Powers of attorney, notarial procedures, and apostilles

This page is for those who, while living in Russia or Ukraine, want to issue a power of attorney for title deed, banking, inheritance, vehicle, or litigation matters in Türkiye, or use a local document in Türkiye. Turkish diplomatic missions also perform notarial functions abroad. Below you will find which procedures must be carried out at the mission, which at a local notary, and the apostille rules.

• Powers of attorney, revocations, consent forms, undertakings, waivers, and contracts are prepared. Signature and seal certifications, certified translation certifications, and signature circulars are also issued.
• Procedures that must be performed in the form of an official deed (Notary Law Art. 89). Abroad, only Turkish diplomatic missions can prepare powers of attorney in the form of an official deed; foreign notaries can only prepare powers of attorney in the form of certification:
  • contracts and powers of attorney requiring a transaction at the land registry
  • wills
  • sales and promises to sell real estate with retention of title
  • foundation deeds, deeds of acknowledgment, and inheritance partition agreements
• Procedures requiring a photograph to be affixed: in addition to the above, powers of attorney for vehicle purchase and sale, divorce proceedings, matrimonial property regime agreements between spouses, and powers of attorney issued for the registration of a foreign divorce judgment.
• Since 6 April 2019, notarial documents prepared at missions can be viewed directly by notaries in Türkiye.

• The original Turkish identity card and two photocopies of its front and back on a single page. A driver's license may also be used for powers of attorney relating to vehicle matters.
• At least 2 recent, color, original passport photographs taken within the last 6 months. Color photocopies or scanned photographs are not accepted.
• The attorney-in-fact's information:
  • if a Turkish citizen: Turkish ID number and date of birth
  • if a foreigner: first and last name, place of birth, and date of birth
  • if a lawyer: additionally, address, bar association, and bar registration number
• Additional information depending on the subject of the transaction:
  • land registry matters: current block and parcel information, and preferably a photocopy of the title deed
  • vehicle matters: registration details
  • banking matters: bank, branch, and account details
  • on behalf of a company in Türkiye: trade registry record and signature circular
• If you have a sample power-of-attorney text, sending it to the mission as a Word file will speed up the procedure.
• If you do not speak Turkish, you must go to the mission with a sworn translator who has taken an oath there.
• If you cannot read or write or cannot sign, two literate Turkish citizen witnesses who are not first-degree relatives are required.

• If no duration or one-time use is stated in the text, the power of attorney remains valid until the attorney-in-fact is dismissed.
• A power of attorney is not cancelled; a revocation is prepared to dismiss the attorney-in-fact. For this, the notary's name, date, and number of the power of attorney and the attorney-in-fact's current address are required.
• A driver's power of attorney issued for someone else to take your vehicle to Türkiye and bring it back is renewed every year.
• You may have a waiver prepared at the mission to renounce an inheritance.
• The fee varies according to the type of transaction and the number of pages.
• No separate doctor's report is required for persons over 65. The official performing the procedure assesses their legal capacity.

• Foreigners may also have a power of attorney prepared at Turkish diplomatic missions. The text is in Turkish; those who do not speak Turkish must come with a sworn translator. A foreign identity document and its certified Turkish translation are required.
• Practice of the Consulate General of St. Petersburg:
  • For foreigners, only the following notarial procedures are exceptionally performed: contracts and powers of attorney requiring a land registry transaction, wills, sales with retention of title, promises to sell real estate, foundation deeds, marriage contracts, adoption, acknowledgment, inheritance partition, and powers of attorney for divorce proceedings.
  • For other procedures, the document is prepared by a local notary, an apostille is obtained from the Russian authorities, and it is duly translated into Turkish. These documents are valid in Türkiye.
  • Russian citizens who wish to have a power of attorney prepared apply after contacting the sworn translators of the consulate general.
• Those who have been permitted to renounce Turkish citizenship apply with their Blue Cards. Applications with only a foreign passport are not accepted.

