Short answer
You can give a power of attorney for Turkey at a Turkish consulate, which drafts it in Turkish, or before a notary in your country with an apostille, followed by a sworn Turkish translation. For property it must be drafted by the notary and carry your photo; for lawsuits, special powers must be written in expressly.
In this article
A power of attorney for Turkey (vekaletname) lets someone in Türkiye (Turkey) act for you while you stay at home: selling or buying property, handling an inheritance, representing you in court or dealing with a car or a tax office. Turkish offices are strict about form, so a document that is perfectly valid in your country can still be rejected at a Turkish land registry or court.
This guide compares the two ways to give one from abroad, explains what it should say and how to revoke it. For related topics, see the citizenship and immigration law overview.
What makes a power of attorney valid in Turkey?
Turkish notarial law distinguishes a document drafted by the notary (düzenleme şeklinde) from a mere certification of your signature (onaylama). Powers of attorney for transactions that must be registered in the land registry must be drafted by the notary (Notaries Law, Art. 89), and the land registry also requires your photograph on the document.
For court cases, a lawyer can act on a general litigation power, but certain steps need express authority: settling, applying to mediation or arbitration, waiving or accepting a claim, appointing another lawyer or ending a seizure (Code of Civil Procedure, Art. 74). If these words are missing, your lawyer's hands may be tied at a decisive moment.
How does a power of attorney at a Turkish consulate work?
Turkish embassies and consulates provide notarial services by appointment through konsolosluk.gov.tr. Foreign nationals can use them too: the document is prepared with a sworn interpreter, whom you usually arrange in advance. The consulate drafts it in Turkish, so it needs no apostille or translation in Türkiye. For property matters, this is generally the safest route. Consulates typically ask for your identity document, photographs, the full details of the person you appoint (for a lawyer, the bar membership details) and documents on the subject matter, such as the title deed (example: Turkish Consulate General in Lyon).
How do you use a local notary and an apostille?
Türkiye has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 29.09.1985, as have the UK, the USA and all EU states (HCCH status table). A notary in your country prepares the power of attorney, the competent authority adds the apostille, and in Türkiye a sworn translator translates it and a Turkish notary certifies the translation. If your country is not a party, the document is legalised by your authorities and then by the Turkish consulate.
| Turkish consulate | Local notary + apostille | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Turkish, with a sworn interpreter | Your country's language, bilingual versions accepted |
| Extra steps in Türkiye | None | Sworn translation and notarial certification |
| Property transactions | Accepted if drafted with photo | Accepted if drafted, with a sealed photo and seals on all pages |
| Points to watch | Appointment availability | Apostille must be linked to the document; photo required |
What should the power of attorney include?
- Identification: your full name exactly as in your passport, passport number and any Turkish foreign identity or tax number; the attorney's Turkish identity number (or passport details) and date of birth.
- Property: the title deed details and the specific acts: sell, buy, mortgage, receive the price, sign at the land registry, pay fees.
- Inheritance: applying for a certificate of inheritance (mirasçılık belgesi), filing the inheritance tax return and registering the property in the heirs' names.
- Litigation: the case or matter and the special powers under Article 74, such as mediation and settlement, plus authority to receive money if the lawyer is to collect it for you.
- Substitution and duration: whether the attorney may appoint someone else, and an end date if you want one.
Getting a power of attorney from abroad
Decide the purpose
Ask your lawyer or the person in Türkiye for draft wording that the relevant office accepts.
Choose the route
Book a consulate appointment, or a local notary who can draft the document and attach your photo.
Sign in person
Bring your passport and photos; at a consulate, bring a sworn interpreter if you do not speak Turkish.
Apostille or legalisation
For a local notary's document, obtain the apostille, or legalisation if your country is not a party.
Send the original
Courier the original to Türkiye; offices generally work with the original or a certified copy, not a scan.
Translate and certify
In Türkiye, a sworn translator translates a foreign-language document and a Turkish notary certifies the translation.
How do you revoke a power of attorney?
You can end a power of attorney at any time, although revoking it at an inappropriate moment can make you liable for the other party's loss (Turkish Code of Obligations, Art. 512). It also ends on the death or loss of capacity of either party (Art. 513). Revoke it formally through a notary or consulate and inform the attorney and any office that holds a copy.
For your specific situation, individual legal advice is recommended.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a power of attorney for Turkey from the UK or the USA?
You have two options. Book an appointment at a Turkish consulate, where the document is drafted in Turkish with a sworn interpreter, or use a local notary and then obtain an apostille, since the UK, the USA and Türkiye are all parties to the Apostille Convention. The notarised version must then be translated into Turkish in Türkiye.
Does a power of attorney for Turkey need an apostille?
Only if a foreign notary prepares it. A document drafted at a Turkish consulate is already a Turkish notarial act and needs no apostille. A document from a notary in a Hague Convention country needs an apostille; a document from a non-member country needs legalisation by that country's authorities and the Turkish consulate.
Can my embassy in Turkey prepare a power of attorney for use in Turkey?
Not for property. The Turkish land registry does not accept powers of attorney issued by foreign consulates located in Türkiye for real estate transactions. For property, use a Turkish notary while you are in Türkiye, a Turkish consulate abroad, or a notary in your home country with an apostille.
Does the power of attorney need to be translated into Turkish?
Yes, if it is not in Turkish. A sworn translator in Türkiye translates it and a Turkish notary certifies the translation, and the land registry asks for the original or a certified copy together with the translation. A power of attorney drafted at a Turkish consulate is already in Turkish, so no translation is needed.
Can I appoint a lawyer in Turkey without travelling there?
Yes. You can sign a litigation power of attorney for a named lawyer at a Turkish consulate or before a local notary with an apostille. Include the lawyer's bar details and the special powers listed in Article 74 of the Code of Civil Procedure, such as settlement and mediation, so that the lawyer can act fully, and add authority to receive money if needed.
Sources
- Legislation Notaries Law No. 1512 (Noterlik Kanunu), Art. 80 and 89
- Official source TKGM, guide on powers of attorney issued abroad (archived copy)
- Legislation Code of Civil Procedure No. 6100, Art. 74
- Legislation Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098, Art. 512–513
- Official source HCCH, Apostille Convention status table
- Official source Turkish Consulate General in Lyon, notarial services information note