Inheritance Certificate (Veraset İlamı) in Türkiye: A Practical Guide for Foreign Investors
The inheritance certificate — veraset ilamı — is the official document that identifies the legal heirs of a deceased person and sets out each heir’s share of the estate. Without it, nothing moves: no property transfer, no access to bank accounts, no company share update, no tax filing. For foreign investors, this document is the starting point of the entire succession process in Türkiye, and understanding where to get it and how long it takes has a direct impact on planning.
1. Notary or Court: Who Issues the Certificate
In Türkiye, the inheritance certificate can be issued either by a notary or by a Civil Court of Peace (Sulh Hukuk Mahkemesi).
The notary route is faster. In straightforward cases, the certificate can be issued the same day. The notary verifies family and identity data through the Turkish civil registry (MERNİS) and issues a document that carries the same legal weight as a court order.
The court route is mandatory whenever a foreign element is involved. Proceedings take anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on court workload and case complexity.
The critical rule for foreign heirs: Turkish notaries can only access the Turkish civil registry (MERNİS). Because foreign family records are not in this system, a notary cannot legally verify the family ties of foreign nationals. Therefore, all foreign heirs must go to court.
One important detail: if even one heir is a foreign national, the notary route becomes unavailable for all heirs. In that case, the certificate can only be issued by the Civil Court of Peace.
2. The Court Procedure: What Actually Happens
Obtaining the certificate through court is not a lawsuit between parties. It is a non-contentious judicial verification procedure (çekişmesiz yargı) — the court reviews the death certificate, family registry records, and applicable succession rules to confirm who the heirs are and what their shares are. The application is filed at the Civil Court of Peace in the district where the deceased was last registered.
Documents required
For cases involving foreign nationals, the following are typically needed:
- Death certificate — apostilled and with a sworn Turkish translation
- Documents proving kinship (birth certificates, marriage certificates) — apostilled and translated
- Identity documents for all heirs
- Any wills — with sworn Turkish translations
- A power of attorney if the process is being handled by a local lawyer on behalf of heirs abroad
Realistic timeline
Court preparation takes around 2 to 4 weeks. The court decision itself — the veraset ilamı — takes 3 to 9 months depending on court workload and complexity. Tax clearance takes 1 to 2 weeks after the decision. Title deed transfer takes around 1 week after clearance. Total: 4 to 8 months on average.
Can the process be handled remotely?
Yes. A foreign heir can prepare a notarised and apostilled power of attorney in their country of residence and send it to a lawyer in Türkiye. With this power of attorney, the lawyer handles all inheritance certificate procedures — the application, follow-up, and document delivery — without the heir needing to travel to Türkiye. For international investors with assets in multiple countries, this is the standard approach.
3. Which Law Applies: Turkish Law or the Heir’s Home Country?
Under Türkiye’s Private International Law (Law No. 5718, Article 20):
- Inheritance is generally governed by the national law of the deceased
- Immovable property located in Türkiye is always governed by Turkish law, regardless of the deceased’s nationality
In practice, this creates what lawyers call a “split estate”: the same succession can be simultaneously governed by two different legal systems depending on where the assets are located. A foreign investor’s overseas assets follow their home country’s rules, while their Turkish real estate follows Turkish law. Company shares in Turkish entities are treated as movable assets and generally follow the deceased’s national law — though Turkish corporate law rules on share transfers still apply.
Türkiye is not an EU member and does not apply the EU Succession Regulation. EU citizens cannot use the EU mechanism that allows choice of law to govern their entire succession. Any choice of law made under EU rules does not bind Turkish courts or registries. Foreign investors who have used EU-based succession planning tools need to treat their Turkish assets separately.
4. Foreign Wills and Foreign Court Decisions: What Works in Türkiye
Foreign wills
A will made abroad may be valid in the testator’s home country but still face obstacles in Türkiye. Even if a will is valid in the testator’s home country, it must often be translated, notarised, and approved by Turkish courts before it can be enforced. Turkish law may also override certain provisions through forced heirship rules, which protect minimum inheritance shares for legal heirs.
