Frequently Asked Questions

Under the Turkish legal system, being represented by a lawyer is not mandatory. However, the special procedural rules of civil proceedings make legal representation essential in practice, because failing to comply with procedural requirements can result in losing the case. What matters is not merely being right, but proving that you are right. So even though hiring a lawyer is not a legal obligation, it is essential for conducting and pursuing a case effectively.

Before filing a lawsuit, you should consult a lawyer specialised in the relevant area and, where possible, have the case conducted by that specialist lawyer.

Only lawyers specialised in the relevant area should assist you when filing a lawsuit. You should never rely on intermediaries or people who claim to have influence over judges or prosecutors; seek support only from qualified lawyers.

Lawyers are prohibited from working free of charge, and legal consultation is itself a professional legal service.

In mandatory mediation, applying to a mediator before filing a lawsuit is a statutory precondition; if you do not, your case will be dismissed. In voluntary mediation there is no legal obligation — the parties come to the table entirely of their own accord to resolve the dispute.

Absolutely not. Confidentiality is the most fundamental rule of mediation. Offers, admissions or proposals made by the parties during the sessions can never be relied on as evidence by the other side in a lawsuit filed if no agreement is reached.

Voluntary mediation is based entirely on consent. The other party is not obliged to accept the invitation. If it is rejected, the process ends before it begins and your right to file a lawsuit remains intact.

No. If the parties reach full agreement on an issue at the end of mediation, it is not legally possible to file a new lawsuit on the matters agreed. The signed agreement is final and binding.

If you have obtained an 'annotation of enforceability' for the agreement from the Civil Court of Peace (or signed it together with your lawyers so that it is signed by all five parties), the document is treated as a court judgment. If the other party does not comply, you can apply directly to the enforcement office and initiate judgment-based enforcement proceedings.

A finance lawyer handles disputes arising from loan and security agreements, foreclosure of mortgages and pledges, concordat and financial restructuring proceedings, compensation claims for banking fraud, and administrative annulment actions against decisions of the Capital Markets Board (SPK) or the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK).

In loan agreements, particular attention should be paid to default interest rates, the conditions under which the bank may unilaterally call in the loan, the limits of guarantors' liability, and any unfair fees or commission clauses hidden in the contract. A legal review should be carried out before signing.

Yes, it is mandatory.

Under the Turkish Commercial Code and the Consumer Protection Law, applying to a mediator before filing a lawsuit is a statutory precondition in disputes between banks and commercial clients or consumers involving the payment of a sum of money (for example, refunds of unlawful charges or loan receivables).

Structured finance refers to specialised methods used to fund large projects (energy, motorways, hospitals).

The best-known models are project-based special purpose vehicle (SPV) loans, syndicated loans, asset-backed securities (VDMK) issuances, and Islamic finance instruments such as sukuk.

As a rule, hiring a lawyer is not mandatory and a person may defend themselves. However, the law makes appointing defence counsel strictly mandatory for minors under 18, people who are deaf or mute, people who are disabled to the extent that they cannot defend themselves, and those tried for offences carrying a minimum sentence of more than 5 years' imprisonment.

Where the prison sentence imposed on the defendant is 2 years or less, the defendant is placed under 'supervised probation' for 5 years. If the person does not intentionally commit a new offence during those 5 years, the sentence is deemed never to have been imposed and is not entered in their criminal record.

Detention or judicial control decisions issued by a Criminal Judgeship of Peace can be challenged within 7 days of the decision being read to you or served on you.

It is a fast-track procedure for minor offences carrying a maximum of 2 years' imprisonment or a judicial fine, in which the court can rule without a hearing, on the basis of written defences in the file. When this procedure is applied, the sentence is automatically reduced by one quarter.

Yes. Lawyers in Türkiye may practise throughout the country. Regardless of the bar in which they are registered, a criminal lawyer can represent their client before courts, police stations and prosecutors' offices anywhere in Türkiye and attend hearings in person or via the SEGBİS video system.

To qualify as a work, a product must bear the characteristics of its author (originality/personal character) and fall within one of the categories of works listed in the law (science and literature, music, fine arts, cinema). Products meeting these conditions are protected from the moment of creation, without registration.

Under Turkish legislation, computer programs, mobile applications and source code cannot be patented on their own. Software benefits from copyright protection as a 'work of science and literature' under the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works.

