Matt & Co · 11 October 2026

Moving to Türkiye now: 20 years free of tax on your foreign income

A new law exempts people who become Turkish tax residents from income tax on their foreign income for 20 years. Here is who qualifies, what it covers, and why it could make a move to Kalkan more attractive than ever.

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Moving to Türkiye now: 20 years free of tax on your foreign income

In June 2026 Türkiye brought in one of the most generous tax regimes in Europe for new residents. If you move here and become tax resident, the income you earn outside Türkiye can be exempt from Turkish income tax for 20 years. For anyone who has thought about a life on the Turquoise Coast, the timing is worth knowing about.

What changed

Law No. 7582 was approved by parliament in May 2026 and published in the Official Gazette on 4 June 2026. It added Article 20/D to the Income Tax Law, with detailed guidance in General Communiqué No. 333. Under it, foreign-source income and gains are exempt from Turkish income tax for 20 years from the year a qualifying person becomes tax resident.

Who qualifies

You become a Turkish tax resident from 1 January 2026 onwards. In general that means making Türkiye your home, or staying here for more than six months in a calendar year.
For the three calendar years before you become resident, you were not domiciled in Türkiye and were not taxed here as a resident. Limited Turkish income during that time, such as rent from a Turkish property, does not by itself rule you out.
Qualification is not tied to citizenship.

What it covers, and what it doesn't

Covered: income and gains from outside Türkiye, such as overseas dividends, interest, investment and capital gains, and other foreign-source income. It doesn't need to go on a Turkish tax return.
Not covered: Turkish-source income, such as rent from a Turkish property or pay for work done for a Turkish employer, is taxed in the normal way, at rates from 15% to 40%.
You can't deduct costs linked to the exempt income, or credit foreign tax against Turkish tax.
Reports also describe a reduced 1% inheritance tax rate for qualifying people. Confirm how it applies to you.

Alongside the exemption, a separate one-off "asset peace" window runs until 31 July 2027 for declaring assets held abroad, at rates from 0% to 5%.

Why this might appeal to you

Retirees and investors living on overseas pensions, dividends or investment income may pay no Turkish tax on it. Your home country may still tax some income, so check the tax treaty that applies (UK government pensions, for example, normally stay taxable in the UK).
Business owners and remote workers with income earned abroad. Be careful: pay for work you physically do while living in Türkiye can count as Turkish-source, so take advice on how your income is set up.
Families planning ahead: 20 years is long enough to plan a whole chapter of life around, not just a few seasons.

How a home in Kalkan fits in

Buying a home here can support a residence permit, and a purchase of at least US$400,000 can support an application for Turkish citizenship. Rent from letting your Kalkan home is Turkish income and is taxed normally, but the rest of your foreign income could be exempt. Combined with Kalkan's climate, pace of life and the community already here, it makes a serious case for moving now rather than "one day".

Take advice first

The detailed rules are still being bedded in, and every situation is different. Speak to a Turkish tax adviser, and one in your home country, before you change your residence. We're happy to introduce you to the advisers our own buyers use.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. It reflects the law as published in June 2026; the rules and their interpretation may change.

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