Hills II (Plots No. 001 - 049)
• Emirates Hills III (Plot No. 001)
• Jebel Ali (Lots Nos. 051-074-081-082-083-084-142-143-391)
• Al Jaddaf (Lots Nos. 003-007-008)
• The World Islands (Plot No. 001)
• Ras Al Khor (Plot No. 165)
• For Ruya (Plots No. 063-065)
• Sheikh Zayed Road (Plots 118-147)
• First Sufouh (Plot No. 069)
• Al Sufouh II (Plot No. 005)
• Al Quoz III (Plots No. 005-006)
• Al Quoz Industrial Area II (Plots No. 010-030)
• Al Quoz Industrial Area III (Plot No. 028)
• Mirdif (Plots 143-144)
• Dubai Marina (Plots Nos. 007-014-015-003)
• Palm Jebel Ali (Plot No. 001)
• Palm Jumeirah (Plot No. 001)
• Nad Al Sheba (Lots Nos. 209-215-222)
• Warsan I (Plot No. 002)

Restrictions on real estate ownership in Turkey

Despite the great positives that the real estate ownership law in Turkey carried and the many facilities it provided to foreigners, the Turkish government has placed some restrictions on foreign ownership of real estate in Turkey, and these restrictions are:

• The total area of real estate owned by the same foreign person on Turkish territory should not exceed an area of 30 hectares, equivalent to 300,000 square meters.
• The property should not be located within 400 meters of the military barracks of the Turkish army or strategic and security sites such as airports, oil and energy stations, sea ports and other cultural and religious centers of the Turkish state.
• The total area of real estate owned by the same foreigner within a town shall not exceed 10% of the total area of that town.

Advantages of owning real estate in Turkey

Turkey is one of the distinctive destinations that many people want to own real estate in because of its advantages, including:

• The strategic location, charming nature, mild climate along with the development of infrastructure and the availability of all necessary services.
• The relatively acceptable prices of real estate in Turkey along with the low cost of living in it.
• The great activity witnessed by the real estate investment market in Turkey, which makes buying a property in it a successful investment by all standards.
• The possibility of obtaining and renewing Turkish residence through real estate ownership contracts in Turkey.
• The possibility of obtaining Turkish citizenship by owning real estate in Turkey with a value exceeding 400 thousand US dollars, while fulfilling the other conditions for obtaining citizenship.
• The social environment and lifestyle rich in multiculturalism coupled with Turkish culture that suits many people.

Advantages of owning property in Dubai

Dubai is the most famous city at all in the Arabian Gulf, as it is the source of huge investments and huge urban projects, and many investors seek to buy real estate in Dubai and other cities of the Arabian Gulf for the following reasons:

• The high value of real estate properties in Dubai in addition to the activity of the real estate market in it.
• A foreigner can obtain legal residence in the country without the requirement of a sponsor.
• The possibility of renewing this residence continuously every specific period of time, depending on the type of residence.
• The residence includes the foreigner's wife and children with the possibility of bringing in a certain number of family service workers.
• A foreigner can invest, lease, profit from or resell these properties.
• The possibility of living in the UAE in a luxurious environment and a lifestyle that provides all the elements of luxury and comfort.

Which is better for real estate ownership Türkiye or the Gulf?

In conclusion, it is not possible to decide which is better for real estate ownership, whether Turkey or the Arab Gulf countries, each of which  has its pros and cons that may suit some and conflict with others, and we have shown you the advantages of real estate ownership in both Turkey and Dubai, but it is worth noting that Dubai's environment is similar to the Western environment and the language spoken in it is English in the first place, and the cost of living in it is relatively high, but it is richer than Turkey in luxurious areas and a luxurious lifestyle.

This is the end of our article A comparison between ownership in the Gulf and Turkey for foreigners, in which we presented to you a comprehensive comparison between Turkey and the city of Dubai in the Arabian Gulf in terms of real estate ownership conditions, conditions and advantages.