Company formation and corporate work for foreign businesses in Antalya

Matters we handle

• Choice of structure. A subsidiary (limited or joint stock company), a branch or a liaison office. Each has a different legal status and different liability. See Setting up a company in Türkiye as a foreign business.
• Formation. Articles of association, the registration file, signing at the trade registry (ticaret sicili), capital payment and the first steps after registration.
• Foreign managers and directors. Signing authority, how it is recorded in the registry, and the separate question of work and residence permits. See Foreign managers in a Turkish company.
• Ongoing corporate work. Books, general assemblies, registry changes and reporting duties. See Running a foreign-owned company in Türkiye.
• Distribution, agency and group contracts. Whether to appoint a distributor or agent, or to set up a company, and how intra-group agreements and personal data transfers are handled. See Distributor, agent or subsidiary and Intra-group agreements and data transfers.
• Startups and investment. Founders' agreements, ownership of code and other intellectual property, share transfers, capital increases and investment documents. See Startup law in Antalya and Founders' agreements before investment.
• Disputes between partners. Share transfers, exit of a partner, general assembly resolutions and management disputes. Some commercial claims must first go to mediation.

How the work runs for clients abroad

Most steps can be done without travelling to Türkiye. The client signs a power of attorney (vekaletname). It is either notarised and apostilled abroad, or signed at a Turkish consulate. The power of attorney should list each act, such as signing the articles, filing the registration and opening a bank account. Turkish registries, notaries and banks may not accept very general wording.

A typical matter runs in this order:

1. We discuss the business plan and the choice of structure.
2. We list the documents needed from the parent company or the founders.
3. We prepare the articles of association and the registration file.
4. We file at the trade registry that has jurisdiction over the registered office.
5. We coordinate with the client's Turkish accountant (mali müşavir) on tax registration and bookkeeping.

Some steps may still need a personal visit, for example certain bank procedures or immigration appointments. This depends on the bank, the authority and the person's situation.

Documents usually needed

• Identity documents, or for a company, a commercial register extract from its home state.
• Resolutions of the parent company's board, where the company is a shareholder.
• Powers of attorney and signature declarations of the persons who will represent the company.
• For foreign documents, an apostille and a sworn translation into Turkish, usually with notary certification of the translation.

The guide on company formation sets out the full list and the registration steps.

Tax and the accountant

Tax questions belong to a Turkish certified public accountant or tax adviser. The choice of structure, capital and intra-group payments have tax consequences, so the accountant should be involved before the structure is decided. We work alongside the client's accountant.

Antalya: registry, free zone and industrial zone

A company is registered at the trade registry directorate with jurisdiction over its registered office. Within Antalya province, places such as Alanya and Manavgat have their own directorates. Producers and exporters may also look at the Antalya Free Zone or the Antalya Organised Industrial Zone. These are explained in Setting up in Antalya: free zone, organised industrial zone and investment incentives.

Language and communication

Clients may write to us in English or Turkish. Documents for Turkish authorities are prepared in Turkish, and we explain them to the client in English.