Foreign investors may invest freely in Türkiye and get equal treatment with local investors, unless special laws or treaties say otherwise. Most agri-food investments run through a company set up in Türkiye. Foreign individuals face a 30 hectare national land limit per person, while foreign-controlled Turkish companies go through a governorship process to acquire land.
Can a foreign investor invest in Turkish agriculture and food?
Yes. Under Article 3 of Foreign Direct Investment Law 4875, foreign direct investment is free and foreign investors get the same treatment as domestic investors, unless international agreements or special laws provide otherwise. The Law sets no minimum investment amount. The same article protects against expropriation without public interest and compensation, and allows net profit, sale and liquidation proceeds to be transferred abroad freely through banks or special finance institutions.
Turkish citizens living abroad also count as foreign investors under this Law.
Which vehicle should you use?
| Vehicle | Notes |
|---|---|
| Joint stock company (AŞ) | Minimum capital TRY 250,000, or TRY 500,000 initial capital under the registered capital system |
| Limited liability company (Ltd) | Minimum capital TRY 50,000 |
| Branch | Available under Law 4875 |
| Liaison office | No commercial activity allowed, needs Ministry permission |
| Stake in an existing company | Share purchase, or at least 10 percent if bought on an exchange |
Capital figures come from Decision 7887 as noted in the Turkish Commercial Code. In a joint stock company, at least 25 percent of cash shares is paid before registration and the rest within 24 months.
Companies are set up at the trade registry through the MERSIS system. According to the Invest in Türkiye guide, documents issued abroad need an apostille or consular legalisation and a Turkish translation, and non-Turkish shareholders and board members need a potential tax number to open the bank account for capital.
Can a foreigner buy agricultural land in Türkiye?
It depends who the buyer is. The Land Registry Law separates three cases.
| Buyer | Rule |
|---|---|
| Foreign individual (Article 35) | Only nationals of countries set by the President. Total area cannot exceed 30 hectares per person nationally, or 10 percent of the district’s private land. The President may raise the personal limit up to double |
| Company formed abroad (Article 35) | Only under special laws |
| Company formed in Türkiye that is 50 percent or more foreign-owned, or where foreigners appoint the board majority (Article 36) | May acquire to carry out the activities in its articles of association, subject to the governorship process |
Our reading is that Article 36 contains no hectare cap like the one in Article 35, but the land must be acquired and used for the company’s stated activities. So the objects clause in your articles should be right before you buy. Have this confirmed by Turkish counsel.
What happens when a foreign-owned company buys land?
- Under the implementing regulation, the company applies to the governorship where the land sits and undertakes to use it for its stated activities.
- The governorship asks whether the land is in a military or special security zone. A reply is due within 15 days, and silence means the land is treated as outside those zones.
- If it is inside, a national security assessment follows. Permission comes from the General Staff or the command it authorises for military zones, and from the governorship for special security zones.
- On a positive result, the governorship notifies the land registry so the title can be registered.
Article 36 does not apply to acquisitions in special investment zones such as organised industrial zones, industrial zones, technology development zones and free zones. The same rules apply when a foreign investor buys 50 percent or more of a Turkish company that owns land. Build this into the timetable if you are acquiring an existing business.
What is permitted and what is restricted?
| Topic | Position |
|---|---|
| Forming a company, buying shares | Free, subject to special laws and treaties |
| Transferring profit and liquidation proceeds | Free, through banks or special finance institutions |
| Land in military zones | Subject to permission for companies |
| Undeveloped land bought by a foreign individual or foreign company | Project must go to the relevant Ministry for approval within two years |
| Use outside the stated purpose | Land can be liquidated and the proceeds paid to the owner |
| Non-agricultural use of farmland | Law 5403 permit needed, same regime as local investors (our reading) |
| State leasing of unused farmland | Individual applicants must be Turkish citizens |
The last row refers to the 2024 regulation on leasing unused agricultural land. The President may also limit, suspend or ban acquisitions by foreigners where national interests require. Company land use is monitored by the governorship, and a commission can grant a one-off six month period to correct use outside the stated activities.
Law 5403 makes no separate rule for foreign owners that we could find, so owning land does not by itself give the right to build on it. Read our land and permit guide before you sign.
What obligations follow after setup?
- E-TUYS reporting: under the Implementing Regulation, investor and shareholder data go in within one month of user authorisation. The activity form is due each year by the end of May. Capital changes and share transfers are entered within one month.
- Foreign staff: under Article 3 of Law 4875, work permits come from the relevant Ministry.
- Food business: under Article 30 of Law 5996, approval or registration is needed depending on the activity.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Take Turkish legal counsel before you commit. See Invest in Türkiye for how we structure the steps, our investment incentive guide for support, and a feasibility study to test the plan first.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum investment for foreign investors in Türkiye?
Law 4875 sets no minimum investment amount. Company law minimums apply when you form a company: TRY 250,000 for a joint stock company and TRY 50,000 for a limited company.
How much agricultural land can a foreign individual buy?
Up to 30 hectares per person across Türkiye under Article 35 of the Land Registry Law, and total foreign ownership cannot exceed 10 percent of a district’s private land. The person must be a national of a country set by Presidential decision.
Does the 30 hectare limit apply to a foreign-owned Turkish company?
We see no such cap in the text of Article 36, and that is our reading. The company acquires land for the activities in its articles of association. The governorship process, use monitoring and Law 5403 permits still apply. Confirm this with counsel.
What happens if a foreign-owned company misuses the land?
A commission can allow a one-off six months to correct it. If the outcome is negative, the Ministry of Finance orders disposal within six months, which can be extended once. If the owner does not dispose of it, the land is liquidated and the proceeds are paid to the owner.
Can profits be sent abroad?
Under Article 3 of Law 4875, net profit, dividends, sale, liquidation and compensation proceeds, licence and similar payments, and foreign loan principal and interest can be transferred abroad freely through banks or special finance institutions.
Official sources
- 4875 sayılı Doğrudan Yabancı Yatırımlar Kanunu, güncel metin
- Doğrudan Yabancı Yatırımlar Kanunu Uygulama Yönetmeliği
- 2644 sayılı Tapu Kanunu, güncel metin (madde 35 ve 36)
- Tapu Kanununun 36. Maddesi Kapsamındaki Şirketlerin ve İştiraklerin Taşınmaz Mülkiyeti ve Sınırlı Aynî Hak Edinimine İlişkin Yönetmelik
- 6102 sayılı Türk Ticaret Kanunu, güncel metin (madde 332, 344, 580)
- 5403 sayılı Toprak Koruma ve Arazi Kullanımı Kanunu, güncel metin
- İşlenmeyen Tarım Arazilerinin Tarımsal Amaçlı Kiraya Verilmesine İlişkin Yönetmelik, Resmî Gazete 22.08.2024
- 5996 sayılı Veteriner Hizmetleri, Bitki Sağlığı, Gıda ve Yem Kanunu
- Invest in Türkiye, Establishing a Business
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Programme terms can change, so check the current official text before applying.
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