Inheritance in Turkey for Foreigners
There are special rules of inheritance in Turkey, especially if the heirs are foreigners.
Inheritance principles:
- Inheritance by law (without a will)
- Inheritance by will (the shares of the heirs can be changed)
- Compulsory share (children, spouse and parents cannot be disinherited).
The following may be heirs:
- Children (natural and adopted)
- Spouse
- Parents
- Brothers, sisters, nephews
- Distant relatives (up to the 4th degree of kinship)
- The state (if there are no heirs).
Features for foreigners:
- Inheritance of movable property (money, cars) is regulated by the law of the testator's country.
- Inheritance of real estate - only according to the laws of Turkey.
Even if the heir is a foreigner, he is obliged to confirm the relationship through the consulate or apostilled documents.
To avoid disputes, it is better to make a will in advance. In Turkey, this can be done in three ways:
- At a notary (resmi vasiyetname)
- A handwritten will (el yazılı vasiyetname)
- An oral will (sözlü vasiyetname).
How to register an inheritance? Step-by-step instructions:
1. Obtain a death certificate (issued at a hospital or through Nüfus Müdürlüğü).
2. Open an inheritance case in court (file an application to Sulh Hukuk Mahkemesi).
3. Obtain a certificate of inheritance (veraset ilamı) to confirm the rights of the heirs.
4. Re-register the property in Tapu Müdürlüğü (pay the stamp duty (Tapu harcı)).
5. Pay the inheritance tax.