The revolutionary steps in recent years have led Turkey’s healthcare system to come to the fore across the world as in many other fields. While the medical infrastructure has been rapidly improving, the bed capacity has increased with newly opened health centres. The rise in the number of physicians who specialize in different areas with the help of modernizing the medical education has increased the level of expertise of country in many new areas like aesthetic, eye and heart surgeries.

Health Services That Turkey Offers
Turkey provides services in all medical specialities like; eye diseases, orthopaedics and traumatology, internal medicine, otorhinolaryngology, gynaecology, general surgery, oral and dental diseases, neurosurgery, skin and venereal diseases (dermatology) and paediatrics. On the other hand, Turkey has stood out a few steps in organ transplants, eye and dental care, plastic surgery and hair transplantation areas in recent years. This diversity in healthcare services creates an attractive environment for both “medical tourists” and an increasing number of “international retirees”.

Why Turkey for Health Services?
High service quality; accessibility for 1.5 billion people from 3 different continents within four-hour flight distance, geographical and strategic location and temperate climate puts Turkey forward in the medical field around the world.

One of the most important elements that make Turkey one of the top countries in healthcare systems in the world is the expertise and experience of the physicians. Due to the general understanding in the country and the education system, intelligent and successful students’ first preferences are the medical schools.

On the other hand, due to the population density and structure, the number and variety of cases faced by medical doctors in their fields of expertise are quite high compared to many developed countries. This increases the opportunity of “on-the-job training” and gives doctors an important experience. These two cases are to ensure that the quality of the medical staff is high in this country.

What makes Turkey a centre of attraction and makes it advantageous compared to other countries can be summarized as follows:

• Healthcare services above world standards
• Strong health technology infrastructure and high bed capacity
• Number of accredited health institutions and organizations
• Number of specialist physicians in different fields
• Advanced technological treatment methods
• Competitive price level
• Personalized treatment methods
• Foreign language speaking service personnel
• Short waiting times
• Complementary and alternative medicine opportunities in addition to traditional medicine methods

All these features attract tourists who visit the country for health purposes or those who want to live a healthy life after retirement and benefit from high-quality health services.

We can examine the price advantage in healthcare through a few examples.

• While hip replacement surgery prices are around 40,000 USD in the USA, the prices are between 12,000-14,000 USD in Turkey.
• While IVF (in-vitro fertilization) treatment prices vary between 15,000-20,000 USD in the USA, the same treatment can be completed for 2.500 to 3.000 USD in Turkey.
• While prices of laser operations such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism treatments vary between 4.000 and 8.000 Euro in European countries, the prices are between 600-750 Euros in Turkey.
• While the price of the by-pass surgery in the United States is between 94.000 and 210.000 USD, it is 12,000 USD in Turkey; angioplasty is between 44.000 to 98.000 USD in the USA, the same operation costs 3,500 USD in Turkey.
• Dental implant prices are between 1.000 and 3000 USD in the UK or the USA, while this operation costs between 500-800 USD in Turkey.
• While rhinoplasty price is 6.500 USD in the US, the average price is around 3.100 USD in Turkey. This operation may cost up to 18,000 USD in Switzerland.
•. Turkey, especially at hair transplantation surgery field, stands out with both expertise and experience and also with prices in the world. While hair transplantation costs between 1.700 and 2.000 USD in Turkey, this figure can go up ten times of it in England and the United States, in other words up to 25,000 USD.
• Again, liposuction among the cosmetic surgeries’ costs %50 less in Turkey when compared to the USA. While the prices are between 1.250 and 3.000 USD in Turkey, this figure is 5.500 USD in the USA and 6.000 to 11.000 USD in Germany.

A similar comparison can be made over prescription medicines. Most of the standard medicines in Turkey are much more affordable than their equivalents in the UK, USA and European countries. We can take one of the popular stomach medicines as an example. While 40 mg version of the same medicine produced by an international medicine producer company is for 7.78 USD in the USA, 3.37 USD in Canada, 2.21 USD in the UK; sales price of this medicine is 37 cents in Turkey.

How Can I Use Health Services in Turkey as a Foreigner?
Turkey, as a social state, offers health and education services to its all citizens. Thanks to the social security system called General Health Insurance (GSS), many medical expenditures are covered by the state. Basic requirements for foreigners wishing to benefit from health services in Turkey are not having insurance in another country and having been living in Turkey for more than a year with a residence permit. Foreign country nationals can benefit from General Health Insurance by applying after this period.

