A power of attorney in Turkey, called a vekaletname, is a notarised document that lets a person you trust act for you before Turkish authorities, banks, courts and the land registry. For foreigners who cannot always be in the country, it is often the practical way to buy property, follow a residence permit file, or run a case without flying in for every signature. You can sign one at a Turkish notary, or from abroad at a Turkish consulate or a local notary with an apostille. This guide explains how a power of attorney in Turkey works, the main types, and how to grant one safely.
The idea is simple, but the details decide everything. A vekaletname only allows what it lists in writing. A document that is too narrow can stall a sale, while one that is too broad hands over more control than you meant to give. Get the wording right and the rest is quick. Below we set out the types, the steps, the documents and the mistakes to avoid.
What Is a Power of Attorney in Turkey (Vekaletname)?
A power of attorney in Turkey is a legal document by which one person, the principal, authorises another person, the agent, to act on their behalf. In Turkish it is called a vekaletname, and it draws mainly on the Turkish Code of Obligations, with its form set by notary law. The person you appoint does not become the owner of anything. They carry out the acts you have listed, in your name, until the authority ends.
Most powers of attorney used by foreigners are notarised. A Turkish notary (noter) prepares the text, confirms your identity, and registers the document, which gives it official weight before public offices. A Turkish power of attorney signed this way can be used at the Tapu Kadastro land registry, the Directorate General of Migration Management, banks, tax offices and courts, depending on the powers it contains. Without notarisation, most of these offices will not accept it.
Why Foreigners Often Need a Power of Attorney in Turkey
Foreigners usually need a power of attorney in Turkey because many official steps require a signature in person, and travelling for each one is rarely practical. A power of attorney in Turkey for foreigners lets a trusted representative or a lawyer handle those steps while you are abroad. It is common in property purchases, residence and citizenship files, company setup, banking and inheritance matters.
Typical situations where a power of attorney for property in Turkey or another vekaletname helps include:
- Buying or selling real estate and completing the title deed (tapu) transfer at the land registry.
- Applying for or renewing a residence permit and dealing with the migration authority.
- Opening a Turkish bank account, paying taxes, or connecting utilities.
- Forming a company or signing commercial contracts.
- Handling an inheritance, a divorce, or a court case while you are outside Turkey.
A power of attorney in Turkey for foreigners does not replace your own decisions. It lets someone execute them locally, on your instructions, so a purchase or an application does not stall because you cannot be in the room.
Types of Power of Attorney in Turkey
There are two broad types of power of attorney in Turkey: general and special. A general power of attorney gives wide authority across many kinds of act, while a special power of attorney is limited to one defined task. Choosing the right type is the single most important decision when you grant a vekaletname, because it sets exactly what your agent can and cannot do.
General Power of Attorney (Genel Vekaletname)
A general power of attorney authorises the agent to handle many routine matters, such as dealing with tax offices, banks and public authorities on your behalf. It suits someone who wants a long-term representative in Turkey for everyday administration. The trade-off is control. Broad authority is convenient, but it also means the agent can act in many areas, so you should only appoint a person you fully trust.
Special Power of Attorney (Özel Vekaletname)
A special power of attorney (özel vekaletname) is limited to a specific act, such as one property sale, one court case, or one company transaction. Some acts require an express special authority even when a general document exists. Selling or buying real estate, filing certain lawsuits, agreeing a divorce, and accepting or rejecting an inheritance must be spelled out clearly. If the wording does not mention the act, the office can refuse it.
How to Give a Power of Attorney in Turkey, Step by Step
To give a power of attorney in Turkey, you sign a notarised vekaletname before a Turkish notary, setting out exactly what your agent may do. Learning how to give a power of attorney in Turkey is mostly about preparing the right wording and the right identity documents before you attend. The steps below follow the usual order.
- Decide the scope. List every act your agent should be able to do, and name the agent with full identity details.
- Gather your identity documents, including a valid passport and, if you have them, your Turkish tax number and foreigner ID.
