Company Registration in Turkey for Foreigners

Yes. In general, a foreign individual or foreign company can own 100% of a company in Turkey without a Turkish shareholder or local partner. Foreign investors are generally subject to the same company formation and share-transfer rules as local investors and may establish company types permitted under the Turkish Commercial Code.

Workon coordinates company registration for both individual foreign shareholders and foreign corporate shareholders. The required documents and establishment process differ depending on the ownership structure, and certain regulated sectors may be subject to additional licensing, authorization or ownership requirements.

Yes. A company can be registered in Turkey remotely without the shareholder or director travelling to Turkey for the incorporation process. A properly executed Power of Attorney allows the required company formation procedures to be carried out on your behalf, including tax-number coordination, preparation of the incorporation documents and completion of the Trade Registry process.

Workon coordinates the remote company formation process and provides instructions for the documents that need to be signed abroad, including any applicable notarization, apostille, legalization or sworn-translation requirements. Corporate banking is a separate process and may have its own identification or physical-presence requirements depending on the bank and the specific case.

The documents required to register a company in Turkey depend mainly on whether the shareholder is a foreign individual or a foreign company. For a standard individual foreign shareholder, the process generally starts with a clear passport copy. If the company will be established remotely, a properly executed Power of Attorney is also required for the relevant incorporation procedures.

If the shareholder is a foreign company, additional corporate documents are required to verify the parent company’s legal status, ownership, authorized signatories and authority to establish the Turkish entity. Depending on where the documents are issued and signed, notarization, apostille or consular legalization, sworn translation and Turkish notarization may also be required. Workon reviews the shareholder structure in advance and provides a case-specific document and execution checklist.

The cost of registering a company in Turkey depends on the shareholder structure, document requirements and the services included in the setup. A company formation quotation may include Workon’s coordination service, registered business address, Trade Registry and official fees, notarization, sworn translation and corporate bank account application support, depending on the agreed scope.

Share capital is separate from the formation fee and remains the company’s own money rather than a payment to Workon. Where ongoing tax or compliance work requires an independent licensed professional, those professional fees are also separate from the company-formation fee. Workon provides a case-specific written quotation showing what is included, which costs are paid to third parties and which expenses may continue after the company is established.

A standard Workon-coordinated company incorporation process in Turkey is usually completed in approximately 5 business days once the required documents are ready and accepted. This timeline generally covers tax-number coordination, preparation of the Articles of Association, completion of the Trade Registry registration and initiation of the corporate bank account application.

The approximately 5-business-day timeline does not include the bank’s own KYC review, approval, account opening or activation period. These stages are controlled separately by the bank and may take additional time. The overall process may also vary if documents require legalization, apostille, translation or notarization, or if an authority requests additional information.

Yes. A foreign-owned company can be registered outside Istanbul in other cities in Turkey. Workon can coordinate company formation in selected cities outside Istanbul and, where available, arrange the required registered business address or virtual office through partner offices.

Workon’s own offices are located in Ataşehir and Ümraniye, Istanbul, while locations outside Istanbul are coordinated separately through partners. Availability, local procedures, timing and costs may vary by city, the company’s activity and the requirements of the relevant authorities, so Workon provides a case-specific setup plan and quotation.

Yes. A company registered in Turkey must have a registered business address, and a virtual office can generally be used for this purpose when it is suitable for the company’s activity and applicable requirements. This allows many foreign founders to establish their company without renting a permanent physical office.

Workon provides registered business address and virtual office solutions in Ataşehir and Ümraniye, Istanbul. Businesses that require a physical workplace, storage or production facilities, or premises that meet activity-specific licensing requirements may need a different type of location. For further details, see our virtual office in Turkey service.

Corporate bank account application support can be included in Workon’s agreed company setup scope, but registering a company in Turkey does not guarantee bank approval. Once the company is registered and the required corporate documents are available, Workon can help prepare the application, coordinate the required KYC documentation and follow up with the bank. The bank independently reviews each application and retains full authority over approval.

Bank approval, account opening and account activation are separate stages from company registration. Standard activation may require the company director’s physical presence, while a specially coordinated fully remote process may be available for eligible cases through a bank Workon works with. Availability, timing and approval remain subject to the bank’s requirements. For further details, see our business bank account application in Turkey service.

Trade Registry registration legally establishes the company, but additional steps may still be required before the business is fully ready to operate. Depending on the company and its activities, these steps may include tax-office commencement procedures, tax and compliance onboarding with the appropriate licensed professional where required, completion of the corporate bank account process and setup of the digital tools required for day-to-day operations.

Additional requirements may include KEP, e-signature, invoicing setup, employee and social-security registrations, licences, permits or sector-specific registrations. Workon coordinates the relevant post-registration steps within the agreed scope, while regulated professional work is carried out by the appropriate licensed professionals and banks and public authorities retain control over their own approval processes.