For foreign nationals owning property in Türkiye, preparing a separate Turkish-law-compliant will specifically for Turkish assets is strongly recommended. It should be prepared as an official will (resmi vasiyetname) at a Turkish notary with a sworn translator present, explicitly state that it applies only to Turkish assets, complement rather than contradict the home country will, and respect Turkish forced share rules for Turkish real estate.
Foreign court decisions and certificates
Certificates of inheritance obtained abroad are not directly valid in Türkiye. Land Registry Directorates do not accept certificates issued by foreign courts when processing property transfers. A foreign certificate can be presented as evidence when applying for a Turkish inheritance certificate, but it cannot be used directly for property or bank transactions.
For movable assets, foreign court decisions can be enforced in Türkiye through a separate recognition and enforcement procedure (tanıma/tenfiz). For real estate, a new Turkish inheritance certificate is always required.
5. Asset by Asset: What the Process Looks Like
Real estate
Turkish law governs all real estate in Türkiye. The Land Registry will not process a title transfer without a Turkish inheritance certificate. Once the certificate is obtained, the inheritance tax is declared and calculated, then the property is transferred into the heirs’ names at the Land Registry.
New in 2026: if the inherited property is an older asset built before 2010, the Land Registry may block the transfer until a 3D digital building model is created. This new 2026 requirement involves hiring a licensed engineer and can add 2 to 4 weeks to the transfer process. Foreign heirs should check whether this applies to their specific property early in the process.
Company shares
Shares in Turkish companies are treated as movable assets, so the applicable law generally follows the deceased’s nationality. However, Turkish corporate law rules on share transfers still apply, and any restrictions in the company’s articles of association or shareholders’ agreements take precedence. After obtaining the inheritance certificate, share records must be updated in the company’s share ledger, commercial registry filings must be completed, and any transfer agreements executed. Pre-planned shareholders’ agreements are particularly valuable here — they prevent disputes over control and allow continuity of operations during what can be a lengthy process.
Bank accounts
Turkish banks will not allow transactions on a deceased person’s accounts until an inheritance certificate is presented. Foreign heirs must also obtain Turkish tax identification numbers and complete the bank’s client identification process before funds can be released. For estates with significant liquid assets, this restriction directly affects cash flow and should be factored into liquidity planning.
6. What Can Go Wrong: Common Mistakes
Going to a notary as a foreign heir. Foreign heirs frequently waste time trying to obtain the veraset ilamı at a notary. This is not possible — the court is mandatory.
Assuming home country rules apply to Turkish property. Turkish real estate is governed by Turkish law regardless of what the deceased’s home country rules say or what a foreign will provides.
Not planning for the 2026 3D model requirement. For older properties, this can delay the title transfer by several weeks and requires hiring a licensed engineer in advance.
Selling without tax clearance. A title deed cannot be transferred to a buyer until the tax clearance certificate (İlişik Kesme Belgesi) is issued by the tax office. Attempting to sell before this stage will cause the transaction to fail.
Underestimating the timeline. The full process from start to completed title transfer takes 4 to 8 months on average for foreign heirs. Planning business continuity and liquidity around this timeline is essential.
7. Practical Recommendations for Foreign Investors
Before anything happens:
- Prepare a separate Turkish-law-compliant will for your Turkish assets, executed at a Turkish notary with a sworn translator
- Put shareholders’ agreements or family governance documents in place to prevent disputes over company control during the succession process
- Arrange backup signatory rights or durable powers of attorney so that Turkish business operations do not stall while the inheritance process runs
- Identify a Turkish inheritance lawyer in advance rather than after the fact
When the process begins:
- Prepare apostilled and translated copies of all relevant foreign documents before filing the court application
- Grant a Turkish lawyer a power of attorney so the process can run remotely
- For real estate, check early whether the property triggers the 2026 digital model requirement
- Arrange liquidity to cover the period when bank accounts are frozen and the inheritance tax payment falls due
Summary
For foreign investors with assets in Türkiye, the inheritance certificate is the document everything depends on — and obtaining it takes significantly longer than most people expect. The court route is mandatory for all foreign heirs, the process averages 4 to 8 months, and Turkish law governs real estate regardless of what any foreign will or court decision says. The investors who navigate this most effectively are those who plan the structure in advance: a Turkish-compliant will for Turkish assets, shareholders’ agreements that survive the owner’s death, and a local lawyer who already knows the estate before being needed.