English Speaking Lawyer in Istanbul | Trusted Legal Counsel for Foreigners

Comprehensive English-Language Legal Services for Foreigners in Turkey

 

We provide a full spectrum of legal services designed to support foreign nationals at every stage of their legal journey in Turkey. Whether you are purchasing your first property in Istanbul, facing a criminal investigation, or restructuring a multinational operation — our English speaking legal team ensures your matter is handled with precision, transparency, and full cultural understanding.

​

Real Estate & Property Transactions

Turkey's property market attracts billions in foreign investment annually, but the acquisition process is loaded with risks that are invisible to non-Turkish buyers. Hidden liens on title deeds, military zone restrictions, zoning violations, and inflated valuations by developers are not exceptions — they are everyday realities.

​

• Title Deed (TAPU) Verification: We conduct full due diligence at the Land Registry (Tapu Müdürlüğü) to confirm clean ownership, check for encumbrances, and verify building compliance before you commit a single dollar.

• Foreign Ownership Eligibility: Not all properties — and not all nationalities — qualify for foreign acquisition in Turkey. We confirm eligibility under the Reciprocity Principle and military zone clearance requirements before you waste time on a deal that cannot close.

• Purchase & Transfer Management: From contract negotiation to the final title deed transfer appointment, we manage the entire transaction in English — including coordination with notaries, banks, and tax offices.

• Investment Structuring for Citizenship: If your purchase is tied to a Turkish Citizenship by Investment application, our team ensures the property meets all valuation, annotation, and holding period requirements under current regulations.

​

Criminal Defense & Emergency Representation

Being detained or arrested in a foreign country — where you do not speak the language and do not know your rights — is one of the most vulnerable situations a person can face. Turkish criminal procedure moves fast: a prosecutor can request your detention within 24 hours of arrest, and without a lawyer present during your police statement (ifade), anything you say becomes part of the permanent case file.

​

• 24/7 Police Station Response: Our criminal defense team is on call around the clock. When you are taken into custody anywhere in Istanbul, we arrive at the station before your interrogation begins.

• Detention Hearings: We represent you before the Criminal Court of Peace (Sulh Ceza Hâkimliği) to challenge detention orders and secure your release on judicial control measures.

• White-Collar Crime Defense: Fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, and commercial crime allegations require a defense strategy that understands both the criminal charges and the underlying business context. We build that strategy.

• Consular Coordination: We liaise with your embassy or consulate as required under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, ensuring your government is notified and involved where appropriate.

​

Corporate & Commercial Law

Entering the Turkish market as a foreign investor requires more than registering a company. It requires understanding the Turkish Commercial Code (TTK No. 6102), navigating tax obligations under a system that is fundamentally different from most Western jurisdictions, and building a corporate structure that protects your interests from day one.

​

• Company Formation: Limited Liability Company (Ltd. Şti.) and Joint Stock Company (A.Ş.) establishment with full articles of association drafting, trade registry enrollment, and tax registration.

• Shareholder Agreements & Joint Ventures: Protecting minority shareholders, defining profit distribution, and structuring exit mechanisms — all drafted in English with Turkish legal enforceability.

• M&A Transactions: Due diligence reports, share purchase agreements (SPA), regulatory compliance with the Turkish Competition Authority (Rekabet Kurumu), and post-acquisition restructuring.

• Ongoing Corporate Compliance: Annual general meetings, board resolutions, tax filings, and regulatory reporting — managed entirely on your behalf.

​

Immigration & Residence Permits

Turkey's immigration system is governed by Law No. 6458 on Foreigners and International Protection, administered by the Directorate General of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi). The rules change frequently, application portals crash regularly, and a single missing document can send you to the back of the line — or worse, trigger a deportation process.

​

• Short-Term & Long-Term Residence Permits: Complete application management including biometric appointments, document preparation, address registration, and health insurance compliance.

• Work Permits: Employer-sponsored applications through the Ministry of Labor (ÇSGB), independent work permits, and Turquoise Card (Turkuaz Kart) applications for highly qualified professionals.

• Family Reunification: Residence permits for spouses, children, and dependent family members, including cross-border document apostille coordination.

