How to Make a Turkish Will as a Foreign Property Owner
If you want to make a Turkish will as a foreign property owner, it is one of the more effective, low-cost steps you can take now to spare your heirs a considerably more complicated process later — as covered in our articles on inheritance without a will and cross-border inheritance, a Turkish asset without a Turkish-specific will often gets caught between two countries' succession rules.
Why You Should Make a Turkish Will, Not Just Rely on One at Home
A will made in your home country may be recognised in Turkey, but applying it to a Turkish asset typically involves additional formalities and needs to work alongside Turkey's own succession rules. A will made specifically under Turkish law, covering your Turkish assets, is generally faster and more straightforward for your heirs to act on, because it is already in the form a Turkish court and Land Registry expect, rather than needing to be recognised and translated from a foreign legal system first.
The Accepted Forms of a Turkish Will
Turkish law recognises a small number of will formats, the most commonly used being the official will (resmi vasiyetname), made before a notary with witnesses present, and the handwritten will (el yazılı vasiyetname), which must be entirely in the testator's own handwriting, dated, and signed. An official will made before a notary is generally the more reliable option for a foreign property owner, since it removes questions about handwriting authenticity and is properly registered from the outset.
- 01Decide the Format
An official (notarial) will is generally the more reliable option for foreign property owners.
- 02List Your Turkish Assets
Identify the specific property, accounts or other assets the will should cover.
- 03Confirm Reserved Shares
Understand which close relatives are entitled to a reserved share regardless of the will's terms.
- 04Execute the Will
Complete the will before a notary, with witnesses where required.
- 05Keep It Findable
Store the will, and inform a trusted person or your legal adviser, so it can actually be located when needed.
Reserved Shares Still Apply, Even With a Will
However carefully a will is drafted, Turkish law reserves a minimum share of the estate for certain close relatives — typically children and a spouse, and in some cases parents — that cannot be fully overridden by the will. This means a Turkish will should be drafted with these limits in mind from the outset, rather than assuming your wishes can be followed exactly regardless of who your heirs are; a will that ignores reserved shares can be partially challenged after your death.
Coordinating a Turkish Will With Your Will at Home
A Turkish will covering Turkish assets works well when it is clearly coordinated with any will you already have in your home country, so the two do not accidentally conflict or unintentionally revoke each other. Many foreign owners choose to have their Turkish will explicitly limited to their Turkish assets, leaving their home-country will to cover everything else — this division of scope should be made explicit in both documents.
Local Context
Given how many long-term foreign residents in and around Fethiye have owned property here for years, and are often further along in life than when they first purchased, succession planning questions come up regularly — and a Turkish will covering the property specifically is consistently one of the simplest, most effective steps available to make that process easier for whoever inherits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a lawyer to make a Turkish will?
It is not a strict legal requirement for an official will, since a notary oversees the process, but having the will reviewed by a legal adviser first — particularly around reserved-share limits and coordination with any foreign will — is strongly recommended for a foreign property owner.
Can I write my Turkish will in English?
An official will made before a Turkish notary is generally executed in Turkish, with a sworn translator present if you do not speak Turkish fluently, to confirm you understand exactly what you are signing.
What happens if my Turkish will and my home-country will conflict?
This can create genuine complications for your heirs, since it may be unclear which document governs which assets — the safest approach is to draft both wills with clearly divided scope (e.g. the Turkish will limited to Turkish assets) and have them reviewed together, not in isolation.
Can I change or revoke a Turkish will later?
Yes — a will can generally be changed or revoked at any time while you have legal capacity to do so, following the same formal requirements as making the original will.
Does making a Turkish will avoid the need for a certificate of inheritance?
No — even with a valid will, your heirs will typically still need a certificate of inheritance (veraset ilamı) or an equivalent court process to formally transfer a Turkish property, but a clear Turkish will generally makes that process faster and less prone to dispute.
If you'd like to discuss making a Turkish will for your property here, get in touch — see our Inheritance Law page for the full scope of what we help with.
This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice; will drafting should always be reviewed individually against your full circumstances, nationality and existing estate planning.
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