On the other hand, citizenship by investment program, purchasing a property worth of 250,000 USD in Turkey also provides you benefit from all the public services. Foreigners who obtained citizenship by purchasing at least 250 thousand USD worth real estate and their families can benefit from the advantages of health system lifelong in Turkey.

The spouse, children under the age of eighteen and dependent parents of foreign nationals who are entitled to General Health Insurance can benefit from these services.

General Health Insurance covers certain private hospitals along with the right to benefit from all public hospitals and clinics. Family Health Centers in almost every neighbourhood provide ease of access.

People who have General Health Insurance can make an appointment from the hospitals they want to go by calling or through their applications on smart devices. Thanks to the appointment processes that are adjusted according to the day and time of the patients, waiting in hospitals, long queues and time losses are prevented.

General Health Insurance covers not an only examination but also the treatment and medication expenses. Under the social security system, agreements have been made with all pharmacies and patients can have medicines by paying little difference.

We can list the services that can be used free of charge with general health insurance as follows:

• Examination fees
• Medicine expenses
• Surgeries and organ transplants
• Diagnostic biochemistry, microbiology, pathology examinations, radiological examination and imaging performed during inpatient treatment
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation after surgery
• Long-term treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, dialysis, etc.
• Also, home care services for chronic patients, disabled people and elderly people

Can I Benefit from Public Health Services with Turquoise Card?
Turquoise Card is a document that gives foreigners an unlimited right to work and reside in Turkey. The family of Turquoise Cardholders also benefit from the right of residency. It is a similar application to the Green Card, which has been used in the USA for many years and is known worldwide, or the Blue Card issued by the European Union. Turquoise Card has targeted to attract qualified people, scientists, artists and athletes to Turkey, and also to eliminate the long bureaucratic processes and obstacles that foreign investors may face in their work and residence permits.

Although the Republic of Turkey allows dual citizenship, many countries do not allow it. Turquoise Card allows people to obtain work and residence permit in Turkey without losing their citizenship in their home country. Thanks to this card, it is possible to work without problems just like a Turkish citizen and to benefit from basic services within the scope of General Health Insurance. Turquoise Cardholders have the same rights as Turkish citizens, except for military service, the right to elect and to be elected, and to work in public services.

What is the Private Health Insurance Prices Like in Turkey?
Besides Turkey offers affordable medical services, both private and public, for everyone, private health insurance prices are much cheaper than many European countries. Private health insurance prices in Turkey vary between 300 and 1,500 Euro depending on the age and the general health status of the person.

Private hospitals which are quite common in Turkey, are preferred for their prices and high service quality when compared to Europe and North America.

As in all areas, the competitive approach in the structure of the private sector is also seen in the health sector. For this reason, private hospitals and clinics try to have the most successful medical doctors in their fields in order to be preferred, offering hospitals in the comfort of a 5-star hotel and faster and easier appointment opportunities. Private hospitals also stand out in terms of shorter waiting times and comfort.

One of them will be needed to open a bank account where the client can transfer money from the bank of his country. Next, you need to get TAPU – the main document of the owner for real estate in Turkey. Now the Cadastral Office, the place where TAPU is issued, also works remotely.

To obtain a TAPU, the buyer needs to obtain a power of attorney in his country, issued to the selling company, at one of the Turkish embassies. Incidentally, they are now also working remotely.

There is absolutely no risk. The power of attorney contains all the data about the property, it is spelled out who issues the power of attorney and to whom. Next, the seller submits documents for TAPU. After the document is completed, it is sent to the buyer of the property. Or it can be stored in the company until the moment when the buyer has the opportunity to come to Turkey for him personally.

The procedure for buying real estate in Turkey remotely is very simple and straightforward. The authorities protect real estate buyers as much as possible and you do not have to worry that the money will be lost. There is also an option of buying a home online in Turkey. An apartment or a villa can be booked by transferring part of the money to the company’s account. Also, a contract is drawn up, certified by a notary service.

And after air traffic resumes, the buyer will be able to fly to Turkey and personally attend the paperwork.

Package of documents for opening an account in a Turkish bank:

• tax number;

Any foreigner can obtain a tax number by contacting the local tax office

management (Vergi Dairesi Müdürlüğü). To do this, it is enough to have your passport and its photocopy with you. If there is no queue, it takes no more than 5-10 minutes to issue a number.

