Are Closed Neighborhoods for Residence Permits Lifted? (Türkiye 2026)

In recent years, one of the topics most frequently encountered by foreigners living in Türkiye or wishing to apply for a residence permit has been the closed-neighborhood practice for foreigners.

Especially in areas with a dense foreign population such as Istanbul, Antalya and Alanya, foreigners frequently searched questions like "Is this neighborhood open to residence permits?", "If I rent a home in a closed neighborhood, can I get a residence permit?", "Has Esenyurt been opened to residence permits?", and "Can a residence permit be obtained in Mahmutlar?"

With the new regulation made in 2026, the closed-neighborhood and closed-district practice was ended with respect to residence permit applications. As a result, the neighborhoods and districts that foreigners previously could not show as an address in new residence permit applications were also opened to residence permit applications.

So why was the closed-neighborhood practice applied? What changed in 2026? Are Esenyurt, Fatih, Mahmutlar, Kestel, Avsallar and Antalya's Hurma neighborhood now open to residence permits? Let us explain the details.

Table of Contents

• What Is the Closed-Neighborhood Practice?
• Was the Closed-Neighborhood Practice Lifted in 2026?
• Are All Neighborhoods Now Open to Residence Permit Applications?
• Has Esenyurt Been Opened to Residence Permits?
• Has Fatih Been Opened to Residence Permits?
• Has Mahmutlar Been Opened to Residence Permits?
• Have Kestel and Avsallar Been Opened to Residence Permits?
• Has Antalya's Hurma Neighborhood Been Opened to Residence Permits?
• Is the Closed-District Practice Still in Effect in Istanbul?
• Does Reopening a Neighborhood Mean the Residence Permit Will Definitely Be Approved?
• Have Closed Neighborhoods Also Been Lifted for Temporary and International Protection?
• Frequently Asked Questions About the Closed-Neighborhood Practice

What Is the Closed-Neighborhood Practice?

In order to prevent the excessive concentration of the foreign population in certain areas of Türkiye, restrictions on new registrations of foreigners began to be applied in some districts and neighborhoods starting from 2021.

Within this scope, some areas with a dense foreign population were closed to new registration and address procedures under;

• residence permits,
• temporary protection,
• international protection.

The practice produced significant results particularly in provinces with a dense foreign population such as Istanbul and Antalya.

Before renting or buying a home, a foreigner had to check whether the address fell within a "neighborhood closed to foreigners." The address being in a closed neighborhood could create a significant obstacle, especially for first residence permit applications.

Was the Closed-Neighborhood Practice Lifted in 2026?

Yes. With the change made in 2026, the closed-neighborhood practice was ended with respect to residence permit applications.

With the new practice, the previous regional restriction on the neighborhoods where foreigners could show an address in residence permit applications was removed. Likewise, the closed-district restriction previously applied to entire districts in Istanbul has also ended with respect to residence permit applications.

As a result, foreigners can now also use addresses located in previously closed neighborhoods or districts in their residence permit applications, provided that they meet the other requirements for the residence permit.

Are All Neighborhoods Now Open to Residence Permit Applications?

This is the most important result of the 2026 change in terms of residence permit applications. Neighborhoods and districts that were previously closed to residence permit applications due to foreign density have been reopened to residence permit applications.

Therefore, the fact that an address was merely within the scope of a "closed neighborhood" or "closed district" no longer constitutes, on its own, an obstacle to filing a residence permit application.

However, there is an important distinction here: Lifting the closed-neighborhood practice does not mean that the foreigner's residence permit will be approved automatically. The other requirements sought under Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection for the type of residence permit the foreigner applies for must still be met.

In other words, what has changed is the restriction relating to the neighborhood or district where the address is located; the other application and assessment requirements of the residence permit continue to apply.

Has Esenyurt Been Opened to Residence Permits?

Yes. The district-based residence permit restriction applied in Esenyurt ended in 2026. Due to the density of its foreign population, Esenyurt was for a long time one of the most searched districts regarding residence permits in Istanbul.

Under the previous practice, there were significant restrictions on first residence permit applications made by showing an address in Esenyurt. With the new practice in 2026, Esenyurt too has been opened to residence permit applications.

Therefore, foreigners who meet the other necessary requirements can show their addresses located in Esenyurt in their residence permit applications.

Has Fatih Been Opened to Residence Permits?

Yes. Istanbul's Fatih district was also opened to residence permit applications in 2026. Fatih was one of the first districts where restrictions were applied to new residence permit applications starting from 2021.

