Work Permit and Company Formation Lawyer in Turkey

If you plan to open a company in Turkey, run it yourself, or hire foreign staff, you are dealing with two legal processes at once: company formation and the work permit. As a work permit and company formation lawyer in Istanbul, we choose the structure with you, prepare the documents, register the company and file the Ministry application.

When Do You Need a Work Permit and Company Formation Lawyer in Turkey?

Owning shares in a Turkish company does not by itself require a work permit, but actually working in it, as a rule, does. The matters that reach our office usually look like one of these:

• An investor setting up from abroad: an individual or foreign company forming a Turkish company by power of attorney, without travelling.
• A shareholder who will manage the company: a foreign founder who needs a work permit to run the new company.
• An employer hiring a foreign national: a Turkish or foreign-owned company recruiting an engineer, manager or specialist.
• A foreign parent company: a group weighing a branch or a liaison office instead of a subsidiary.
• A refused application: a rejected work permit with the objection deadline already running.

If you only want to live in Turkey without working, see our Turkish residence permit lawyer service. Contracts and shareholder disputes after incorporation belong to our commercial law service.

Which Company Types Can Foreigners Set Up in Turkey?

Foreigners can set up every company type that Turkish nationals can. The Foreign Direct Investment Law No. 4875 gives foreign investors national treatment, so, as a rule, no separate investment approval is needed before you incorporate. The choice usually turns on the number of shareholders, the capital and your group structure.

We compare the two main options for foreign groups in branch vs subsidiary in Turkey. For the most common structure, see our guide to setting up a limited liability company in Turkey.

Company Formation in Turkey for Foreigners, Step by Step

Company formation in Turkey for foreigners is quick at the trade registry once the papers are ready; most of the waiting happens abroad. As a rule, the steps run in this order:

1. Decide the structure and capital: company type, shareholdings, management, activities and capital. Minimum capital is set under the Turkish Commercial Code and was raised by Presidential decision with effect from 1 January 2024, so we confirm the current figure before filing.
2. Obtain potential tax numbers: each foreign shareholder and manager, including a corporate shareholder, gets one from a Turkish tax office.
3. Prepare the foreign documents: passports are translated by a sworn translator and notarised. If the shareholder is a company, its certificate of good standing and board resolution need an apostille (or consular legalisation) and a sworn translation.
4. File on MERSIS: the application and the articles of association are prepared on MERSIS, the Central Registry Recording System.
5. Pay in capital: for a joint-stock company, the portion of cash capital required by law is, as a rule, deposited into a blocked bank account in the company's name before registration. In a limited company the capital can, as a rule, be paid within a period after registration that the law allows.
6. Sign and register: the articles are signed at the trade registry or before a notary and signature declarations are given. In Istanbul, registration is made at the Trade Registry Directorate within the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and published in the Turkish Trade Registry Gazette.
7. Tax office, books and bank: the registry notifies the tax office, which inspects the address. Statutory books, a registered e-mail (KEP) address, the bank account and, once staff are hired, the social security (SGK) workplace registration follow.

Companies with foreign capital also report to the Ministry of Industry and Technology after incorporation, as a rule online. For the full walkthrough, read our step-by-step guide to company formation in Turkey and our article on getting a Turkish tax number as a foreigner.

How Does a Work Permit in Turkey Work?

A work permit in Turkey is issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security under the International Labour Force Law No. 6735. The application is made online through the e-Izin system and, as a rule, it is the employer that files it. If you will work in your own company, the company is your employer.

Applying from abroad or from inside Turkey

From abroad, you apply at the Turkish embassy or consulate, and the employer then uploads the supporting documents on e-Izin within a short period. If you are already in Turkey, the application can be made from inside the country. That route, as a rule, requires a valid residence permit issued for a period of at least six months. A tourist visa or visa exemption is not enough.

What the Ministry looks at

The Ministry applies its own evaluation criteria, including the ratio of Turkish employees to foreign employees at the workplace, the company's paid-in capital or its sales and export figures, a salary that fits the role, and the applicant's qualifications. Foreign shareholders applying for themselves may face additional criteria linked to their shareholding. The criteria change from time to time, so we check the company against the current version before filing.

As a rule, the Ministry decides a complete application within thirty days; if it asks for missing documents, the file waits until they arrive. Once granted, the employee is registered with SGK. Under the Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458, a valid work permit counts as a residence permit, so you do not need a separate one.

Permit types, the Turquoise Card and exemptions

A first work permit is, as a rule, issued for a fixed period and tied to one employer. Extensions must be filed before the permit expires. Qualified professionals working for themselves can apply for an independent work permit, and people with a qualifying period of lawful work can apply for an indefinite permit. The Turquoise Card is a separate route for highly qualified people and investors, and becomes indefinite after a transition period. Some foreigners are exempt from the work permit requirement, and the exemption is, as a rule, confirmed by a document from the Ministry. See work permit exemption in Turkey for who qualifies.

Which route fits you depends on the company's structure and capital, how many Turkish staff it employs and where you are when you apply; a lawyer can assess that in a short consultation. The full application process is in our guide on how to get a work permit in Turkey, and the employer side in applying for a Turkish work permit as an employer.

