Buy Property in Turkey with a Power of Attorney (Remotely)

18 October 2026

Buy property in Turkey with a power of attorney: tapu office rules, where to sign it, required powers and the steps that need you in person.

Buying property in Turkey with a power of attorney is completely legal and common: without traveling to Turkey, you can authorize a lawyer or a trusted person to sign the title deed (tapu) in your name at the land registry office. But a power of attorney prepared for the tapu office has specific requirements. If it has no photo, does not explicitly state the authority to buy property, or lacks the required certification, the tapu office will not accept it and the transaction will be delayed. In this article we explain where and how to prepare the power of attorney, which powers it must include, what can be done remotely, and which steps require you to be there in person.

Where can you prepare the power of attorney?

For an Iranian buyer living in Iran, there are two main routes:

1. Prepare the power of attorney at a Turkish embassy or consulate: Turkey's diplomatic missions provide notary services (noterlik) and draw up the power of attorney directly in Turkish. According to Turkish law firms, this method removes the extra translation and legalization steps and is usually the simplest route.
2. Prepare the power of attorney at a notary in your country of residence: In this case the document must go through the legalization steps (explained in the next section), and an official Turkish translation is also required.

A third option is to sign the power of attorney before a notary (an official Turkish notary office) during a short trip to Turkey and leave the remaining steps to your lawyer. This suits people who are coming to Istanbul anyway to view the property.

Tapu office requirements for powers of attorney prepared abroad

The Turkish General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM) announced the conditions for accepting foreign powers of attorney in a circular dated August 11, 2015 (20 Mordad 1394). Based on the text published by the agency, a power of attorney prepared outside Turkish consulates must have the following features:

• It must be written in the official language of the country where it was prepared.
• It must carry the principal's photo, and the issuing authority must have certified the photo with a stamp or embossed seal. Under the regulation implementing Turkey's Notary Law, a power of attorney used for tapu transactions must include a photo.
• It must either carry an Apostille under the Hague Convention, or the notary's signature must be certified by the competent authority of that country, and that authority's signature and seal then certified by the Turkish consulate in that country.
• It must state the authority to carry out that specific transaction.
• Its Turkish translation, certified by a notary, must be submitted to the tapu office.

An important note for Iranians: the Apostille

Iran is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. A power of attorney prepared at an Iranian notary therefore cannot receive an Apostille and must go through the chain of certification: certification of the notary's signature by Iranian authorities, followed by certification by the Turkish consulate. For this reason, for most Iranian buyers, preparing the power of attorney directly at a Turkish embassy or consulate is less hassle.

What should you bring to a Turkish embassy or consulate?

Turkish missions give consular service appointments through the official konsolosluk.gov.tr system. Based on the guidance Turkish consulates have published for real estate powers of attorney, the following are usually required:

• A valid passport
• Recent passport-style photos (some consulates ask for two color photos taken within the last six months)
• The property's registry details, if a property has been identified (province, district, neighborhood, parcel and block number)
• The full details of the lawyer or person receiving the power of attorney
• Interpreter: if you do not speak Turkish, an official interpreter must be present; consulates have lists of approved interpreters in the same system.

Each mission sets its own exact documents and fees, so ask that mission for its current list before booking an appointment.

Which powers should the power of attorney include?

A general, vague power of attorney may be rejected at the tapu office. It is best to have your Turkish lawyer draft the text and send it to you before you go to the consulate. Common powers for a remote purchase are:

• Buying a specific property (or a property in a specific province) and signing the title transfer at the tapu office
• Obtaining a tax number (Vergi Numarası) in your name
• Opening a bank account and carrying out currency exchange and payments from that account
• Paying transfer fees and administrative costs
• Ordering and following up the official property valuation report
• Buying mandatory earthquake insurance (DASK) and transferring water, electricity and gas subscriptions
• If needed, following up the residence permit or citizenship file to the extent the law allows

Conversely, do not include powers you do not need. For example, if you only intend to buy, the power to "sell" or "mortgage" the property is unnecessary. The more precise the power of attorney, the lower the risk of abuse.

