Company Formation in Turkey for Foreign Investors (2026)

Yes, a foreign individual or foreign legal entity can generally own 100% of a Turkish company in ordinary, unregulated sectors. The Foreign Direct Investment Law applies an equal-treatment principle to international investors, so a Turkish shareholder is not normally required. Activities such as banking, insurance, energy or other regulated businesses can have separate licensing, capital or ownership conditions and should be reviewed before the structure is selected.

No, a Turkish partner is not normally required to establish an LLC or JSC in Turkey. A foreign investor can usually be the sole shareholder, and a foreign corporate parent can own the Turkish subsidiary directly. A local partner should be added only for a genuine commercial or regulatory reason, not simply to complete the registration. Regulated sectors and special licenses still need a separate ownership review.

The Trade Registry filing can move quickly once a complete and acceptable file is ready, but the total project has several separate clocks. Foreign document preparation, apostille or consular legalization, sworn translation, tax activation and bank KYC can take longer than registration itself. A realistic schedule should therefore separate the registry date from the date when the company is ready to bank, invoice, hire and meet its first compliance obligations.

A foreign individual typically needs a passport copy, a Turkish tax identification number, founder and manager information, and a formation power of attorney if the process will be handled by a representative. Documents issued abroad may require notarization, apostille or Turkish consular legalization, followed by sworn Turkish translation and notarization. Residence details, signature documents and additional evidence can be required depending on the person's role and the filing route.

A foreign corporate shareholder normally needs a current activity or good-standing certificate, a resolution approving the Turkish investment, evidence identifying the parent company's authorized signatories, and a corporate power of attorney where a representative will act. The documents usually require the correct apostille or consular legalization chain and Turkish translation. Banks can separately request an ownership chart, ultimate-beneficial-owner information, group activity and source-of-funds evidence.

The current statutory minimum capital is TRY 50,000 for a Turkish LLC and TRY 250,000 for a Turkish JSC. LLC capital may be paid within 24 months after registration. For a JSC, at least 25% of subscribed cash capital must be paid before registration and the balance within 24 months. Capital belongs to the company and should not be confused with registry charges or professional formation fees.

Yes, many foreign investors can complete the company registration process through a properly drafted power of attorney. The document can authorize tax-number, MERSIS, Trade Registry and selected post-registration procedures. Its authentication route depends on the country where it is issued, usually apostille or Turkish consular legalization. Remote registration does not mean every later step is remote, because a bank may still request in-person verification from the authorized signatory.

No. Company registration creates the legal entity but does not require a bank to approve its account. Each bank applies its own KYC, beneficial-ownership, source-of-funds and business-model review. Foreign-owned companies may need to provide corporate records, ownership charts, contracts, projected transactions and signatory information. Some banks may also request an in-person visit even where the company was registered remotely through a valid power of attorney.

No. Having a company in Turkey, owning shares or being appointed as a manager does not automatically authorize a foreign national to work in the country. If the shareholder or manager will actively perform duties in Turkey, a separate work-permit assessment is usually required. The application depends on the person's role, the employer's position and the current Ministry criteria. Formation, payroll and work-permit planning should be coordinated before the person begins working.