Power of Attorney in Turkey for Foreigners

A power of attorney (in Turkish, vekâletname) lets someone you trust act for you — sign a sale, handle a court file, collect a document — without you being in the room. For foreigners, the hard part is rarely the idea. It's getting a version that Turkish offices will actually accept.

The three ways to issue one

• At a Turkish notary, in Turkey. If you are here, you can sign before a notary with your valid passport. The document is prepared in Turkish, and a sworn translator can help if you don't speak the language.
• At a Turkish consulate or embassy abroad. The consulate acts as the notary. A power of attorney issued this way is generally treated as already notarized for use in Turkey, so it usually doesn't need an apostille or extra certification. Booking is often slower, but it tends to cause fewer rejections.
• Before a local notary abroad, plus an apostille. You sign in front of a notary in your own country, and the document carries an apostille (if your country is a Hague Convention member). For use in Turkey it also needs a sworn Turkish translation, notarized by a Turkish notary.

At a glance

Why powers of attorney get rejected

• It's too general. A broad "do anything for me" document is often refused for specific acts such as selling property or handling a divorce. The authority for the exact act usually has to be written on the document itself.
• Names don't match. The name must match your passport, and if it differs from the name on a title deed or court file, bring the paperwork that explains the change. A mismatch can stop a transaction on the spot.
• No Turkish version. A foreign-language power of attorney generally has to be translated into Turkish by a sworn translator in Turkey before it can be used.
• Too broad on purpose. Giving someone more authority than the task needs is a risk to you. A narrow, specific power of attorney is safer and usually accepted more easily.

What we can and can't do

We are a translation and notary-services office, not a law firm, so we don't draft legal strategy. What we do handle is the practical chain: arranging the notary appointment in Istanbul, the sworn translation, and — for documents signed abroad — the translation, Turkish notarization and apostille steps, including through our remote E-Apostille service.

For anything high-stakes, such as a property sale, ask your lawyer for the exact Turkish wording before you sign. The receiving office (land registry, court, bank) has the final say on what it accepts, so confirm their requirements first.