The remote purchase process, step by step

1. Choosing the property: Virtual viewing, document review and a pre-purchase agreement. Our checklist in the article Apartment Viewing Checklist Before Buying in Istanbul helps you ask the right questions even in a video viewing.
2. Preparing the power of attorney at the consulate or through the routes described above.
3. Obtaining the tax number and opening an account by the lawyer.
4. Legal due diligence on the property: Checking debts, mortgages, seizures and the status of the building in the tapu system.
5. Official valuation report (SPK): Required for foreigners in tapu transactions; you have read the details in the official property valuation report (SPK expertise).
6. Payment and currency exchange through a bank: According to 2026 legal guides, currency must be exchanged through a bank and an official exchange receipt (Döviz Alım Belgesi) obtained; this receipt matters especially for citizenship files.
7. Signing the deed at the tapu office by the lawyer and paying the transfer fees, which are calculated on the official sale price. We explain the costs in property purchase tax in Turkey and hidden costs.
8. Delivery of the deed and documents: The title deed is issued in your name, and the lawyer sends you the copies and receipts.

Which steps require your personal presence?

Buying and registering the deed by power of attorney is possible, but not everything can be done remotely:

• Property-based residence permit: According to the Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi) guide, after submitting the application in the e-İkamet system, the applicant must appear at the provincial migration office with documents on the appointment day and time, and personal attendance is mandatory for people over six. So for a residence permit you must travel to Turkey.
• Citizenship by investment: Turkish law firms say much of the file can be handled by power of attorney, but biometric data collection for issuing the Turkish ID card and passport is in person. See the full requirements in the guide to Turkish citizenship documents and steps and the citizenship page. These procedures change, and the final decision on residence and citizenship always rests with the Turkish government.

How to protect yourself

• Give the power of attorney only to a licensed lawyer or a person you trust completely.
• Do not include the authority to receive money into the lawyer's personal account; it is better for payments to be made from your own bank account in Turkey.
• Before the deed is signed, ask the lawyer to send you the tapu inquiry and the valuation report.
• When the work is finished, if you no longer need the power of attorney, revoke it. In addition to powers of attorney, Turkish consulates also prepare the document dismissing a representative (azilname).

To learn about other common mistakes, also read Is Buying Property in Turkey Safe?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a power of attorney from an Iranian notary accepted at the Turkish tapu office?

It may be, provided it carries a photo, explicitly grants the authority for the transaction, has the notary's signature certified by Iranian authorities and then by the Turkish consulate, and has a certified Turkish translation. Because Iran is not a party to the Apostille Convention, this route takes longer.

Can I apply for Turkish citizenship with a power of attorney?

Much of the process can be followed by power of attorney, but biometric data collection is in person. Before taking action, check the current requirements with our advisors.

What do I do at the consulate if I do not speak Turkish?

You need to bring an official interpreter. Consulates publish lists of approved interpreters on the konsolosluk.gov.tr system.

Can I cancel the power of attorney after the purchase?

Yes. A power of attorney is revoked by preparing a dismissal document before a notary in Turkey or at a Turkish consulate.

Free Consultation with ALO TURKEY

If you want to buy property in Istanbul without traveling, the Persian-speaking advisors at ALO TURKEY can arrange video viewings of properties, introduce you to a licensed lawyer to draft the power of attorney, and accompany you through the steps until the deed is issued. Laws and administrative practice change; consult us before taking any action. Message us on WhatsApp or request a consultation from the contact page.

Sources: Turkish General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM), text on "Powers of attorney prepared in foreign countries" based on the circular of August 11, 2015; Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management (Göç İdaresi), information brochure for foreigners on residence permit applications; notary services guide of the Turkish consulates (London and Athens) on powers of attorney; Hague Conference (HCCH) on members of the Apostille Convention; law firms FFK Partner (2026 tapu guide), Bilal Alyar and Canaydın, and Mondaq; all sources checked in October 2026.