Many foreigners buy or sell property in Türkiye without being there on the day of the title deed transfer. They use a power of attorney, in Turkish a vekaletname, so that someone they trust, often a lawyer, can sign at the land registry (tapu müdürlüğü) for them. Because it is easy to misuse, it needs care. This guide reflects the position in November 2026.
- What a vekaletname is, and general vs special
- Step 1: decide exactly what the agent may do
- Step 2 (in Türkiye): sign at a Turkish notary
- Step 3a (abroad): sign at a Turkish consulate
- Step 3b (abroad): local notary, apostille, translation
- Step 4: what the land registry checks
- Step 5: check and revoke a POA (azilname)
- Risks and safeguards
- Frequently asked questions
Key points
- Selling or transferring real estate needs special authority. A general power of attorney is not enough.
- In Türkiye, you sign at a notary (noter), with a sworn translator if you do not speak Turkish.
- From abroad, sign at a Turkish consulate, or use a local notary plus an apostille and a Turkish translation notarised in Türkiye.
- A POA has no expiry unless it sets an end date. Revoking it is called azil.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your own case with a Turkish lawyer, notary or consulate.
What a vekaletname is, and general vs special
A vekaletname is a written authority from you (the principal, vekâlet veren) to your representative (the agent, vekil). Article 504 of the Turkish Code of Obligations (Türk Borçlar Kanunu) sets the scope. Where the document does not spell out the authority, it covers what the task naturally requires. But some acts need special authority (özel yetki), and transferring real estate is one of them, along with filing lawsuits, settling and making gifts.
In practice:
- A general POA covers routine matters such as applications, collecting documents and some banking. Legal commentary on Article 504 says a phrase such as "her türlü yetki" (all powers) does not meet the special-authority test for a property sale.
- A special POA names the transaction. For property, the wording should say the agent may sell (satış yetkisi) or buy (alış yetkisi) a particular property. It should also cover collecting or paying the price and signing at the land registry.
The land registry applies the same logic. Article 18 of the Title Deed Registry Regulation (Tapu Sicili Tüzüğü, 2013) says a POA must be made under the Notaries Law and must authorise the transaction being requested. The principal’s signature on it is mandatory.
Step 1: decide exactly what the agent may do
Consulates ask for the title deed or its data: province, district, neighbourhood, map sheet (pafta), block (ada), parcel (parsel), and for flats the floor and unit number. Then decide:
- Buy or sell, or both. Consulate forms list "property purchase" and "property sale" as separate subjects.
- Who the agent is. Consulates in the US warn that in a sale or purchase POA, the agent cannot also be the buyer or seller. A Houston consulate guide also notes the agent cannot be authorised to buy property the principal owns.
- Time limit. Consulates in Washington, New York and Boston state that a POA with no end date stays valid indefinitely. If you want a time limit, you must ask for it at the start.
Step 2 (in Türkiye): sign at a Turkish notary
If you are in Türkiye, any notary can prepare the vekaletname. Bring:
- Your passport. Bring your foreigner identity number or residence permit too, if you have one.
- A sworn translator (yeminli tercüman) if you do not speak Turkish. Notaries require one when a foreigner does not understand Turkish well enough.
- Passport photos. Photos are standard for property POAs (see Step 4).
- A tax number, which some notaries ask for. See our guide to getting a Turkish tax number.
Step 3a (abroad): sign at a Turkish consulate
Turkish consulates act as notaries for documents to be used in Türkiye. Consulates in Stockholm, Boston and Washington all say you must apply in person, with an appointment booked online at konsolosluk.gov.tr (e-Konsolosluk). They do not accept walk-ins or bookings by phone or email.
What foreigners should expect:
- ID and documents. The London consulate asks foreign nationals for their original passport and a long-form birth certificate showing parents’ names.
- Translator. London and Washington tell non-Turkish speakers to bring a sworn translator from the consulate’s list. New York has foreigners book with one of its listed translators.
- Photos. New York asks foreigners for two identical photos. Washington and Boston require two passport photos for property POAs, while Stockholm asks for a biometric photo taken within the last six months.