Moral rights (the right to make the work public, to be named as author and to prevent alterations to the work) belong exclusively to the author; they cannot be sold or transferred. Economic rights (adaptation, reproduction, distribution, performance and communication to the public) can be assigned to third parties by contract or licensed for use.

Copyright protection lasts for the author's lifetime and for 70 years after their death. Even after the author has died, their heirs may lawfully benefit from the economic rights and income from the work for 70 years.

Sometimes there is no identically copied registered trademark, yet a competitor may imitate your unregistered packaging, advertising slogans or trade presentation and create a misleading impression among consumers. In such cases, governed by the Turkish Commercial Code, these activities can be stopped through an unfair competition action.

It is an action brought by the true owner to have a title deed record cancelled and registered in their own name where the record was created unlawfully — for example through fraud, forgery, abuse of a power of attorney or lack of legal capacity.

The title records of the property (whether there is any attachment, mortgage or interim injunction on it) must be checked at the relevant Land Registry Office or via Web-Tapu. Instead of paying the price in cash, the state-guaranteed 'Tapu Takas' escrow system should be used to secure the transaction.

Once the required documents (ID, DASK earthquake insurance policy, municipal valuation certificate, etc.) are complete and an appointment has been made, a title transfer is usually completed within a few hours on the same day, after the fees are paid.

It is filed when co-owners of a property (usually heirs) cannot agree on how it should be divided. If the property can be physically divided, the court partitions it; if not, it orders the property to be sold at public auction and distributes the proceeds among the co-owners in proportion to their shares.

Fees are determined by reference to the Attorneys' Minimum Fee Tariff published annually by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, taking into account the duration of the meeting (hourly), the volume of documents to be reviewed and the complexity of the legal issue.

Yes. Under the Attorneys' Act and the rules of the profession, lawyers are strictly prohibited from giving free legal advice or reviewing files free of charge; doing so is a disciplinary offence.

Consultancy involves reviewing the matter before or during a dispute, identifying the risks and answering questions to draw up a roadmap. Litigation means taking the dispute to court, with the lawyer actually conducting all hearings and submissions.

For individuals it is generally not mandatory — you can file your own lawsuit. However, given the strictness of procedural rules and the high risk of losing rights, legal support is vital. For companies, joint stock companies whose capital exceeds the statutory threshold are legally required to retain a lawyer.

Enforcement costs are initially paid by the creditor; however, once proceedings are initiated these costs are added to the claim and are ultimately borne by the debtor.

Yes. A creditor may add certain documented costs incurred before the enforcement proceedings to the claim, provided they are clearly stated in the enforcement request. Examples include a formal notice sent for an invoice receivable or a protest drawn up for a promissory note; in judgment-based enforcement, only the litigation costs covered by the judgment can be claimed.

The cost of enforcement without a judgment is the sum of the filing fee, the power of attorney copy fee, the power of attorney stamp, the advance fee and postage. The filing fee, power of attorney copy fee and stamp are fixed amounts; the advance fee is calculated as five per thousand (0.5%) of the claim.

Judgment-based enforcement also consists of the filing fee, power of attorney copy fee, power of attorney stamp and postage; unlike enforcement without a judgment, however, no advance fee is charged. Since judgment-based proceedings are usually based on a court judgment, notifying the debtor's counsel of the decision by electronic service is a separate cost item.

The tool can be used by creditors who want to know the cost before initiating enforcement, debtors who want to see the costs of proceedings brought against them, lawyers and law firms who want to give clients a quick cost estimate, and accountants and finance professionals who need to calculate file costs.

The period depends on the type of payment order (notice) you receive. In proceedings without a judgment (invoices, etc.) the objection period is 7 days from service; in proceedings based on negotiable instruments (cheques, promissory notes) it is 5 days.

After logging in to e-Devlet, type 'Enforcement File Inquiry' (a Ministry of Justice service) in the search bar to view all active or closed enforcement files opened against you, their file numbers and the enforcement offices handling them.

Attachment can begin only after you have received the enforcement notice and let the statutory objection period (5 or 7 days) pass without objecting (i.e. the proceedings have become final). Once final, one quarter of your salary or legally attachable items in your home may be seized.

As of 2026, the advance fee paid to the enforcement office, service costs and attorney's fees are initially borne by the creditor. However, once the proceedings conclude and collection is made, all these official costs and the opposing party's attorney's fees are collected from the debtor and reimbursed to the creditor.

