Commercial & Company Law

Yes. Under Turkey's foreign direct investment framework, foreign investors are generally granted the same rights as Turkish nationals to establish and fully own a company in Turkey, including limited liability companies (limited şirket) and joint-stock companies (anonim şirket). Certain regulated sectors may carry additional requirements, which should be checked for your specific business activity.

A limited liability company (limited şirket) is the most commonly used structure for smaller foreign-owned ventures, including tourism and short-let property management businesses, due to its relatively simpler governance requirements compared to a joint-stock company. The right structure still depends on the number of shareholders, capital needs and the nature of the business.

No, a Turkish or local partner is not a general legal requirement for most business activities — a company can be wholly foreign-owned. Some regulated sectors have their own specific requirements, so this should be confirmed for your particular business activity before you proceed.

At a minimum, a well-drafted commercial contract should clearly define the scope of the parties' obligations, payment terms, the governing language and law, and how disputes will be resolved. Where the parties operate in different languages, having an agreed authoritative-language clause can prevent later disputes about the meaning of a translated term.

The starting point is usually the partnership or shareholder agreement itself, if one exists — it typically governs how disputes, an exit, or a buyout are meant to be handled. Where no such agreement exists, or it does not cover the situation, the applicable provisions of the Turkish Commercial Code and general contract law come into play instead.