- Bring a passport-style photograph, which notaries require for a vekaletname given by a foreigner.
- Arrange a sworn translator if you do not speak Turkish, because the notary must be sure you understand the text.
- Attend the notary (noter), review the drafted text line by line, and sign so the notary can certify and register it.
- Collect certified copies, and if the document will be used abroad, ask the notary about an apostille or consular certification.
If you cannot travel to Turkey, you can still learn how to give a power of attorney in Turkey from your own country, which the next section explains.
Giving a Power of Attorney from Abroad
You can grant a power of attorney for use in Turkey without entering the country, in one of two ways. The first is at a Turkish consulate or embassy, where a Turkish consular officer issues the vekaletname directly in Turkish. The second is before a local notary in your own country, with an apostille and a certified Turkish translation added afterwards. Both are accepted. Which is easier depends on where you are.
| Point | Turkish consulate | Local notary plus apostille |
|---|---|---|
| Language of the document | Issued in Turkish | Local language, then translated |
| Extra steps | Usually none | Apostille, then sworn Turkish translation |
| Photograph | Often required | Follow the local notary rules |
| Best when | A Turkish mission is nearby | No convenient consulate |
In both cases, check that the wording matches what the Turkish office will need, because a document produced abroad cannot be quietly amended once you are home. A Turkish power of attorney that misses a required special authority may be refused at the counter, and a second attempt from abroad costs real time.
What a Power of Attorney for Property in Turkey Should Cover
A power of attorney for property in Turkey should spell out the exact transaction and the powers needed to complete it at the land registry. Because a sale or purchase legally requires an express special authority, a vague general document is often not enough. Property is where wording errors cause the most delay, so this section deserves particular care.
- Authority to buy or sell a specific or clearly described property.
- Authority to sign the title deed (tapu) transfer at Tapu Kadastro.
- Authority to agree the price and to receive or pay it on your behalf.
- Authority to apply for the compulsory property valuation report.
- Authority to arrange DASK earthquake insurance and utility subscriptions.
- Authority to represent you before the tax office for property-related taxes.
Whether one document should cover the purchase, the residence application that often follows, and the banking steps, or whether to keep them separate, depends on your plans. A lawyer can assess it in a short consultation. A power of attorney for property in Turkey drafted around your actual transaction avoids repeat notary visits and refused signatures.
Costs, Documents and How Long It Takes
A notarised power of attorney in Turkey is usually issued the same day, often within an hour or two once your papers are in order. As of the time this article is written, notary fees for a vekaletname are modest and depend on the length of the document and the number of certified copies, with sworn translation charged separately if you need it. Official fees change, so confirm the current amount at the notary.
To prepare a vekaletname, a foreigner generally needs:
- A valid passport, with a copy or translation if the notary asks for one.
- A Turkish tax number, which is straightforward to obtain.
- A foreigner ID or residence card, if you already hold one.
- A passport-style photograph for the document.
- The full identity details of the agent you are appointing.
- A sworn translator present if you do not speak Turkish.
Timing is rarely the problem inside Turkey. From abroad, allow extra time for the apostille and the translation, which can add several days or a few weeks depending on your country.
Common Mistakes When Granting a Power of Attorney in Turkey
Most problems with a vekaletname come from wording and scope, not from the notary process itself. A document that is signed quickly and never checked against the actual task is the usual cause of a wasted trip to the counter. These are the errors we see most often, with the fix for each.
- Making the power too broad. A general document that hands over sweeping authority is a real risk; limit it to what the task needs.
- Making it too narrow. A special power that omits a needed act, such as receiving the sale price, can stall the deal.
- Forgetting the express special authorities for property, litigation or divorce, which must be stated word for word.
- Using an old document after your plans change. Revoke and reissue rather than stretching a stale vekaletname.
- Preparing a document abroad without checking the Turkish requirements first, then finding it refused at the office.
In our practice at Karanfiloglu Law Firm, the most common reason a power of attorney has to be redone is a scope that does not match the task, either missing a specific authority the land registry insists on, or granting far more than the client meant to give. A short review of the wording before signing prevents almost all of it.