• Deportation Defense: Emergency representation against deportation orders (sınır dışı etme kararı), administrative detention challenges, and entry ban (giriş yasağı) removal applications before Administrative Courts.

​

Family Law & International Divorce

Divorce is complicated enough when both spouses share the same nationality and live in the same country. When different nationalities, different jurisdictions, and children with dual citizenship enter the picture, it becomes a legal minefield. Turkish courts apply the International Private and Procedural Law (MÖHUK — Law No. 5718) to determine which country's law governs the marriage, asset division, and custody arrangements — and the outcome can vary dramatically depending on how the case is filed.

​

• Mixed-Nationality Divorce Proceedings: We determine the most favorable jurisdiction for your case and represent you in Turkish Family Courts (Aile Mahkemesi) from petition through final decree.

• Cross-Border Child Custody: International custody disputes involving Turkey require navigating the Hague Convention on Child Abduction alongside Turkish domestic law. We handle both tracks simultaneously.

• Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements: Drafting enforceable agreements under Turkish law that protect foreign spouses' assets acquired before and during the marriage.

• Recognition of Foreign Judgments: If you obtained a divorce abroad and need it recognized in Turkey — or vice versa — we manage the tanıma ve tenfiz proceedings before Turkish courts.

 

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Commercial disputes in Turkey do not resolve themselves, and the Turkish court system does not favor passive parties. If you are owed money by a Turkish debtor, if a business partner has breached a shareholders' agreement, or if a contractor has failed to deliver on a construction project — waiting is the most expensive option. Turkish procedural law rewards the party that moves first and moves correctly.

​

• Debt Recovery & Enforcement: Fast-track collection through the Execution Offices (İcra Müdürlüğü) under the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law (İİK No. 2004), including asset seizure and bank account freezing orders.

• Breach of Contract Litigation: Quantifying damages, proving causation, and securing compensation in Turkish Civil Courts of First Instance (Asliye Hukuk Mahkemesi).

• Enforcement of Foreign Judgments: If you hold a court judgment or arbitral award from another country, we handle the recognition and enforcement (tanıma ve tenfiz) process to make it executable in Turkey.

• Arbitration: Representation in ICC, ISTAC (Istanbul Arbitration Centre), and ad hoc arbitration proceedings — including interim measures and enforcement of awards.

​

Turkish Citizenship by Investment

Turkey's Citizenship by Investment program has become one of the most attractive in the world — offering a Turkish passport (visa-free access to 110+ countries) in exchange for a qualifying investment. But the process is far from simple. Incorrect property valuations, failure to annotate the title deed with the required 3-year holding restriction, or filing errors in the residence permit bridge application can delay or permanently disqualify your application.

​

• $400,000 Real Estate Route: Property identification, independent valuation verification, TAPU annotation, and complete citizenship file preparation — all managed remotely via Power of Attorney.

• $500,000 Bank Deposit Route: Opening a qualifying account, securing the 3-year deposit commitment letter, and coordinating with the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK).

• Family Inclusion: Spouse and children under 18 are included in the same application at no additional investment requirement. We prepare all family documentation and biometric appointments.

• Timeline Management: With proper legal management, the entire process — from property purchase to passport in hand — takes 3 to 6 months.

​

Employment & Labor Law for Foreign Businesses

Hiring employees in Turkey — whether Turkish nationals or foreign workers — triggers a dense set of obligations under the Turkish Labor Law (İş Kanunu No. 4857). Wrongful termination claims, severance miscalculations, or non-compliant employment contracts can result in costly litigation and regulatory penalties that catch foreign employers off guard.

​

• Employment Contracts: Drafting compliant fixed-term and indefinite-term contracts in both English and Turkish, including non-compete clauses, confidentiality provisions, and termination procedures.

• Work Permits for Foreign Employees: Coordinating employer-sponsored work permit applications through the Ministry of Labor, ensuring the foreign-to-Turkish employee ratio and minimum salary requirements are met.

• Wrongful Termination Defense: Representing employers before Turkish Labor Courts (İş Mahkemesi) in reinstatement claims and severance disputes.

• Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring your Turkish operation meets all obligations under social security law (SGK), occupational health and safety regulations, and data protection requirements (KVKK — Law No. 6698).