Cases before the first-instance court are concluded in an average of 9 months to 1.5 years. If the file proceeds to the regional court of appeal and the Council of State, the total can reach 2 to 3 years.

No, witnesses are not heard. Administrative proceedings are conducted entirely on written documents. Hearings are exceptional; at a party's specific request, a single hearing may be held for the lawyers' oral submissions.

You can appeal to the Regional Administrative Court within 30 days of service of the court's decision. If the conditions are met, an appeal on points of law to the Council of State may also be filed within 30 days of the appellate decision.

Following the legislative amendment of October 2017, the limitation period for severance pay, notice pay and annual leave pay claims is 5 years. The period for overtime and salary claims is also 5 years.

As a rule, an employee who resigns voluntarily without just cause (non-payment of salary, mobbing, etc.) cannot receive severance pay. However, severance pay is due where men leave for military service, women leave due to marriage (within 1 year), or employees leave on retirement.

Yes. Even if the periods worked do not appear in their service record, an employee working without social security registration can file a 'Service Determination Action' to have those periods added to their insurance record by court order, and can claim all their rights, including severance pay.

Durations vary with the court's workload; the mandatory mediation stage lasts at most 3–4 weeks. The first-instance stage takes 1 to 1.5 years on average, and including the subsequent appeal and Court of Cassation stages, cases can take 2–3 years in total to become final.

By law, individuals may file registration applications themselves. However, registration processes depend on strict statutory deadlines and complex classification systems. Working with a registered trademark and patent attorney ensures that a detailed similarity search is carried out before filing, preventing the risk of wasted time and money at an early stage.

Name right (trademark): protected for 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed indefinitely for further 10-year periods on payment of the renewal fee. Design registration: protected for 5 years from the filing date and can be renewed in five-year periods up to a maximum of 25 years in total.

No. Industrial property rights are subject to the principle of territoriality. Registrations made before TÜRKPATENT provide protection only within Türkiye. If you want protection in the countries to which you export, our registered attorneys can file international registration applications (WIPO, the Madrid Protocol, etc.) on your behalf.

TÜRKPATENT publishes thousands of new applications in its official bulletins every month. As your registered attorneys, we regularly scan these bulletins on your behalf, identify similar applications that may infringe your rights or confuse consumers at an early stage, and file administrative oppositions within the statutory period to prevent their registration.

Yes. Industrial property rights can be sold (assigned), inherited or licensed. For these transactions to be legally valid, the agreements must be notarised and officially recorded in the TÜRKPATENT register. Our attorneys manage all of these registration procedures on your behalf.

You have the right to file an annulment action before the tax court within 30 days from the day following service of the tax and penalty notice. This period is strict; if it is missed, the debt becomes final.

A tax ruling is a formal written opinion requested by a taxpayer from the Revenue Administration in ambiguous situations where there is doubt about how tax laws should be applied. The application is made in writing via the Revenue Administration system. A taxpayer who acts in accordance with a ruling cannot subsequently be penalised.

Tax cases proceed relatively faster than civil cases. First-instance proceedings before the tax court are concluded within 6 to 12 months on average. If the file proceeds to the appeal stage and the Council of State, the total can reach 2–3 years.

At the end of an audit, the tax inspector prepares an 'inspection report' and asks the taxpayer to sign it. Refusing to sign is not a solution. Instead, signing with a 'reservation' (ihtirazi kayıt) on the points you disagree with is the most appropriate legal step and strengthens your position in any future lawsuit.

Yes. Under the legislation, provided the application is made before the original term expires, an additional period of up to half the certificate's term may be requested. Where there is force majeure, these periods may also be reassessed by the administration.

Administrative actions against revocations issued by the central organisation of the Ministry of Industry and Technology must be filed before the Ankara Administrative Courts, where the Ministry is located. However, tax penalties imposed by tax offices are challenged before the Tax Courts where the company is registered.

When the investment period ends, an application for the completion visa is made via E-TUYS (the Electronic Incentive Application and Foreign Capital Information System). Officials of the Ministry or an authorised institution (experts) visit the investment site to inspect machinery, employment and expenditure on site. If the commitments are found to have been fulfilled, the completion visa is approved and the certificate is legally closed.