• original passport with a stamp on entry to Turkey;
• original internal passport with registration. Some banks require notarized translation of passport pages with personal information and
• registration stamp (to confirm the address, if you do not have a residence permit)
• document confirming your address in Turkey (if you have a residence permit)

The bank employee fills out all the necessary documents, which after

must be signed. In this case, the current account number is assigned immediately, and

a plastic card is issued for 7-10 working days, if the card is personalized. The unnamed card is issued immediately.

Foreign citizens who do not work in Turkey invest in real estate in Turkey within the limits and amounts determined in accordance with the decision of the Presidium, as well as their spouses and children under the age of 18 can obtain Turkish citizenship. According to the latest regulations adopted in 2018, foreign citizens who have purchased real estate (residential or non-residential) worth at least USD 250,000, as well as their spouses and children under the age of 18, can apply for Turkish citizenship. There are no restrictions on the number of purchased real estate. As a result of making the necessary investments and collecting the relevant documents, an application for obtaining Turkish citizenship for real estate investments is submitted to the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkey.

To obtain Turkish citizenship by buying real estate, you must first register real estate in the amount of at least $ 250,000 or the equivalent of another foreign currency in Turkish lira. A notary must draw up a contract with a note prohibiting rejection for 3 years. It should be borne in mind that the transfer or waiver of ownership cannot be made within a certain period of time.

Legal restrictions

The Republic of Turkey gives citizens of 185 countries the right to obtain citizenship for the purchase of real estate, provided that they comply with the following legal restrictions:

Foreign citizens can purchase real estate up to ten percent (10%) of the area of ​​the district. If necessary, the Council of Ministers has the right to double this limit (20%).
A foreign citizen can purchase up to 30 hectares (300,000 square meters) of real estate throughout the Republic of Turkey. If necessary, the Council of Ministers has the right to double this limit (60 ha).
The property in question must not be located in a military or restricted area.

Payment

It is obligatory to present a receipt for all transactions. Therefore, it is important that the transaction is carried out through banks. A bank confirmed bank receipt indicating that the corresponding amount has been deposited by the buyer into the seller’s account is provided at the time of application. The following should be noted: the date of the receipt must be earlier than the notarization of the contract or no later than the day of the conclusion of the contract. A receipt for payment made after registration with a notary is invalid, since it cannot be considered a cash payment.

1. Choosing a property (Apartments in Turkey, Villas in Turkey, commercial property in Alanya);

2. Conclusion of a sales contract
The signing of the sales contract by the parties (or their authorized representatives). It contains information about the participants in the transaction, the property, the terms and conditions of payment for the transaction, the obligations of the parties. To sign the contract, the buyer only needs a passport (or a power of attorney to the buyer’s representative). The contract must be drawn up in duplicate and in several languages: Russian (or another language of the buyer’s country) and Turkish / English.

3. Obtaining a tax number
Individual taxpayer number (assigned in Alanya within 20 minutes).

4. Opening a bank account.
You will need a bank account in Turkey in the future to pay for utilities. More about the procedure for opening a bank account in Turkey.

5. Payment for real estate
You can pay for real estate in Turkey in any currency (€, $, TL).
This must be specified in the contract, the payment schedule is also indicated there. At the time of receiving the TAPU, the property must be fully paid.

6. Transfer of ownership to TAPU.
The issuance of the TAPU (title deed) takes place in the presence of a state translator at the Cadastral Office. Upon receipt of the TAPU, the buyer pays a one-time tax on the purchase of real estate, which is 4% of the cadastral assessed value of the property declared in Tapu (which is usually below the market value of the property).

As a rule, the term for receiving TAPU is up to 2-3 days from the moment the seller submits an application to the Cadastral Office. After that, the buyer becomes the full owner of the property in Turkey.

The final stage of the transaction is the registration of a subscriber bill for electricity and water.

Power of attorney (optional)

If necessary and if desired, you can make your real estate agent or your representative your trustee. The process of issuing a power of attorney takes place in a state notary office in the presence of a state (notarized) translator. The power of attorney only authorizes the procedures necessary to complete the purchase of real estate, as well as to obtain a subscription for electricity, water and property insurance.

