Can Foreign Nationals Set Up a Company in Türkiye? The Process Step by Step

Published: 10 September 2026 · Reading time approximately 7 minutes

Foreign Direct Investment Law No. 4875 places foreign investors on an equal footing with domestic investors. A foreign national can set up a limited liability or joint-stock company in Türkiye that is 100% their own ; there is no requirement for a Turkish partner.

A residence permit is not a precondition for formation either. However, if they are going to work in practicein the company they have set up, they must also obtain a work permit. These two matters are frequently confused with one another and this leads to lost time.

Which company type?

• Limited liability company (Ltd. Şti.): The most common choice. It can be set up with a single shareholder, its minimum capital is lower than that of a joint-stock company and its management is simpler.
• Joint-stock company (A.Ş.): Share transfer is straightforward and it is better suited to taking on investors and to growth; some fields of activity already require a joint-stock company.

Because minimum capital amounts can change with the legislation, we do not give figures here. At the formation consultation we determine the current amount and the type suitable for you together.

The formation process step by step

1. 1

   Potential tax number

   A potential tax number is obtained from the tax office for the foreign shareholder and, where applicable, the foreign manager. If the shareholder is a foreign company, the same step is needed for it as well.

2. 2

   Preparation and translation of the documents

   A notarised translation of the passport is prepared. If there is a foreign legal entity shareholder, its registry record, articles of association and the resolution of its authorised body are submitted apostilled and with a sworn translation.

3. 3

   MERSİS registration and articles of association

   The company details are entered through MERSİS, the articles of association are prepared and the fields of activity (NACE codes) are determined.

4. 4

   Trade registry registration

   Registration is completed at the Trade Registry Directorate, a signature declaration is drawn up and the registration is announced in the Trade Registry Gazette.

5. 5

   Tax office and book-keeping procedures

   The tax certificate is issued, the statutory books are certified and a contract is signed with an accountant.

6. 6

   Bank account and capital

   A bank account is opened in the company's name; the capital payment and the required statutory contributions are completed.

7. 7

   Starting operations

   Where required, the municipal licence, the Social Security Institution workplace declaration and sector-specific permits are obtained.

I have set up the company — now the work permit

If you are going to work in Türkiye as the foreign shareholder or manager of the company, the work permit application is made through the company. Criteria such as the company's capital, the number of employees and the shareholding are taken into account in the assessment. Once a work permit is obtained, it also serves in place of a residence permit.

This step needs to be built into the formation timetable from the outset; for details see work permit consultancy page.

Company, branch or liaison office?

If you already have a company abroad, setting up a new company in Türkiye is not the only option. We recommend reading the article in which we compare the branch and liaison office options: Liaison office, branch and company: which one suits you?

Common mistakes

• Assuming that formation and the residence or work permit are the same thing
• Drafting the field of activity too narrowly and incurring amendment costs later
• Bringing documents from abroad without an apostille
• Skipping the sector-specific licence requirement when using a virtual office as the address
• Leaving tax and social security obligations until after formation and letting them fall behind
• The spelling of the name differing between the passport and the translations

We handle formation, the tax number, the bank account and the translation work from a single point of contact — you can review our company formation for foreign nationals service and the tax number and bank account step.