Following the new regulation, the district-based residence permit restriction in Fatih has also been lifted. For this reason, foreigners who want to reside in Fatih can file a residence permit application through their addresses in Fatih, provided that they meet the other requirements of the type of residence permit they apply for.

Has Mahmutlar Been Opened to Residence Permits?

Mahmutlar, one of the areas in Alanya where foreigners live most densely, was also among the neighborhoods most frequently brought up in the past due to residence permit restrictions. With the change made in 2026, Mahmutlar has been reopened to residence permit applications.

Therefore, as of 2026, the answer to the questions "Can a residence permit be obtained in Mahmutlar?" or "Has Mahmutlar been opened to foreigners?" is yes. Provided that they meet the other residence permit requirements, foreigners can file a residence permit application through their addresses in Mahmutlar.

Have Kestel and Avsallar Been Opened to Residence Permits?

Yes. The residence permit address restrictions applied in the Kestel and Avsallar neighborhoods of Alanya have also ended. For foreigners who rent a home or own real estate in these areas, the residence permit obstacle arising from the address previously being in a closed neighborhood has been removed.

Has Antalya's Hurma Neighborhood Been Opened to Residence Permits?

One of the areas in Antalya where the foreign population lives densely and which was frequently searched due to the closed-neighborhood practice was the Hurma neighborhood in Konyaaltı. With the new practice in 2026, the Hurma neighborhood has also been opened with respect to residence permit applications.

For this reason, foreigners who meet the other legal requirements can use their addresses in the Hurma neighborhood in their residence permit applications.

Is the Closed-District Practice Still in Effect in Istanbul?

No. With the 2026 change, the closed-district practice in Istanbul has also ended with respect to residence permit applications. In the past, some districts in Istanbul with a dense foreign population had been closed to new residence permit applications.

With the new practice, the district-based address restrictions in question have been removed, and neighborhoods and districts in Istanbul have become addresses that can be shown in residence permit applications. This change is particularly important for foreigners who want to obtain a residence permit in Esenyurt and Fatih.

Does Reopening a Neighborhood Mean the Residence Permit Will Definitely Be Approved?

No. This is one of the most easily misunderstood points in practice. A neighborhood being open to residence permit applications only means that there is no obstacle to filing an application in terms of the address.

For the residence permit application to result positively, the other requirements relating to the type of residence permit the foreigner applies for must also be met. For example, short-term residence permit, immovable-purpose residence permit, family residence permit and student residence permit applications are each assessed within the framework of their own requirements.

Therefore, an assessment along the lines of "the neighborhood is open = the residence permit is certainly obtained" is not correct. The correct statement is: the address restriction applied due to the neighborhood or district has been lifted; the residence permit application, on the other hand, is assessed separately within the framework of its own requirements.

Have Closed Neighborhoods Also Been Lifted for Temporary and International Protection?

The change explained in this article concerns the closed-neighborhood and closed-district practice with respect to residence permit applications. Registration, address and provincial-transfer procedures within the scope of temporary protection and international protection must be assessed within the scope of their own application principles.

For this reason, it is important not to confuse the new practice regarding residence permit applications with temporary protection or international protection procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Closed-Neighborhood Practice

Was the closed-neighborhood practice removed in 2026?

Yes. The closed-neighborhood restriction previously applied with respect to residence permit applications was ended in 2026.

Can foreigners now apply for a residence permit from any neighborhood they want?

The address restriction applied because a neighborhood or district was closed in the past has been removed. However, the foreigner must meet the other legal requirements relating to the type of residence permit they request.

Has Esenyurt been opened to foreigners?

Yes. The district-based residence permit restriction in Esenyurt has ended, and the district has been opened to residence permit applications.

Has Fatih been opened to residence permits?

Yes. The residence permit address restriction applied in the Fatih district also ended in 2026.

Can a residence permit be obtained in Mahmutlar?

Yes. The Mahmutlar neighborhood of Alanya has been reopened to residence permit applications. For the application to result positively, the other residence permit requirements must also be met.

Have Kestel and Avsallar been opened to foreigners?

Yes. The residence permit address restrictions previously applied in Kestel and Avsallar have been removed.

Is Antalya's Hurma neighborhood open to residence permits?

Yes. The Hurma neighborhood in Antalya's Konyaaltı district is also open with respect to residence permit applications.

Does reopening a closed neighborhood automatically change previous rejection decisions?

No. The new practice does not, on its own, change residence permit applications that were concluded in the past. New applications will be assessed within the framework of the current requirements in force.