- Scope. New York says foreigners there can use the consulate for property purchase or sale POAs and for lawyer or divorce matters.
- Delivery. You post the original to your agent or hand it over. Washington adds that the agent can get a certified copy from any notary in Türkiye, using the barcode on the first page, from the first or second business day after issue.
Rules differ, so read your consulate’s notary page first.
Step 3b (abroad): local notary, apostille, translation
If a consulate appointment is impractical, you can sign before a notary in your own country. Under the Land Registry’s circular 2015/5 (No. 1767) of 11 August 2015, as summarised by the law firm Moroğlu Arseven, a POA issued abroad must:
- be made by a notary in the legal form and the official language of that country;
- carry your photograph, sealed or stamped by the issuing authority;
- carry an apostille if the country is party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Otherwise, the country’s authorities and then the Turkish consulate must certify it;
- expressly authorise the specific land registry transaction; and
- be translated into Turkish, with the translation notarised in Türkiye.
The New York and Houston consulates describe the US version. You attach a passport photo at the top left and a copy of your passport’s first page, and the notary notarises all three. The state then issues the apostille, sometimes after a county clerk step, and no consular legalisation is needed. A sworn translator in Türkiye translates it, and a Turkish notary certifies the translation.
The Land Registry’s foreign buyers’ portal says the original or a certified copy of a foreign POA must be submitted together with its translation.
Watch for exceptions. The Turkish embassy in Stockholm, for example, says POAs for land registry use must be made at the consulate, not at a Swedish notary. Check before you sign.
Step 4: what the land registry checks
On the day of the transfer, the land registry checks that:
- The authority is explicit. The POA must authorise the requested transaction (Tapu Sicili Tüzüğü, Article 18).
- The identities match. The registry compares the principal on the POA with the owner in the register and checks the agent’s identity.
- Your photo is on the POA. This is required for POAs made abroad, and consulates require photos for property POAs.
- There is no revocation on record. See Step 5.
- A sworn interpreter is present if a party at the deed office does not speak Turkish. The Land Registry’s foreign buyers’ portal says the interpreter must be authorised by the regional judicial commission.
Your agent will also need the usual purchase documents, such as the valuation report and, for buildings, compulsory earthquake insurance. See our step by step guide to buying property in Turkey and our explainer on title deed fees and buying costs.
Step 5: check and revoke a POA (azilname)
You can revoke a power of attorney at any time, without the agent’s consent. A revocation cannot be undone. To reappoint the same person, you need a new POA.
There are three ways to revoke a POA for land registry use. These come from the Land Registry’s circular 2025/6 of 5 December 2025, as reported by Hukuki Haber:
- A notarised revocation (azilname) made at a notary or consulate and sent to any land registry office. The London consulate asks for the agent’s name, the agent’s address in Türkiye and the original POA’s notary, date and register number.
- In person at any land registry office.
- Online through webtapu. This revokes all POAs issued before the date of the request.
Revocations sent by fax, email or post are not accepted. Revocations go into the "Türkiye Azil Sistemi", which every land registry office can see. A webtapu or land registry revocation only covers land registry transactions, so also serve the azilname on your agent and tell banks or other bodies. If you hold an e-Devlet login, the Notaries Union’s "Kişi Vekaletnameleri Sorgulama" service shows the POAs issued in your name.
Risks and safeguards
Press reports describe a relative selling a home under a POA and keeping the money, and a POA for one sale that also covered other properties. Practical safeguards:
- Limit the POA to one property, named by its pafta, ada and parsel numbers, and to one transaction (sale or purchase).
- Set a minimum price, and say the money must be paid into your own bank account.
- Add an end date. Consulates will include one if you ask at the start.
- Do not give the right to delegate (tevkil) unless you need it. If an agent delegates, the land registry asks for the underlying POA as well.
- Use a trusted, independent lawyer, not someone on the other side of the deal.
- Check and revoke POAs you no longer need through e-Devlet and webtapu.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can a general power of attorney be used to sell my property in Türkiye?