Summary
A power of attorney in Turkey lets a person you trust act for you before notaries, the land registry, banks, migration offices and courts, which is why it matters so much to foreigners handling matters from abroad. Decide between a general and a special vekaletname, list every act your agent needs, and sign before a Turkish notary or, from abroad, at a consulate or with an apostille. Keep the scope tight, match it to the exact task, and revoke it when it is no longer needed. Done carefully, a power of attorney in Turkey turns a process that seems to demand your constant presence into one a trusted representative can complete for you.
Talk to a Lawyer in Istanbul
If you would like advice on your own situation, Karanfiloglu Law Firm is a registered law office in Istanbul serving foreigners and Turkish clients across Turkey. You can reach us by phone or WhatsApp at +90 532 659 35 11, by email at [email protected], or visit us at Mecidiyeköy Mah. Büyükdere Cad. No:67-71, Alba İş Merkezi, Kat:8, Şişli, İstanbul. Contact us to discuss your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a power of attorney in Turkey?
A power of attorney in Turkey, or vekaletname, is a notarised document that lets someone you appoint act on your behalf before Turkish authorities, banks, courts and the land registry. The agent does not gain ownership of anything. They only carry out the specific acts the document lists, in your name, until the authority ends.
How do I give a power of attorney in Turkey from abroad?
You can give a power of attorney in Turkey from abroad in two ways. You can sign it at a Turkish consulate or embassy, where it is issued in Turkish, or before a local notary in your country, then add an apostille and a sworn Turkish translation. Both are accepted by Turkish offices.
What is the difference between a general and a special power of attorney?
A general power of attorney gives wide authority across many acts, while a special power of attorney is limited to one defined task, such as a single property sale. Certain acts, including selling real estate, filing some lawsuits, and agreeing a divorce, need an express special authority even inside a general document.
Do I need to be in Turkey to sign a power of attorney?
No, you do not need to be in Turkey to sign a power of attorney. You can attend a Turkish notary while in the country, or issue the document from abroad through a Turkish consulate or a local notary with an apostille and a certified Turkish translation. This is exactly why many foreigners use a vekaletname.
How much does a power of attorney in Turkey cost?
As of the time this article is written, notary fees for a power of attorney in Turkey are modest and depend on the length of the document and the number of certified copies, with sworn translation charged separately if you need one. Because official fees change, confirm the current amount at the notary before you sign.
Can I cancel a power of attorney in Turkey?
Yes, you can cancel a power of attorney in Turkey at any time by issuing a notarised revocation (azilname) through a notary, who can notify the agent. The authority also ends automatically on the death of the principal or the agent, or once the specific task the document covered is complete.
Do I need a lawyer to prepare a power of attorney for property in Turkey?
You are not required to use a lawyer, but a power of attorney for property in Turkey must contain the correct special authorities, or the land registry can refuse it. Many buyers ask a lawyer to draft the wording so the vekaletname matches the transaction and does not need to be reissued.
What documents does a foreigner need for a vekaletname?
A foreigner usually needs a valid passport, a Turkish tax number, a passport-style photograph, and the full identity details of the agent being appointed. If you do not speak Turkish, a sworn translator must be present at the notary so you understand the text you are signing.
About the Author
Kaan Karanfiloğlu is the founder of Karanfiloglu Law Firm, an Istanbul-based registered law office serving Turkish and international clients across Turkey. He is a lawyer registered with the Istanbul Bar Association (Reg. No. 58270) and the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (No. 133074), and has practised law in Turkey since 2017. He holds an LL.B. from Galatasaray University Faculty of Law (2016) and advises clients in Turkish, English and French; the firm also serves clients in Russian and Chinese with experienced in-office translators.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about Turkish law and is not legal advice. Laws, regulations, official fees and procedures change over time and every situation is different. For advice on your specific circumstances, please consult a qualified lawyer. No liability is accepted for any loss arising from reliance on the information in this article.