• If you will use a document issued by Russian or Ukrainian authorities (a notary, civil registry office, court, or school) in Türkiye, obtain an apostille in the country where the document was issued. Then have the document translated into Turkish.
• Türkiye, Russia, and Ukraine are parties to the Apostille Convention:
  • for Türkiye, since 29 September 1985
  • for Russia, since 31 May 1992
  • for Ukraine, since 22 December 2003
• Turkish diplomatic missions have no authority to issue apostilles. The signature-and-seal certification chain performed at a mission is for documents from countries that are not parties to the Apostille Convention.
• Authorities issuing apostilles in Russia (HCCH record):
  • Ministry of Justice and its regional offices, including for notarial documents
  • regional civil registry (ЗАГС) administrations: birth, marriage, and similar documents
  • Prosecutor General's Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs, federal and regional archives, regional administrations, and the Ministry of Defense for military archive documents
  • Fee: 2,500 rubles per document (Article 333.33 of the Russian Tax Code, text dated 4 August 2026)
• Authorities issuing apostilles in Ukraine:
  • Ministry of Justice: court, archive, and notarial documents. Processing time is 2 business days; if document verification is required, it may take up to 20 business days.
  • State Migration Service (DMS): migration and citizenship documents. Fee: 51 hryvnias; processing time: 10 business days; applications may be submitted in person or by registered mail.
  • Ministry of Education and Science: educational documents. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Tax Service issue apostilles for their own documents; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handles other documents.
  • Original documents issued by former USSR institutions in Ukraine are not apostilled; an apostille may be affixed to a copy certified in Ukraine.
• If you will use a document obtained in Türkiye in Russia or Ukraine: for administrative documents, the governor's office or district governor's office; for judicial documents, the presidency of the justice commission in the locality where a high criminal court is located, issues the apostille.

• The mission certifies translations made by sworn translators who have taken an oath before the mission. Applications may only be made to the mission where the translator took the oath. Translation certification is subject to a fee.
• You can find translators registered with the mission through the “Find a Translator” tool at konsolosluk.gov.tr. The Consulate General of St. Petersburg publishes its list of sworn translators on its website.
• For a document obtained in Türkiye and translated into a foreign language, first obtain notarial certification and then an apostille from the governor's office.

• If a court or institution in Türkiye sends you a notice, the mission will send you an invitation letter.
  • Apply to the mission and collect the notice within 30 days after receiving the notification.
  • If you do not apply within 30 days, service is deemed completed at the end of the 30th day. If you refuse to receive it, service is also deemed completed by a record.
• e-Service: Since 4 April 2023, missions have also been opening e-Service addresses. Apply with your identity card or passport.
  • For a person who has an e-Service address, service of process electronically is mandatory.
  • Check your address information through the UYAP Citizen Portal using your e-Government password.
• Legal counsel: The Embassy of Kyiv has a legal counsel who provides information about local cases and applications to local authorities. Meetings are held by appointment. Turkish missions in Russia are not included on this list; the Embassy of Moscow has a Justice Counsellor's Office (+7 495 994 48 08, extension 1132).

• Having a land-registry power of attorney prepared by a local notary. A power of attorney to be used at the land registry must be in the form of an official deed, and abroad only a Turkish diplomatic mission can prepare it.
• Going with a photocopy or scanned photograph.
• Failing to bring the attorney-in-fact's Turkish ID number and the current block and parcel information for the title deed.
• Sending a document obtained from a local notary to Türkiye without an apostille.
• Having the document translated before obtaining the apostille.
• Issuing only a new power of attorney instead of a revocation to cancel the power of attorney.

• Is a power of attorney I issued before a Russian notary valid in Türkiye? A power of attorney in the form of certification may be used if an apostille is obtained in Russia and it is translated into Turkish. For procedures that must be performed in the form of an official deed, such as land registry procedures, go to a Turkish diplomatic mission.
• How long is a power of attorney valid? If no duration is stated in the text, until the attorney-in-fact is dismissed.
• Can my Russian spouse issue a power of attorney for a case in Türkiye? Foreigners may also have a power of attorney prepared at Turkish diplomatic missions with a sworn translator. The Consulate General of St. Petersburg performs only limited procedures for foreigners; a power of attorney for divorce proceedings is among them. For other matters, the local notary and apostille route is used; ask the mission first.
• Does the mission issue apostilles? No. The apostille is issued by the competent authority of the country that issued the document.
• How long does an apostille take in Ukraine? Two business days for Ministry of Justice documents and ten business days for Migration Service documents.
• Can I obtain a certificate of life from the mission? No. Missions do not issue certificates of life; you can obtain a civil registry record extract.

• Sample power of attorney: divorce (Word)
• Sample power of attorney: banking procedures (Word)
• Sample power of attorney: inheritance transfer (Word)
• Sample power of attorney: receiving a pension (Word)
• Sample power of attorney: retirement procedures (Word)
• Sample power of attorney: inheritance, motor vehicle (Word)
• Sample power of attorney: customs procedures (Word)
• Signature and seal certification application form (Word)
• Consulate – Find a Translator
• HCCH – Apostille Convention status table
• UYAP Citizen Portal (e-Service address inquiry)
• National Electronic Service of Process System