A: Not safely. The Turkish Code of Obligations requires special authority to transfer real estate, and the land registry asks for a POA that authorises the specific transaction. Use a property-specific POA with clear sale or purchase wording.
Q: Do I need an apostille if I sign at a Turkish consulate?
A: No. A POA signed at a Turkish consulate is a Turkish notarial document. An apostille, a sworn Turkish translation and notarisation in Türkiye are needed when you sign before a foreign notary.
Q: How long is a vekaletname valid?
A: If it has no end date, it stays valid until you revoke it, or until it ends by law, for example on death. You can ask for an expiry date when it is drafted.
Q: Can I revoke a power of attorney from abroad?
A: Yes. Make an azilname at a Turkish consulate or a notary and send it to any land registry office, or revoke online through webtapu. Fax, email or post requests to the land registry are not accepted.
Q: Does the person signing at the deed office need to speak Turkish?
A: If any party does not speak Turkish, a sworn interpreter must attend. This includes an agent acting for you.
Planning to buy? Download our free property guide for a step-by-step checklist.
Sources
- Türk Borçlar Kanunu Art. 504: scope of agency; special authority needed to transfer real estate, sue, settle, make gifts (statute text)
- TBK 512-513 commentary: revocation at any time, ends on death/incapacity; general vs special POA; ‘her türlü yetki’ insufficient (Hukukçular Evi)
- Tapu Sicili Tüzüğü (BKK 2013/5150, RG 17.08.2013 No. 28738) Art. 18(4): POA under Notaries Law 1512 authorising the requested transaction, principal’s signature mandatory, underlying POA for tevkil, identity comparison
- TKGM circular 2015/5 (1767), 11 Aug 2015: foreign-issued POAs need notary form, local language, sealed photo, apostille or legalisation, explicit authority, notarised Turkish translation (Moroğlu Arseven)
- TKGM instruction 18.04.2023 No. 8537725 restating 2015/5 conditions: authority for the requested transaction, notarised Turkish translation (Lexpera)
- Your Key Türkiye (TKGM) acquisition guide: foreign POA original or certified copy with translation, 2015/5 conditions; sworn interpreter authorised by regional judicial commission if a party does not speak Turkish
- TKGM circular 2025/6 (05.12.2025): Türkiye Azil Sistemi, revocation via webtapu, tapu office, notary/consulate; fax, email, post not accepted; 1 Jan 2023 cut-off (Hukuki Haber, 10 Dec 2025)
- Revocation without agent’s consent, irreversible, misuse examples, e-Devlet Kişi Vekaletnameleri Sorgula (Sabah, 8 Dec 2025)
- e-Devlet services of Türkiye Noterler Birliği incl. Kişi Vekaletnameleri Sorgulama
- Turkish Consulate General London notary page: appointment via konsolosluk.gov.tr, property details, foreigners need passport, long-form birth certificate and sworn translator, azilname details
- Turkish Consulate General New York: POA for foreigners via US notary + apostille or at consulate with translator; photo top left; property purchase/sale scope (2023)
- Turkish Consulate General New York vekaletname info (2025): two photos, agent cannot be buyer/seller, indefinite unless time limit
- Turkish Consulate General Houston: US notary, county clerk, apostille, translation; agent cannot buy principal’s property; no time limit unless stated
- Turkish Consulate General Boston: in person, e-appointment, two photos for tapu POAs, no walk-ins, valid without end date
- Turkish Embassy Washington: two photos for real estate POAs, sworn translators, barcode copy at any Turkish notary, indefinite validity, apostille for US documents
- Turkish Embassy Stockholm: appointments via konsolosluk.gov.tr, biometric photo within six months for property POAs, tapu POAs at consulate not Swedish notary
- Foreigners at Turkish notaries: passport, tax number if needed, photo for some acts, sworn translator if no Turkish (FFK Partner Hukuk, 2026)
- Consular POAs count as notarised, no apostille; Hague Apostille Convention route; original sent to Türkiye (Bıçak Hukuk, updated Nov 2025)
Photo: Poet Laureate / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