A Power of Attorney should only contain a power for necessary procedures and nothing else. This typically includes the power to buy real estate on your behalf as well as obtain electric and water connection. An attorney can not harm your rights if POA has only “the powers of buying property and water-electricity subscriptions”. You should consider twice when you give the power of selling property!

Celia Homes advises property buyers when issuing a POA, “leave the job to its experts”. Professional guidance is a key point. We have our own template POA’s for buying real estate in Turkey which contains exact powers necessary for a comfortable buying process. An estate agent makes it a secure and easy journey. We have a huge experience and reputation of “Zero Failure”

Issuing a Power of Attorney

You may issue the power of attorney at all notaries in Turkey. Authorizing a Power of Attorney takes two hours and is witnessed at any notary office within Turkey.

Foreigners who don’t speak Turkish will need to use a sworn translator, registered with the notary office. Turkish notaries have sworn interpreters who will be ready at the notary offices within 15 minutes when they are called. Each Turkish embassy and consulate act also as a notary abroad with an appointment. You do not need the attorney to be present when issuing a POA. You might need the proxy’s ID details, your passport and in some cases your photo.

Turkey is a part of “The Hague Apostille Convention”. If your country is also in this convention, you may use any local notary for giving a POA. Your estate agent may supply you template POA for the necessary powers. After issuing this POA at notary in your country, you need to apostille at the competent authorities like district governorate, municipality, etc. The critical point is some POA’s are valid only with photos in Turkey. Please ask your local notary to add your picture to this POA as demanded.

FAQ

Q: What is a power of attorney?
A: POA is a legal document that allows a person (the proxy) to act on behalf of another person (attorney) under notarial witness. The proxy has the legal authority to sign on behalf of the attorney for decisions regarding the attorney’s property, finances or medical care.

Q: What are the required documents to issue a power of attorney?
A: When giving POA in Turkey, you will be asked for your original passport and the translation of it, your tax number and two passport pictures (for some transactions only).

Q: How can I give a power of attorney in Turkey?
A: When you go to a notary office with the required documents, officers prepare the POA for you. A certified interpreter of the notary office will translate the information on the POA papers. After the signatures, you will pay the fees and get your receipts.

Q: Why do I need an interpreter to issue a power of attorney in Turkey?
A: All documents of notary office transactions are in Turkish language and it is an obligation to have a certified interpreter to translate the information on the papers before the signatures.

Q: What is the cost of giving a power of attorney?
A: The cost of giving a POA depends on what is written on the POA papers. Notary offices have certain prices for word character numbers, the price is calculated after the POA is written.

Q: Can I give a power of attorney if I am not in Turkey?
A: Yes. There are two ways of giving a POA from abroad. These are;

• After you make an appointment, you can go to the Turkish Consulate in your country and give a POA. Then you post it to your proxy in Turkey.

• This second option works only for the countries that have an apostille agreement with Turkey. You can go to a notary office in your country to issue a POA. Then you take your POA to a competent authority (district governorate, municipality etc.) to make apostille. Afterwards, you post the documents to Turkey. The documents are taken to a notary office in Turkey for notarized translations. The critical point is some POA’s are valid only with photos. Please ask your local notary to add your picture on this POA as demanded.

Q: Whom can I give a power of attorney to in Turkey?
A: You can give a POA to any person over the age of 18 in Turkey.

Q: Can the children under the age of 18 give a power of attorney in Turkey?
A: Children under the age of 18 can give a POA only when their parents sign.

Q: When is it compulsory to have a picture for the power of attorney?
A: For POAs which gives “selling power” must have attorney’s picture. It is not required for other types of the POA.

Q: Can I give a power of attorney to someone to withdraw money from my bank account?
A: Yes. Bank transactions can be done with POA in Turkey.

Q: A tax number is required to issue a power of attorney. How does this work if I give a power of attorney when I am abroad?
A: Your passport number is used in place of your tax number when giving a POA from abroad. In such cases, you should include the power to get a tax number in the POA, in this way your proxy can get your tax number on your behalf.

Q: How many attorneys can give power of attorney to one proxy?
A: There is no limit for the number of people that can give POA to the same person.

Q: What kind of transactions and services can be carried out with a power of attorney?
A: Any and every kind of leal transaction can be carried out with a POA. However, you should know about the following exceptions:

* If you want your legal documents to be delivered to or received from the courts, your proxy must be a lawyer.

