Legal Articles & Blog

Maritime & Shipping Law Turkey 2026 | Complete Legal Guide Attorney Bilal Alyar | İstanbul Bar Association, Reg. No: 54965 | Last Updated: March 2026 Turkey’s strategic position controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosphorus and Dardanelles) — one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints with over 40,000 vessel transits annually — and its extensive coastline…

KVKK & GDPR Compliance in Turkey 2026 | Data Protection Guide Attorney Bilal Alyar | İstanbul Bar Association, Reg. No: 54965 | Last Updated: March 2026 Turkey’s Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK — Kişisel Verilerin Korunması Kanunu, Law No. 6698), enacted in April 2016, established a comprehensive data protection framework modeled on the EU’s 1995

Cross-Border Inheritance in Turkey: EU Succession Regulation Cross-border inheritance involving Turkey and EU member states presents one of the most complex areas of international private law. While the EU Succession Regulation (No. 650/2012) simplifies succession within the EU, Turkey — as a non-EU country — is not bound by this regulation. This creates situations where

Inheritance Tax in Turkey for Foreign Heirs 2026 When a person dies owning assets in Turkey,Turkish inheritance tax applies regardless of the deceased’s or the heirs’ nationalities. For foreign heirs, navigating the Turkish inheritance tax system presents unique challenges including filing deadlines, valuation rules, and interaction with home-country tax obligations. This guide by Attorney Bilal

Recognition of Foreign Divorce in Turkey (Tanima-Tenfiz) 2026 If you obtained a divorce abroad and need it recognized in Turkey, you must go through the recognition (tanıma) and enforcement (tenfiz) process. Without this, your marriage remains legally valid under Turkish law — you cannot remarry in Turkey, and property and inheritance matters will be complicated.

Child Custody in Turkey for Foreign Parents 2026 Child custody disputes involving foreign parents in Turkey are among the most emotionally and legally complex family law matters. Whether you are a foreign national divorcing a Turkish spouse, two foreign nationals divorcing in Turkey, or a parent seeking to enforce or challenge a custody order across

Earthquake Safety and Property Due Diligence in Turkey 2026 Turkey sits on one of the world’s most seismically active zones, with the North Anatolian Fault posing particular risk to İstanbul and western Turkey. The devastating February 2023 earthquakes in southeastern Turkey (7.7 and 7.6 magnitude, over 50,000 deaths) underscored the critical importance of earthquake safety

Rental Income Tax in Turkey for Foreign Property Owners 2026 Foreign nationals who own rental property in Turkey are subject to Turkish income tax on their rental earnings, regardless of where they reside. Withproperty ownership increasingly popular among foreign investors — particularly those pursuingcitizenship by investment — understanding the rental income tax obligations is essential.

TAPU Process for Foreigners in Turkey 2026: Step-by-Step The TAPU (title deed) transfer is the definitive legal moment when property ownership changes hands in Turkey. Unlike many countries where a private contract suffices, Turkish law requires registration at the Land Registry Office (Tapu ve Kadastro Müdürlüğü) for a valid transfer. For foreign buyers, the process

Remote Company Formation Turkey: Register Without Traveling One of the most common questions from foreign investors is whether they need to travel to Turkey to establish acompany. The answer is no — the entire company formation process can be completed remotely through a power of attorney, making Turkey one of the most accessible jurisdictions for

Corporate Tax in Turkey for Foreign Companies 2026 Foreign companies operating in Turkey — whether through a subsidiary, branch, ornewly established entity — must navigate Turkey’s corporate tax system. With a headline rate of 25% in 2026, Turkey’s corporate tax framework includes numerous provisions affecting foreign investors, from withholding taxes on profit repatriation to transfer

Setting Up in Turkey Free Trade Zones 2026: Tax Benefits Turkey’s 18 free trade zones (FTZs) offer some of the most generous tax incentives available anywhere for manufacturing, logistics, and trading companies. With benefits including 100% corporate tax exemption (for qualifying entities), customs duty exemption, and streamlined operations, FTZs are an attractive option for foreign