Which Documents Will You Need?

The list depends on the file; these are requested most often.

For company formation

• Sworn, notarised translations of the passports of foreign shareholders and managers
• Potential tax numbers
• For a corporate shareholder: certificate of good standing, board resolution and proof of signing authority, apostilled and translated
• A power of attorney, apostilled or issued at a Turkish consulate, if the company is formed on your behalf
• A lease or title deed for the registered office

For the work permit

• A passport with sufficient remaining validity and a biometric photo
• A signed employment contract or job offer
• Diplomas and certificates; for some professions, such as health and education, prior approval from the relevant authority
• The employer's trade registry gazette, activity certificate, recent financial statements and SGK staff records

How Long Do Company Formation and the Work Permit Take?

Planned together, most files are completed within a few months. Stage by stage:

• Foreign documents: apostille and translation usually take one to several weeks, depending on the country.
• Potential tax numbers: usually a few days once the papers are ready.
• Trade registry: in most files, a few days to two weeks after the MERSIS filing.
• Bank account: one to several weeks, as banks run extra checks on foreign-owned companies.
• Work permit: as a rule thirty days after a complete application, often longer in practice when the Ministry asks for more documents.

These are general estimates as of October 2026. In our practice at Karanfiloglu Law Firm, most delays come not from official deadlines but from names spelled differently across foreign documents and from a missing apostille.

What We Do as Your Work Permit and Company Formation Lawyer

Karanfiloglu Law Firm runs incorporation and the work permit as one plan:

• Assessment: structure, capital and the work permit criteria reviewed together.
• Document plan: a written list of what must come from abroad, with apostille and translation rules.
• Drafting: articles of association, a shareholders' agreement where needed, and the founding resolutions.
• Filing: MERSIS, trade registry, tax office and e-Izin applications.
• Follow-up and objections: answering document requests and, after a refusal, the objection and any administrative court case.
• After incorporation: tracking extension dates, SGK filings and foreign capital reporting.

If you live abroad, most of the process runs on a power of attorney, signed at a Turkish consulate or before a local notary with an apostille. Banks, however, often want the authorised signatory present to open the account. Av. Kaan Karanfiloğlu works in English, French and Turkish, and Russian- and Chinese-speaking clients are served through native-speaking advisors at the office.

Common Mistakes Foreign Founders and Employers Make

These hold files up for weeks.

• Assuming the company gives you the right to work: a shareholding or directorship is not a work permit. Apply for the permit separately.
• Setting capital for incorporation only: the legal minimum may not meet the Ministry's capital or turnover expectations. Decide capital with both in mind.
• Applying from inside Turkey on a tourist visa: an in-country application, as a rule, needs a valid residence permit. Without one, apply through the consulate.
• Inconsistent name spellings: documents that do not match the passport are sent back. Have every translation follow the passport.
• Leaving the extension to the last day: working on an expired permit can lead to administrative fines for both employer and employee. File the extension well before expiry.

If you have already received a refusal, the objection window is short; our article on appealing a Turkish work permit rejection covers that stage. You can reach us through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a foreigner own 100% of a company in Turkey?

Yes, a foreign individual or a foreign company can own all the shares of a limited or joint-stock company in Turkey. A Turkish partner is, as a rule, not required, although some regulated sectors have their own licensing conditions.

Do I have to travel to Turkey to set up a company?

As a rule, no: the company can be formed from abroad through a properly prepared power of attorney. Banks often ask the authorised signatory to attend in person to open the account, so one short trip may still be needed.

Does owning a Turkish company give me a residence permit?

Owning shares does not by itself give you a right to live in Turkey. If you meet the conditions, a short-term residence permit for business connections or setting up a business can be considered; if you will work in the company, the work permit itself serves as your residence permit.

Who applies for a work permit in Turkey, the employer or the employee?

The employer, as a rule, files the work permit application on the e-Izin system. An applicant abroad first applies at the Turkish consulate; an applicant already in Turkey on a valid residence permit can apply from inside the country.

What happens if my Turkish work permit is refused?

You can, as a rule, object to the Ministry within thirty days of being notified of the refusal. If the objection is rejected, an annulment case can be brought before the administrative court. The objection has to answer the specific reason given for the refusal.

Can I change employers on a Turkish work permit?

A fixed-term work permit is, as a rule, tied to one employer and workplace. If you move to a new employer, that employer must file a new application for you; the existing permit does not transfer automatically.

How long does company formation in Turkey for foreigners take?

With documents in order, company formation in Turkey for foreigners usually takes a few weeks, and the work permit, as a rule, about thirty days after a complete application. Foreign paperwork, bank checks and requests for more documents can extend the total.

What is the minimum capital for a company in Turkey?

Minimum capital for limited and joint-stock companies is set under the Turkish Commercial Code and was raised by Presidential decision with effect from 1 January 2024. Because the amounts can change and the work permit criteria may expect more capital than the legal minimum, the current figure should be checked before you incorporate.