New requirements for owners of real estate in Turkey: electronic identity verification

Turkey has introduced new rules for property owners regarding mandatory electronic verification of identity in real estate transactions at the land registry.

EKDS system, implemented throughout the country, greatly simplifies the process of identifying owners. Citizens are now required to use new ID cards with the chip, inserting them into special POS devices that compare biometric data with the database.

Mustafa Ozelmajikli, representative of the General Directorate for Population, reported that the system has been successfully tested and is already functioning throughout Turkey. EKDS compares fingerprint data and photos stored on the chip with information in the MERNIS system, which helps to prevent fraud and document forgery.

Ismail Ozkan, president of the Association of Real Estate Marketing and Sales Specialists, noted that electronic identity verification has become mandatory for all real estate transactions. If the identity cannot be verified through the system, the ownership transfer process will not be completed.

Ozcan also added that citizens are encouraged to get new chip ID cards as soon as possible to ensure security and speed up the process of document processing. The old certificates are still usable, but it is important to update the documents during the transition period.

Owners will be sent SMS notifications with information about new requirements. In case of chip damage, you will need to contact the CEGS for a temporary identification.

Correct. This change does not apply to foreigners who own real estate in Turkey and do not have a Turkish identity card.