Can You Buy Property in Turkey Without Being Physically Present?
Yes, it is possible to purchase property in Turkey without being physically present in the country, through a legally executed power of attorney (vekaletname). This is a routine path for foreign buyers living abroad, but it must follow a specific legal procedure to be valid and enforceable at the Turkish Land Registry.
Legal Basis for Foreign Buyers
The right of foreign nationals to acquire real estate in Turkey is governed by Article 35 of the Land Registry Law No. 2644 (Tapu Kanunu), as amended by Law No. 6302 of 18 May 2012.[1] Under this article, citizens of countries designated by the President of the Republic may acquire immovable property in Turkey, subject to two nationwide limits: the total area a foreign individual acquires may not exceed 30 hectares nationwide, and it may not exceed 10% of the total area of private land available for private ownership within a given district.[1] Property located within designated military or security zones is excluded from foreign acquisition regardless of nationality.[1] A buyer who cannot travel does not need an exception to these rules; they still apply in full, and the only additional requirement is that someone else must be legally authorized to sign on the buyer’s behalf.
For more detailed information on these ownership limits, see our guide: Is there a minimum or maximum amount of property a foreigner can buy in Turkey?
Granting Power of Attorney From Abroad
Turkish law requires that a power of attorney authorizing another person to complete a real estate transaction be issued before a notary (noter).[2] Notarization is governed by the Notary Law No. 1512 of 18 January 1972, published in the Official Gazette of 5 February 1972, No. 14090.[2] A document drafted privately, without a notary present, has no legal standing and will not be accepted by the Land Registry Directorate (Tapu ve Kadastro Genel Müdürlüğü, TKGM) or any other Turkish official body.[2] The notary is responsible for verifying the identity of the person granting the power of attorney, confirming their address, and establishing that they understand and freely consent to the scope of authority being granted.[2] There are two routes available to someone who is not in Turkey.
For more detailed information, see our guide: What is a power of attorney (vekaletname) and do I need one to buy property remotely?
Option 1: Through a Turkish Consulate
Granting power of attorney at a Turkish embassy or consulate in the buyer’s country of residence is generally the most direct route. A power of attorney issued this way is valid in Turkey immediately, without any further certification step, because consulates act as an extension of the Turkish state.[3] The process requires an appointment, which can be booked through the Consular Affairs system of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[3] The applicant must appear in person, present a valid national ID card or passport in original and photocopy, and provide the full identifying details of the person being appointed as representative, including their name, Turkish identification number, and address, along with a clear description of the transactions the representative is authorized to carry out. Applicants who do not speak Turkish must be accompanied by a certified interpreter during the appointment.[3] The consulate retains a copy and issues one or more original copies to the applicant and the representative.
Option 2: Through a Local Notary in Your Country of Residence
The second route is to use the notary system of the country where the buyer currently lives. This can be more convenient logistically, since it does not require a consulate appointment, and can in some cases be completed online. Several companies now offer this as a remote service; one example is OneNotary, which lets a document be notarized over a live video session without visiting a notary’s office in person — you can see a short video of how the process works.
Services of this kind can shorten the process considerably, but a document notarized outside Turkey is not automatically usable at the Turkish Land Registry — it only becomes valid once it has been apostilled and translated, as described in the next two sections. Before using any online or local notary service, a buyer should confirm three things directly with a Turkish notary, lawyer, or the receiving Land Registry Directorate:
– That the issuing notary’s jurisdiction is eligible to have its documents apostilled under the Hague Convention.
– That the power of attorney clearly and specifically describes the representative’s identity and the scope of the transaction — a vague or generic authorization is commonly rejected.
– That the finished document can in fact carry an apostille stamp before it is relied upon for a purchase.
For more detailed information, see our guide: What is the role of a notary in a Turkish property purchase?
Apostille Certification
A power of attorney executed outside Turkey must carry an apostille before it can be used at the Land Registry.[4] The apostille system was established by the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents.[4] Turkey has been a party to this convention since 16 September 1984.[4] An apostille is issued by the competent authority in the country where the document was created — for example, the Secretary of State’s office at the state level in the United States, or the relevant ministry of foreign affairs or justice in most other signatory countries — and it certifies the authenticity of the notary’s signature and seal so the document can be recognized abroad without further legalization.[4] A power of attorney granted directly at a Turkish consulate does not need an apostille, since it is already issued as a Turkish document.[3] A certified copy of a foreign-notarized power of attorney can also be re-issued through any notary in Turkey once the original has been apostilled, using the Union of Turkish Notaries’ information system.[5]
Certified Translation Requirements
If the power of attorney or any supporting document is not in Turkish, a certified translation (yeminli tercüme) by a sworn translator is required before it can be submitted to Turkish authorities.[5] This applies to the text of the power of attorney itself, identity documents, and any property-related paperwork that supports the transaction. A translation certified by a notary in Turkey is what Turkish institutions, including the Land Registry Directorate, will accept.
