Buying Property in Turkey Remotely with a Power of Attorney (2026)

Buying Property in Turkey Remotely with a Power of Attorney (2026)

Last updated: October 2026

Short answer: Yes. A foreigner can buy property in Turkey without travelling by giving a power of attorney (vekaletname) to a lawyer or trusted person in Turkey, who signs at the Land Registry (TKGM) on your behalf. The power of attorney can be issued at a Turkish consulate abroad, or by a local notary abroad with an apostille and a sworn Turkish translation. It must carry your photograph and name the exact powers, such as buying real estate, paying the price and signing the title deed.

Most of our foreign buyers visit Istanbul at least once to see the property. But the paperwork after that, from the tax number to the title deed, can be done from abroad. The quality of the power of attorney decides whether it goes smoothly.

Two ways to issue the power of attorney

1. At a Turkish consulate or embassy abroad (recommended)

The consulate drafts the power of attorney in Turkish, so no translation is needed, and it is valid in Turkey without an apostille. Book an appointment, bring your passport and recent passport photos, and the details of the person you are appointing (name and Turkish ID or passport number). It is the route least likely to be questioned at the Land Registry.

2. At a local notary abroad

If you cannot reach a consulate, a local notary can be used, with extra steps:

1. The notary must draw up the power of attorney as a full notarial deed. A simple signature certification is usually not accepted at the Land Registry.
2. Your photograph is attached and sealed or signed over by the notary.
3. The document gets an apostille from the competent authority of the country where it was issued (consulates do not issue apostilles). If that country is not party to the Hague Apostille Convention, consular legalisation is needed instead.
4. In Turkey, the original is translated by a sworn translator and the translation is certified by a Turkish notary.

Send the original by courier. Scans and photocopies are generally not accepted.

What the power of attorney must include

A general power of attorney is not enough for property. The Land Registry checks that the powers are written out explicitly. For a purchase, the text should cover:

• Your full identity: name, nationality, passport number, date and place of birth, and your photograph.
• The agent's full identity.
• Authority to buy real estate in Turkey in your name, ideally with the property identified by province, district, block (ada) and parcel (parsel) once known.
• Authority to sign the title deed, pay the price, taxes and fees, and obtain the valuation report and compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK).
• Authority to obtain a tax number and, if needed, open a bank account and handle the foreign currency purchase certificate (DAB).
• For citizenship: authority to apply for the 3-year no-sale annotation and to represent you before the Presidency of Migration Management and the Directorate General of Population and Citizenship Affairs.
• If you may sell later through the same agent, the authority to sell and to receive the sale price must be stated separately.

A missing power is the most common reason for a rejected appointment. Ask your lawyer for the draft text before you go to the consulate or notary.

What the lawyer handles in Turkey

1. Obtains your Turkish tax number and, where the bank allows it, opens your account. See tax number and bank account for foreigners.
2. Checks the title deed for mortgages, liens and annotations, and checks the iskan (occupancy permit) and zoning status.
3. Orders the valuation report from a licensed valuation firm.
4. Receives your transfer and converts the currency at the bank, with a DAB for citizenship. See how to send money to Turkey.
5. Books the Land Registry appointment, pays the title deed fee and signs the transfer.
6. Sends you the new title deed (tapu) and arranges utility subscriptions.

Citizenship applications with a power of attorney

The citizenship file, including the residence permit application required as part of the process, can be prepared and submitted by a lawyer under a power of attorney that names these powers. The investment conditions are the same as for any buyer: USD 400,000 in valuation, deed price and bank payments, payment through a Turkish bank with a DAB, and the 3-year no-sale annotation. Biometric data and photographs are required at certain steps, and practice on in-person attendance can vary, so plan for at least one short visit or a consulate appointment. After approval, the Turkish ID card and passport can be applied for at a Turkish consulate. The Turkish citizenship guide explains the process.

Risks and safeguards

A power of attorney for property is a strong document. These safeguards reduce the risk:

• Choose the agent carefully. Prefer a licensed lawyer registered with a Turkish bar association, not a sales agent or the seller's representative.
• Limit the scope. Give authority to buy, not to sell or mortgage, unless you need it. Name the specific property where possible.
• Limit the time. Add an expiry date. Without one, a power of attorney stays valid until it is revoked.
• Pay only from your own account. Money goes from your account abroad to your own Turkish account, then directly to the seller. Never send the purchase price to the agent's personal account.
• Ask for documents at every step: the valuation report, bank receipts and the signed deed.
• Check the result. Ask for a copy of the new tapu and the land registry record (tapu kaydı) showing the property in your name.
• Revoke it after completion. Revocation (azilname) is done at a notary or consulate and should be notified to the agent and, where relevant, the Land Registry.

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy property in Turkey without visiting?

Yes. A lawyer or trusted person can complete the purchase with a power of attorney issued at a Turkish consulate or by a notary abroad with an apostille. Most buyers still visit once to see the property.

Is a power of attorney from a foreign notary valid in Turkey?

Yes, if it is a full notarial deed with your photograph, carries an apostille (or consular legalisation), and is translated by a sworn translator with the translation certified by a Turkish notary.

Does the power of attorney need a photo?

Yes. For title deed transactions, the principal's photograph must be on the power of attorney.

Can I get Turkish citizenship through a lawyer with a power of attorney?

Yes, the lawyer can prepare and submit the file if the power of attorney includes citizenship and residence permit procedures. Some steps require biometric data, so plan for limited personal attendance.

How do I cancel a power of attorney in Turkey?

Issue a revocation (azilname) at a Turkish notary or a Turkish consulate abroad and have it notified to the agent.

Sources: Notary Law No. 1512; Land Registry Law No. 2644; Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (1961); Turkish Citizenship Law No. 5901 and its Implementing Regulation; Land Registry (TKGM); Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular services. This is general information and rules change; confirm the current requirements with a licensed lawyer, the consulate and the Land Registry before you issue a power of attorney.

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