It is data relating to a person's race, ethnic origin, political opinion, religion, sect, attire, association/trade union membership, health, sexual life, criminal convictions and biometric/genetic data. Because such data can lead to discrimination, its processing is subject to much stricter safeguards and, apart from exceptions, requires explicit consent.

A person who believes their data has been processed unlawfully must first apply in writing to the data controller (the company/institution). If the company does not respond within 30 days or the response is unsatisfactory, a complaint may then be filed with the Personal Data Protection Board (KVKK).

Companies must notify the Personal Data Protection Board within 72 hours at the latest from the moment they detect a data leak, hacking or unauthorised access in their systems. Otherwise, heavy administrative fines apply.

No, not every company. Only businesses with more than 50 employees per year or whose annual balance sheet exceeds the thresholds set by the authority, and institutions whose main activity is processing special category personal data (hospitals, pharmacies, etc.), must register with VERBİS.

Registration grants the owner the exclusive right to use the trademark for specified goods and services and to prevent unauthorised use by third parties. Under the Industrial Property Law No. 6769, protection generally lasts ten years from the filing date and can be renewed indefinitely.

The process consists of filing with TÜRKPATENT, examination on formal and absolute grounds for refusal, publication in the Official Trademark Bulletin, a two-month opposition period and registration. Where no opposition is filed, the process usually takes a few months; it may take longer in case of opposition or partial refusal.

A trademark attorney is a registered specialist authorised to conduct filing, opposition and registration procedures before TÜRKPATENT. Professional representation — particularly in similarity searches, classification and opposition proceedings — reduces the risk of losing rights. Our firm provides trademark attorney services.

The owner of a registered trademark can request a determination that infringement has occurred, its cessation and prevention, and claim material and moral damages; they may also request measures such as the seizure and destruction of counterfeit goods. Where the conditions are met, criminal proceedings may also be pursued.

A trademark protects signs such as names and logos that distinguish a business's goods or services from those of others. A patent protects technical inventions that are new, involve an inventive step and are industrially applicable. Both fall under Industrial Property Law No. 6769, but their conditions and terms of protection differ.

Online legal consultancy fees are determined by reference to the oral consultation fees in the Attorneys' Minimum Fee Tariff published annually by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, depending on the length of the meeting and the scope of the matter.

There is no difference other than the location. Your lawyer reviews your documents with the same care, answers your questions and gives their legal opinion. Attorney–client confidentiality rules apply equally to both.

The duration depends on the nature of the dispute but a single session usually lasts 45 to 60 minutes on average.

Yes. If you notify us a certain time before the appointment (usually 24 hours), the meeting can be rescheduled or your payment refunded in full.

A smartphone, tablet or computer with an internet connection (and a camera and microphone) is all you need. No special equipment is required.

Capital markets law governs the issuance of shares and debt instruments, public offerings, trading on the stock exchange, public disclosure obligations and investor protection. Its main sources are the Capital Markets Law No. 6362 and the regulations of the Capital Markets Board (SPK).

In a public offering the company prepares a prospectus, submits it for approval to the Capital Markets Board, applies for listing on BORSA__Bursa after approval and carries out the sale of shares. Throughout the process, compliance with independent audit, corporate governance and public disclosure obligations is required.

The SPK is the regulatory and supervisory public authority responsible for ensuring that capital markets operate with confidence, transparency and stability and for protecting investors' rights and interests. It approves issuance documents, supervises market participants and may impose administrative sanctions where necessary.

Listed companies are subject to ongoing obligations such as periodic financial reporting, material event disclosures, compliance with prohibitions on insider dealing and market manipulation, corporate governance principles and independent audit. Breaches may lead to administrative fines and other sanctions.

All commercial cases arising from company law fall within the jurisdiction of the Commercial Courts of First Instance. Where there is no such court, the Civil Courts of First Instance hear these cases acting as commercial courts.

Yes. Under the Foreign Direct Investment Law, foreign individuals and legal entities may establish companies, open branches or become shareholders in existing companies in Türkiye under the same conditions as Turkish citizens.

Yes. Under the Turkish Commercial Code, applying to mediation before filing a lawsuit is mandatory for commercial receivables and compensation claims concerning the payment of a sum of money. If no settlement is reached, a lawsuit may then be filed.

