The three routes TKGM accepts for a power of attorney made outside Türkiye, and the form errors that get documents rejected.
The Turkish land registry accepts a power of attorney made abroad if it was drawn up at a Turkish consulate, or made by a foreign notary in the local language with your photo and an apostille (Hague Convention countries), or made by a foreign notary and then certified by the country's higher authority and the Turkish consulate there. The photo must be sealed, the pages sealed or bound, and the document must be submitted with its Turkish translation. Powers of attorney made at foreign consulates inside Türkiye are not accepted.
Many foreign buyers and sellers never travel to Türkiye for the land registry appointment. Instead they give a power of attorney (vekâletname) to a lawyer, relative or other trusted person. The land registry (tapu müdürlüğü) is strict about the form of documents made abroad, and a defect usually means rejection on the day. The rules below come from the land registry authority (TKGM) and its Circular 2015/5 on powers of attorney issued abroad, as summarised on TKGM's Your Key Türkiye portal and checked in October 2026.
The three routes TKGM accepts
A power of attorney made abroad can be used for a land registry transaction if it falls under one of these routes:
| Route | Where it is made | Extra certification |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Turkish consulate | At a Turkish embassy or consulate, drawn up by the consulate as a full notarial deed (düzenleme şeklinde) | None. It is a Turkish official document. |
| 2. Foreign notary + apostille | At a notary or other competent authority in a country that is party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, in that country's language, with your photo, suitable for property transactions | An apostille from that country's competent authority, physically or electronically linked to the document |
| 3. Foreign notary + legalisation | At a notary in any country (apostille country or not), under its own law and language, with your photo | Approval of the notary's signature by the higher authority (for example the Ministry of Justice or Foreign Affairs), then approval of that authority's signature and seal by the Turkish consulate in that country |
For a country that is not party to the Apostille Convention, TKGM stresses that all three certifications (notary, higher authority, Turkish consulate) must happen inside that country. Where Türkiye has no embassy or consulate, the approval of a Turkish mission in a neighbouring country authorised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is accepted. TKGM gives Yemen as the example, with the final step in Saudi Arabia. TKGM also notes that Yemen, Iran and Somalia have their own procedures, and that documents from the United States have regional particularities. You can check whether your country is party to the convention on the status table of the Hague Conference (HCCH).
Form rules that cause most rejections
- Photo. The power of attorney must contain your photo. It may be printed or attached, in colour, on any page, but it must be stamped with the issuing authority's seal (or embossed stamp, signature or stamp) so it cannot have been added later. A copy of your passport inside the document does not replace the photo.
- Seal on the pages. A notary uses a seal; an unofficial competent body uses a stamp. Each page should carry it, or at least the pages must be bound so they cannot be separated without damage, with the first and last pages sealed.
- Your signature. Your signature is required, but you do not have to sign every page.
- Language. It must be in the official language of the issuing country (or one of them). It may also be bilingual with Turkish.
- Drawn up, not just certified. TKGM requires a power of attorney "drawn up" (düzenleme şeklinde) by the authority, not a private text with only a certified signature. A document that does not say it was made in certified-signature form (onama şeklinde) can be accepted as drawn up.
- Apostille form. The apostille must follow the convention model: a square of at least 9 cm, titled "Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)" in French. If it is on a separate sheet, it must be joined to the document with the authority's seal over the join. A photocopied, generic apostille that does not identify the document is not accepted. If the notary and the apostille authority are the same office, the two signatures must be from different people.
- E-apostille. Electronic apostilles are accepted if the land registry can open the link or QR code and match the apostille to the document.
Turkish translation
TKGM's FAQ says a power of attorney made abroad is submitted as the original or a certified copy together with its translation. TKGM's pages do not specify who must make the translation or whether it must be notarised in Türkiye. Ask the land registry office handling the transaction which form it accepts before the appointment. A consular power of attorney (route 1) is normally already in Turkish.
What the power of attorney should cover
TKGM says a power of attorney can be used if it contains authority for the specific transaction requested. The exact wording is a legal question for your lawyer. Points to raise with them for a purchase include whether the property should be named (province, district, parcel or unit) and whether the document should cover:
- buying the property and signing the official deed at any land registry office;
- paying the price, dealing with the bank's foreign-currency certificate (DAB) and paying fees;
- obtaining an identity number or tax number, earthquake insurance and municipal value certificates;
- for citizenship purchases, signing the three-year no-sale commitment and dealing with the amount determination certificate.
The wider the authority, the more the representative can do without you, including things you did not intend. Limit it to what is needed and set an end date if you can.
Turkish citizens abroad
Turkish citizens can give a power of attorney at a Turkish consulate on the basis of their Turkish ID. TKGM also accepts powers of attorney made at foreign notaries if they are based on a Turkish ID card or a passport issued by Türkiye, but not on a driving licence, a professional ID, a temporary protection document or another country's passport.
Alternatives to a power of attorney
TKGM's representation at the Turkish Consulate General in Berlin can carry out land registry transactions for property in Türkiye without the owner travelling. For the overall purchase sequence, see buying property in Türkiye as a foreigner; for interpreting if you come in person, see sworn translator at the title deed office. More document guides are in our documents section.
How we can help
Turkey Property Desk helps foreign buyers with exactly these steps: we check which documents you need, arrange sworn translations and notarisation, book the land registry appointment, interpret at the signing and follow residence or citizenship applications. Write to us on WhatsApp in your language. For legal checks on a specific property, please use a lawyer and the land registry.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy property in Türkiye without travelling there?
Yes. You can give a power of attorney that meets TKGM's rules to a representative in Türkiye, or use TKGM's representation at the Turkish Consulate General in Berlin.
Is an apostille enough for a power of attorney used in Türkiye?
For countries party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, a power of attorney drawn up by a local notary in the local language, with your sealed photo and a correctly attached apostille, is accepted.
My country is not in the Apostille Convention. What do I do?
Have the notary's signature approved by the competent higher authority and then by the Turkish consulate in that country, all inside the country. Or make the power of attorney at the Turkish consulate.
Does the power of attorney need a photo?
Yes. TKGM requires the principal's photo, sealed or stamped by the issuing authority. A passport copy inside the document does not replace it.
Can I use a power of attorney made at my embassy in Istanbul?
No. TKGM says foreign consulates in Türkiye have no notarial authority over property in Türkiye, so such powers of attorney are not accepted.
Are e-apostilles accepted?
Yes, if the land registry can verify the link between the electronic apostille and the document through the QR code or website shown on it.
Does the power of attorney need a Turkish translation?
Yes. TKGM says it is submitted with its translation. Ask the land registry office what certification it expects for the translation.
This page is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice. Rules and fees change; confirm each step with the land registry (Tapu), a lawyer and a licensed real-estate agent before you sign or pay.