Turkish EU minister vows to ease visa extension for tourists and foreign landlords

ANTALYA - Anadolu Agency

Turkish EU Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (L) traveled to his constituency of Antalya, where he also visited the new mayor, Menderes Türel (R). AA Photo

Turkey’s government is planning to facilitate the extension of tourist visas and residence permits of foreigners who buy properties in the country, Turkish EU Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said.

“Tourists who buy properties in Turkey can stay for six months. We have made a study to extend these durations. The entry and exit of those [landlords] will be eased,” Çavuşoğlu said during a visit April 24 to the new mayor of the touristic province of Antalya, Menderes Türel, who was elected from the ranks of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) after a tight race against the former mayor from the main opposition.

Himself an Antalya lawmaker, Çavuşoğlu stressed that tourists who bought properties were contributing to Turkey.

“Five years ago, when properties were sold in Antalya, they were saying to us, ‘They are selling the country.’ But now, even those who said that support it because people cannot bring their property with them,” Çavuşoğlu said.

Çavuşoğlu said the government would also make legal amendments to extend tourist visas by four or five months instead of the current 90 days.

Antalya is home to some of the most foreign landlords, particularly resort districts such as Alanya and Fethiye, where many British and German nationals spend the summer.