Once the required documents (notarisations, articles of association, chamber registrations, etc.) are prepared, the application via MERSİS and registration with the trade registry are usually completed within 3 to 7 business days, barring any complications.

No. Turkish law generally recognises freedom of form, and many contracts are valid simply when signed between the parties. However, contracts explicitly specified by law — such as the sale of a vehicle or a promise to sell real estate — must be made before a notary.

There is no difference in terms of legal validity and binding force; both set out the parties' rights and obligations. In practice, however, the word 'protocol' is usually preferred for framework agreements between institutions or for documents settling an existing dispute.

First, a formal notice should be sent through a notary requiring the other party to fulfil its obligations. If the breach continues, the contract may be terminated for just cause and proceedings may be initiated for any agreed penalty clause or damages incurred.

A valid contract can, as a rule, be cancelled by the parties' mutual agreement. Unilateral cancellation is only possible through legal channels in cases of 'defects of consent', such as fraud, duress or fundamental error at the time of signing.

Matters regulated in the Turkish Commercial Code and all acts concerning a commercial enterprise are considered commercial transactions. Unless the law provides otherwise, a contract that is commercial for one party is deemed commercial for the other as well.

The general limitation period in commercial law is 10 years unless otherwise provided. However, there are special shorter periods, such as 1 and 3 years for unfair competition claims and between 6 months and 3 years for negotiable instruments (cheques, promissory notes) depending on the type of instrument.

In a sole proprietorship, the owner is personally and without limit liable for all debts. In capital companies (limited and joint stock companies), shareholders' liability is generally limited to the capital they contribute — meaning a shareholder's personal home or car cannot be pursued for the company's debts.

Under our legal system (except for the obligation of certain joint stock companies to retain a lawyer), parties have the right to represent themselves. However, given the technical nature of commercial law and the strictness of procedural rules, working with a specialist lawyer is critical to avoid significant losses of rights.

The periods are strictly set by law according to the type of dispute. Oppositions to trademark applications must be filed within 2 months of the bulletin publication date. For bulletin oppositions against design applications, the statutory period is 3 months.

Submitting a response to an opposition is not a legal requirement. However, remaining silent on unjustified claims significantly increases the risk that the TÜRKPATENT examiner will refuse your application. Submitting a strong counter-statement is vital to defend your rights.

No. You have the right to appeal partial or full refusal decisions to the Re-examination and Evaluation Board (YİDK), the highest authority within the Office. The Board re-examines the examiner's decision and issues the final administrative decision.

TÜRKPATENT may refuse ex officio designs that lack worldwide novelty or individual character. Designs contrary to public order or morality or containing religious symbols are also barred from registration and refused.

Proceedings before the Office are based entirely on legal precedent, provisions of the Industrial Property Law and technical similarity analyses. Generic statements are usually rejected. Working with registered trademark and patent attorneys ensures that sound arguments are presented correctly and increases the likelihood of success.

As of 2026, the minimum property investment for citizenship by investment is USD 400,000. In addition, a 'not to be sold for 3 years' annotation must be registered on the title deed.

You must file an action for 'annulment of the administrative act' before the Administrative Court within 60 days of service of the rejection decision. This period is strict and must not be missed.

Requirements vary by permit type, but generally include a valid passport, biometric photographs, health insurance obtained in Türkiye, proof of address (lease agreement) and evidence of sufficient income.

As a rule, no. Turkish law is based on descent ('bloodline'). Only babies whose parents are stateless or whose parents cannot be identified may exceptionally acquire citizenship by birth.

A party who fails to attend the first meeting without a valid excuse is recorded in the final minutes. Even if that party is entirely successful in a subsequent lawsuit, it will have to bear all court and litigation costs alone, and no attorney's fees will be awarded in its favour.

Yes. The power of attorney issued through a notary must contain a specific clause authorising the lawyer to 'participate in mediation proceedings, sign minutes and settle'. In that case your lawyer can fully represent you, make decisions and sign on your behalf.

The periods are strictly limited by law. In employment law the mediator must conclude the file within 3 weeks (extendable by up to 1 week). In commercial disputes the period is 6 weeks, extendable by up to 2 more weeks where necessary.

Absolutely not. Confidentiality is the most fundamental rule of mediation. Offers, admissions or settlement proposals made during the sessions can never be relied on as evidence by the other side in a lawsuit filed if no agreement is reached, and cannot be taken into account by the judge.