Foreign corporate shareholder in Turkey: documents and power of attorney
For a foreign corporate shareholder, Invest in Türkiye lists a certificate of current status and signatories issued by the competent authority in the shareholder's country, a decision authorising establishment, and a notarised copy of the power of attorney if a representative acts. Necessary registration documents executed abroad require selection of the notarisation and apostille or Turkish-consular attestation route, followed by translation and notarisation in Turkey. The bank separately needs registration data, business activity, representative details and information on ultimate control. The matrix below distinguishes listed documents from recommended checks: who authorised establishment, who signed, which documents establish the representative's authority, and whether names match across translations.
Who this guide helps
- A foreign group or holding planning to become a shareholder of a Turkish company and assembling its corporate documents.
- A representative who will sign documents on the shareholder's behalf under a power of attorney.
Scope and boundaries
- This page does not cover the passport checklist for an individual founder, which is covered separately.
- This page does not state minimum capital, whether a single foreign shareholder is permitted, or the requirements for a director and how one is changed.
- This page does not define the form or content of a power of attorney and does not guarantee that a bank or registry will accept the documents.
The corporate shareholder dossier as a chain
A foreign legal-entity shareholder needs information on its status and signatories, a decision of its authorised body and, where it acts through a representative, a power of attorney. These documents are linked: the decision gives the authority, the signatory formalises it, and the representative acts under the power of attorney.
Dossier matrix
The second column lists documents described by Invest in Türkiye. The third column is a recommended dossier check before filing, rather than a separate legal requirement.
| Link in the chain | What the source states | What to cross-check |
|---|---|---|
| Company status | Information on the foreign legal entity's status | The exact name and legal form in the status document; the same data in the decision, the power of attorney and the translations |
| Authorised-body decision | A decision of the shareholder's authorised body | That the decision authorises establishment of the Turkish company and was taken by a body entitled to take it |
| Signatory | Information on signatories | Which documents establish the authority of the person who signed |
| Representative and power of attorney | Where it acts through a representative, a power of attorney | Who the representative is, what scope of acts is covered, and who signed the power of attorney |
| Legalisation | Apostille or consular attestation for foreign-issued registration documents | The route by issuing country and document type; not every document needs both kinds of attestation |
| Translation and notarisation | Official translation and notarisation in Turkey | That the translation matches the original exactly, including names, dates and positions |
Invest in Türkiye: corporate shareholder documents · Invest in Türkiye: foreign-issued documents
Mismatches to fix before filing
This is a practical check by RelocationTR, not a list of requirements stated by the source.
- The company name or legal form is spelled differently in the status document, the decision, the power of attorney and the translation.
- The submitted documents do not establish the authority of the person who signed the decision or power of attorney.
- The power of attorney does not cover the acts the representative must perform.
- A document issued abroad has not been through an apostille or consular attestation.
- A translation is not notarised in Turkey or does not match the original.
The bank: identification, beneficial owner and replies to requests
When identifying a company, the bank establishes its registration data, its activity and the details of the person with authority to represent it. The bank's examination also includes establishing the beneficial owner and ultimate control; a shareholding percentage alone does not exhaust that examination.
Recommendation: if the bank sends a specific request about a transaction, build the reply around that request in the order transaction, contract or invoice, performance, payment chain. This is an editorial recommendation, not a legal requirement.
Preparation, step by step
- Collect information on the shareholder's status and signatories.
- Prepare the authorised-body decision and, if a representative acts, the power of attorney.
- Decide the legalisation route for each foreign-issued document.
- Obtain the official translation and notarisation in Turkey.
- Cross-check names, forms and authority across all documents and fix mismatches before filing.
- Prepare for the bank the registration data, the activity, the representative and the chain of ultimate control.
Invest in Türkiye: corporate shareholder documents · Invest in Türkiye: foreign-issued documents · MASAK, Article 7(1)–(3) · MASAK, Article 17/A
Sources and limits of this page
Invest in Türkiye, Establishing a Business: a foreign legal-entity shareholder needs information on status and signatories, a decision of the authorised body and, where it acts through a representative, a power of attorney; foreign-issued registration documents go through an apostille or consular attestation, official translation and notarisation in Turkey.
Invest in Türkiye: corporate shareholder documents · Invest in Türkiye: foreign-issued documents
MASAK regulation (Article 7(1)–(3) and Article 17/A): when identifying a company, the bank establishes its registration data, its activity and the details of the person with authority to represent it; the examination includes establishing the beneficial owner and ultimate control.
Common mistakes
- Collecting documents separately without checking how the decision, the signatory and the representative connect.
- Using one legalisation route for every document without checking country and document type.
- Not preparing information on the beneficial owner and ultimate control for the bank.
- Answering the bank with general explanations instead of a chain built around the specific transaction.
Invest in Türkiye: corporate shareholder documents · Invest in Türkiye: foreign-issued documents · MASAK, Article 17/A
Discuss your documents and task
If you are preparing a foreign corporate shareholder's dossier, send us a list of the documents you have and the text of the power of attorney, and we will help identify the legalisation route and the mismatches worth fixing before filing.
Discuss the taskFrequently asked questions
Which documents does a foreign corporate shareholder need?
The official list includes information on its status and signatories, a decision of its authorised body and, where it acts through a representative, a power of attorney.
Is a power of attorney always needed?
A power of attorney is mentioned for the case where the shareholder acts through a representative. If an authorised signatory signs and files in person, whether one is needed depends on the registry's requirements.
How do I legalise a foreign company's documents?
For foreign-issued registration documents, an apostille or a consular attestation is provided for, together with an official translation and notarisation in Turkey. The route depends on the issuing country and the type of document.
What does a bank examine when identifying a company?
The bank establishes the registration data, the activity and the details of the person with authority to represent the company, and the examination includes the beneficial owner and ultimate control. A shareholding percentage alone does not exhaust that examination.
How should I reply to a bank's request about a transaction?
It is recommended to build the reply around the specific request: transaction, contract or invoice, performance, payment chain. This is an editorial recommendation, not a legal requirement.
Primary sources
Prepared by RelocationTR. The dates below refer to checks of the cited source provisions.
- Invest in Türkiye: corporate shareholder documentsProvision checked: 2026-10-01
- Invest in Türkiye: foreign-issued documentsProvision checked: 2026-10-01
- MASAK, Article 7(1)–(3)Provision checked: 2026-10-01
- MASAK, Article 17/AProvision checked: 2026-10-01