* If you want to get any transaction done in the immigration office, your proxy must be a lawyer.

When it comes to real estate buying, Turkey is easy to buy in and Celia Homes will help you through the entire buying process. Once you have signed a Tapu (legal registration), the matter will be sent to the authorities where they will approve your property purchase. For this you need your ID card or PASS, 4 photographs and your father’s and mother’s name. If you do not master the language, we have an interpreter who translates.

Restrictions

Since 2003, foreign citizens have been allowed to buy housing in places outside the tourist resorts, but special regulations from the Central Administration must be obeyed. Inside the lands of the Turkish military base, it is still forbidden for foreigners to buy real estate.

Registration to Tapu (legal registration)

Application for purchase. This is what you as a buyer need:

• 2 Photographs
• 2 Copies of your ID card / PASSPORT
• Your home address in your country and your parents’ and mother’s name
• Turkish Social Security Number (Which we help you with.)

Seller:

• 1 Photography
• 2 Copies of ID card / PASS
• Address of the company or owner
• Social security number

… Then the authorized translator will explain to you where the property is located and what characterizes it. (Villa, Apartment, 4th floor, etc.) Then you will get the original Tapun (law enforcement) in your hand. If you want it can be translated into English, we have a translator at the company. You will be able to read all the expenses in the list below.

Annual tax

Building 0.2 / cent for the currency denominated in tapun
• House 0.1 / cent for the currency written in tapun
Land area 0.3 / cent for the currency denominated in tapun
Land area outside the village limits 0.1 / cent for the currency written in tapun

Expenditure

• Tax for the purchased property. 0.3 / cent for the currency denominated in tapun
• 41.- € municipal expenses
• 55. € Machine expenses to the authorities
• 50. € Translators at the authorities
• 30. € Application for permission to purchase
• € 12. Sopor

Electricity, water, telephone, service

• Electricity
130 € for registration of electricity in the apartment
0.11 – 0.17 € kw / h up to 150 kw / h- more than 150 w / h
• Water
190 € for registration of water in the apartment
0.31 / 0.47 / 0.87 per m3 up to 20 m3 / 21 to 40m3 / 41m3 up
0.47 every month
• Telephone
7.75 € for registration by phone
0.04 € per unit
€ 8.88 every month

Celia Homes Real Estate customer service

• 50.- € Cleaning one day
• 70.- € One-way pick-up from Antalya airport
• 450.- € Administration of the house
• 200.- € Administration of apartment

Please bring all the required information to the nearest branch of your new house. Together with the branch you will discuss all the conditions and benefits of the loan
After your approval we will complete the application form and start the application procedure
The bank will send a appraiser to you house to value your property
Maximum 5 working days later the branch will inform you about the offering that we can do to you
You will be handed out the pre term sheet that you can use as our written promise to you
After presenting the pre term sheet to you, you are asked to sign the pre term sheet and pay the commitment fee
After signing a period of maximum four months starts to arrange:
DASK: (nature disaster insurance)
House insurance; İskan Ruhsati (house permission)
Approval of the ministry of Defense (Savunma Bakanliği)
Tax number and opening a demand deposit account
After collection of all the documents mentioned above the bank will give its final approval will make an appointment to pay out the loan and put the mortgage on the title deed at the Tapu office
Off Plan Mortgages

DenizBank makes deals with project developers to finance uncompleted houses in a project. Sometimes DenizBank gives loans before completion of the house or gives you upfront the commitment that DenizBank will pay out a loan after completion at upfront agreed conditions. Go to you nearest branch to ask for our current joint promotion with develops and ask for the special conditions.

MATURITY RATES
EURO USD GBP
3 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
6 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
9 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
12 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
18 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
24 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
36 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
48 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
60 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
72 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
84 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
96 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
108 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%
120 0,65% 0,65% 0,65%

Documents To Be Provided

Turkish Tax Number
Bank Account
Appraisal Report (€300)
Application Form
Passport Copy
Copy of Residential Permit
Credit Bureau Record from Home Country
Copy of Utility Bill from Home Country
Proof of Income

Preferences

Available in New Turkish Lira, Euro, Dollar, GB Pounds.
Maximum loan term of 10 years.
Maximum loan –to-value (LTV) ratio of 60% of the appraised value.
Maximum loan amount of 500,000 YTL or equivalent foreign currencies
Life insurance, personal house insurance and natural disaster insurance will be requested