Verification measures in the land registry office: When purchasing property in Turkey, you will be required to submit information and several documents to secure the transaction. To be on the safe side, you will even be required to provide the names of your parents. For citizens of some countries, this request to hand over such private information is already familiar, whereas for residents of some countries such a request is an interesting anecdote to retell back home. I remember a Japanese friend who was stunned by this request. Tax number -- ID number requirement: Please note that you will need to obtain a tax ID number (vergi kimlik numarası) prior to the purchase of property in Turkey. This number is a kind of ID number that will be used for all official documentation and in many fields of life. This number does not necessarily mean that you will become a taxpayer, but more serves as verification of your ID in the future. The tax number will also be useful for easy registration in many offices and setting up utilities and is also required to open a bank account, contract goods and utilities (telephone, electricity, etc.) and deal with local tax authorities. Your lawyer will advise you on obtaining one.
Independent legal advice -- pre-verification of seller's ID and due diligence: It is strongly recommended that you receive appropriate independent legal advice before signing a sales contract or paying a deposit.
Lender requirements -- good for protection: For those who are buying property with a lender involved, the lender will require several documents to secure their own transaction with the borrower (and buyer) as well as the buyer-borrower transaction with the seller. Please ensure that you will hold the full title to the property on completion and that the appropriate documents are available for the lender.
Joint ownership: Properties can be purchased either individually or jointly; this also means that there can be more than one owner of the property you are buying. Please do not forget to check the ownership if there is more than one owner. During the sales process, all owners should give consent for the sale.
Verification through other records of the property: All properties (buildings) must have a certificate of permission in order to have water, electricity and sewerage.
Further checks: Make sure that the size and the location of the property is in compliance with Turkish law. Properties located in restricted military zones cannot be registered in foreigners' names. The purchase of properties exceeding a certain size is also limited by certain restrictions. In some provinces, such as Beyoğlu, İstanbul, there are regional restrictions on areas sellable to foreign citizens.
Language: Unless you understand Turkish well enough to communicate with the land registry officer or the notary when executing the sales contract, the officer or the notary are obliged to call upon the services of a qualified translator because the law states that you must understand what you are purchasing. The cost of translation services will be paid by you. Alternatively, you may wish to grant power of attorney to a representative of your choosing who is fully conversant in the Turkish language.
Conclusion: To sum up, before signing any documents committing you to responsibility and consent, it would be wise to have your documents checked by a legal professional in the field. This is good both for you and for the land registry officer.
