A power of attorney is only as good as the grantor's understanding of it. Where the person signing does not read Turkish — or does not read the language of the notary before whom they are signing — the law requires an interpreter, and the requirement is not a formality. A document executed without one is vulnerable, and everything done under it becomes contestable. This article explains how the process works and where it goes wrong.
The principle
A notarial instrument records that the person appearing before the notary declared their will, having understood the content of the document. Where the person does not understand the language in which the instrument is drawn, that declaration cannot be made without translation.
Turkish notarial practice therefore requires that a sworn interpreter participate where the grantor does not know Turkish, that the content be translated to them, and that the interpreter's participation be recorded in the instrument itself.
The interpreter's role is not decorative. They are the mechanism by which the record of understanding becomes true.
Why it matters practically
Two distinct risks follow from executing without an interpreter.
Refusal. An institution presented with a document whose face suggests the grantor could not have understood it may decline to act on it. Turkish notaries will generally not execute in these circumstances at all.
Challenge. More seriously, a power of attorney executed by someone who did not understand it can be challenged later. A grantor who claims they did not know what they authorised — a sale, a settlement, a waiver — brings the transactions carried out under the document into question. Counterparties who relied on it are drawn into the dispute.
For an attorney, this is a reason to insist on the interpreter rather than accept a client's assurance that they "understand enough".
At a Turkish consulate
Consulates issue powers of attorney in Turkish, and where the grantor does not speak Turkish the mission arranges or requires interpretation. Practice varies between missions, and the question should be asked when booking rather than raised at the counter.
Where the grantor is a foreign national with no Turkish, the practical approach is to have the Turkish text drafted in advance by the lawyer in Türkiye, and to provide the grantor with a translation into their own language beforehand — so that the appointment confirms an understanding already formed rather than creating one under time pressure.
Before a foreign notary
Where a local notary is used, the framework is that country's, and it varies. What matters for use in Türkiye is that the resulting document is capable of doing its work here:
- The document should be executed in a form the local notary can properly attest.
- Where it is bilingual, the Turkish text should be the operative one, drafted in Türkiye.
- Where an interpreter participates, their participation should be recorded.
- The document must then be apostilled, and translated in Türkiye by a sworn translator with the translation notarised.
A frequent and avoidable failure: a document executed in English before a notary abroad, apostilled, translated in Türkiye — and the translation renders the authorities in terms the land registry does not recognise. The registry reads the Turkish translation, not the English original, and imprecision there defeats the document.
Having the Turkish text prepared first, and the foreign-language version derived from it rather than the reverse, avoids the problem entirely.
Sworn translators in Türkiye
Translation for official use in Türkiye is done by a sworn translator (yeminli tercüman) whose signature is registered with a notary, and the translation is then notarised.
Two points that save time:
- Names. Personal names should be rendered exactly as in the passport, not transliterated afresh. A name translated phonetically into Turkish spelling will not match the tax record or the title deed.
- Legal terms. Authorities in a power of attorney are terms of art. A translator working without the Turkish original may render "authority to sell" in words that the registry does not accept as such. Where the document was drafted in Türkiye, this cannot happen.
Bilingual documents
Bilingual powers of attorney are common and useful: the grantor reads their own language, and the Turkish text does the work.
Two rules make them safe. State which text governs — the Turkish one. And ensure the two versions actually correspond, which means drafting the Turkish first and translating from it, not the other way round.
A bilingual document whose two halves diverge is worse than a monolingual one, because it creates an argument about what was authorised.
The wider point about consent
The interpreter requirement is one instance of a broader principle: a person is bound by what they understood themselves to be doing. That principle protects the vulnerable, and it is worth taking seriously in situations where a foreign national is asked to sign a document arranged by someone else.
Where a developer, agent or intermediary presents a power of attorney for signature — particularly one appointing their own representative — the questions to ask are: what does the Turkish text actually say, who drafted it, and whose interests does the attorney serve? An investor who cannot answer those questions should not sign, whatever the assurances.
This is not a theoretical concern. Powers of attorney signed without understanding are the mechanism behind a recognisable category of property disputes.
Practical checklist
- Have the Turkish text drafted by your lawyer in Türkiye before any appointment.
- Obtain a translation into your own language and read it before you attend.
- Ask the consulate or notary in advance how interpretation will be handled.
- Ensure the interpreter's participation is recorded in the instrument.
- Include a photograph where the document will be used at the land registry or for personal status matters.
- Where bilingual, state that the Turkish text governs.
- Check that names match the passport exactly.
- Keep a copy of everything signed.
Frequently asked questions
Is an interpreter compulsory? Where the grantor does not know the language of the instrument, yes — and their participation is recorded.
Can a family member interpret? The requirement is a sworn interpreter. A relative with an interest in the transaction is precisely who should not be interpreting.
Can the document be in English only? It must be usable in Türkiye. A Turkish text, or a Turkish translation of the required precision, is what institutions read.
Which language governs in a bilingual document? State it — and make it the Turkish text.
What if I signed without understanding? Take advice promptly. A document executed without proper understanding can be challenged, and speed matters.
Does the interpreter need to be present at the consulate? Practice varies by mission; ask when booking.
Who pays the interpreter? The grantor, as part of the cost of execution.
Understanding before signature
The interpreter requirement exists so that a signature means something. Treating it as an obstacle to be minimised misses the point — it is the safeguard that makes everything done under the document secure.
Dural Hukuk drafts Turkish power of attorney texts, provides clients with accurate translations before execution, and specifies exactly what a foreign notary must do for the document to work in Türkiye. Call +90 535 260 74 54 or use the contact form on this site.
This article is general information on Turkish law as at August 2026 and is not legal advice. Notarial practice varies by jurisdiction and mission; confirm requirements in advance.