Power of Attorney in Turkey and Abroad: A Guide for Foreign Clients

Authority and the legal engagement serve different purposes

A legal service agreement identifies the accepted work and its terms. A power of attorney, commonly called a vekaletname, addresses authority to carry out specified acts. Possessing one does not establish that every possible case, transaction or later stage has been commissioned.

Ask when authority is needed for the proposed service. An initial consultation or agreed document review may have different requirements from a filing, hearing, property transaction or other formal act. Identify the person granting authority, the appointed representative and the intended use before choosing the document route.

Agree suitable powers before execution

Describe the work in practical terms. Is the lawyer assessing documents, conducting proceedings, negotiating a settlement or undertaking a particular transaction? Ask which acts are covered and which need express wording. For civil proceedings, Article 74 of the Code of Civil Procedure addresses acts requiring specific authority.

Read the proposed wording in a language you understand. Discuss sensitive powers, limitations, any existing appointment and whether delegation to another lawyer is contemplated. Do not assume a broad form is necessary or that an old document automatically fits a new matter. Have the final version reviewed before execution where the arrangement permits.

Signing in Turkey

If a Turkish notarial instrument is appropriate, ask the notary and appointed lawyer what identity records, draft wording, interpreter arrangements and other supporting documents are needed. Explain any difference in names or transliteration before the appointment. Some instruments have specific formalities; a checklist for one transaction should not be applied to every power of attorney.

For a company, establish the signatory’s authority as well as their identity. A shareholder, employee or contact person is not automatically the person entitled to bind the entity for the proposed act. The intended transaction and current company records need assessment.

A Turkish consular route from abroad

For an individual, a Turkish consular notarial service may be an available route, subject to the selected mission’s requirements. The MFA consular FAQ addresses foreign individuals and separately restricts consular execution for companies incorporated under foreign law. Confirm eligibility before booking.

The official notarial-procedure page requires personal application after an appointment for these services. Ask the selected mission about identity, language or interpreter requirements, the draft and any transaction-specific records. An online legal consultation does not make the consular act an online signature process.

A foreign instrument for use in Turkey

Where execution before a foreign notary or another local official is proposed, check the receiving authority’s requirements before signing. The document’s form, the certifying official and the intended use can affect the accepted route. Ask how the lawyer will review the draft and which original or accepted copy must be delivered.

The HCCH Apostille resources help check Convention applicability and competent authorities. Where applicable, an apostille authenticates origin-related matters such as signature, capacity and seal; it does not approve the granted powers. A different legalisation route or an exemption may apply in other circumstances. Confirm the relevant country relationship and document type.

Then address the accepted Turkish translation and any certification required for its use. Translation does not replace authentication or suitable authority. A certified instrument can still be unsuitable for the intended act if its wording is inadequate.

Compare the route before incurring costs

Property, banking, litigation and corporate work can raise different questions. Ask the actual receiving authority about acceptance rather than treating a general guide as a complete filing checklist. Keep the quotation for legal coordination separate from the fees charged by official or external providers.

Delivery and confirmation before use

Agree whether a scan is useful for preliminary review and when an original or accepted certified copy is needed. Plan courier time where relevant and retain a clear copy. Check names, dates, seals, attachments and the complete translation before treating the document as ready.

Ask for confirmation that the authority and necessary records have been received for the agreed act. A courier receipt or a message with an attachment does not establish that representation has begun or a procedural step has been taken. Connect the document to the accepted engagement and any deadline.

Changing or ending authority

If the appointment needs to change or end, ask about the appropriate formal steps and notifications, as well as the file handover and fee position. An informal message, revocation instrument and termination of a service agreement should not be assumed to have identical effects.

Check pending dates and responsibility before replacing an existing representative. For continuing work from another country, read hiring and working with a lawyer remotely. For the supporting records, use the document-preparation guide.