For more detailed information, see our guide: Do I need a sworn translator for property documents in Turkey?
Completing the Purchase Through Your Representative
Once a valid, apostilled, and translated power of attorney is in place, the representative can carry out the purchase on the buyer’s behalf. The property first goes through a valuation by a licensed appraiser (eksper raporu), and the resulting report is submitted to and approved by the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM).[1] If the purchase is being paid for in foreign currency, a Foreign Currency Purchase Certificate (Döviz Alım Belgesi, DAB) must be obtained through the paying bank, documenting that the funds were sold to Turkish lira through the banking system.[1] The transfer of ownership itself takes place at the Land Registry Directorate where the property is located, through an official deed (resmi senet); a private “promise of sale” agreement (Gayrimenkul Satış Vaadi Sözleşmesi) signed before a notary does not by itself transfer ownership and only becomes binding on title once the official deed is registered at the Land Registry.[1]
For more detailed information, see our guides: What is a title deed (tapu) and why does it matter when buying property in Turkey? and What is a preliminary sales contract (satis vaadi sozlesmesi) in Turkey?
A Practical Example: Granting Power of Attorney From the United States
The specific notary procedure a buyer follows depends on the laws of their country of residence, and notarization in the United States illustrates one common case. Notarization there is regulated at the state level, so the exact steps vary by state.[4] Because the United States is also a party to the 1961 Hague Convention, a document notarized there can be apostilled and used in Turkey.[4] In practice, this generally means the buyer has the power of attorney notarized by a notary public licensed in their state, the document is then apostilled through that state’s Secretary of State office, it is translated into Turkish by a sworn translator, and it is finally submitted to the relevant Land Registry Directorate in Turkey together with the rest of the purchase documentation.
Risks and Safeguards to Know Before You Sign
A power of attorney is a significant grant of authority, and Turkish institutions treat its verification seriously: municipalities and Land Registry offices check the authenticity of powers of attorney presented to them, and using a forged document carries criminal liability under Turkish law.[1] The person granting a power of attorney can revoke it at any time by executing a revocation document (azilname) before a notary; the cancellation must be formally recorded to take effect.[2] Buyers should also be aware that title transfer taxes are payable by both the buyer and the seller, that annual property tax obligations apply once ownership is registered, and that foreign currency transactions used in the purchase are subject to standard central bank reporting and control procedures.[1] None of this is a reason to avoid a remote purchase; it is a reason to use a licensed notary, a certified translator, and — for the purchase transaction itself — a Turkish lawyer who can confirm the power of attorney’s wording matches what the transaction actually requires before it is signed. Domianatolia does not provide legal or investment advice, and the information above should be confirmed with a licensed Turkish lawyer or notary before acting on it.
For more detailed information, see our guides: What taxes do I pay when buying property in Turkey?, What is the annual property tax rate in Turkey?, and Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Turkey?
Related Questions:
– What documents do you need to buy property in Turkey as a foreigner?
– How does the Foreign Currency Purchase Certificate (DAB) work when buying property in Turkey?
– Does a real estate promise-of-sale agreement (Gayrimenkul Satış Vaadi Sözleşmesi) transfer ownership in Turkey?
– How do you cancel a power of attorney (azilname) after a property purchase in Turkey?
References:
[1] General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM). “Land Registry Law No. 2644, Article 35.” https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/
[2] Republic of Turkey. “Notary Law No. 1512 (18 January 1972), Official Gazette No. 14090.” Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi. https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/
[3] Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Consular Affairs — Notary Services.” https://www.konsolosluk.gov.tr/
[4] HCCH (Hague Conference on Private International Law). “Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents — Status Table.” https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41
[5] Union of Turkish Notaries (Türkiye Noterler Birliği). https://portal.tnb.org.tr/
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Property law and tax rules in Turkey change frequently. Consult a licensed Turkish lawyer, accountant, or real estate professional before making any purchasing decision.