Sworn translator at the title deed (tapu) office

The deed of sale at a Turkish land registry office (tapu müdürlüğü) is drawn up and read out in Turkish. If you do not understand Turkish, the office will not let you sign on your own. You need a sworn interpreter, and that person must hold a specific authorisation. This guide explains the rule as the land registry authority (TKGM) states it, as of October 2026.

When a sworn interpreter is required

TKGM's document list for foreigners' transactions on its Your Key Türkiye portal states that a sworn interpreter (yeminli tercüman) is required for a party who does not know Turkish. That covers:

• a foreign buyer signing in person;
• a foreign seller signing in person;
• a representative who signs under a power of attorney but does not speak Turkish.

The requirement depends on whether the person signing understands Turkish, not on their passport. If you send a Turkish-speaking representative with a valid power of attorney, that representative signs and no interpreter is needed for you. See power of attorney from abroad for the form the office accepts.

Who can act as the interpreter

TKGM's wording is specific. The interpreter must be authorised by a Regional Court of Justice Commission (Bölge Adli Yargı Adalet Komisyonu) or by the Justice Commission of the first-instance courts (Adli Yargı İlk Derece Mahkemesi Adalet Komisyonu Başkanlığı). In practice this means a person on the interpreter list that each province's justice commission prepares every year.

These lists are announced on the courthouse websites. As an example, the Mersin justice commission's 2026 notice sets out the conditions: applicants must be Turkish citizens or Blue Card holders (former Turkish citizens), be at least 18, have no convictions for the listed offences, live or work in that province, and take an oath before the commission. The names of those who took the oath are published on the courthouse website.

What this means for you:

• A friend, relative or the estate agent who "speaks good English" does not qualify unless they are on such a list.
• Being a sworn translator at a notary (noter yeminli tercüman) is a different authorisation. TKGM names the justice commission authorisation, so ask the land registry office in advance if your interpreter has only a notary oath.
• The interpreter must cover your language. Lists name the languages each person is registered for.
• Bring the interpreter's ID and proof of their listing (for example, the commission's list or certificate) to the appointment; the office may ask for it.

What happens at the signing

1. Booking. When the file is complete and the fees are paid, the land registry office sends the signing time by SMS. Tell your interpreter the date and office straight away.
2. Identity check. Bring your passport and the documents you submitted. Your interpreter should bring their ID and proof of authorisation.
3. The deed in your language. The official deed (resmi senet) is in Turkish, and the interpreter translates it orally into your language. Ask questions before you sign. The price, the property details and your name must match your documents and the bank's foreign-currency certificate (DAB).
4. Signatures. The parties sign the deed. Ask the officer what the interpreter must sign or confirm at your office.
5. Handover. The title deed (tapu) is given to the buyer or the buyer's representative.

Written translations you may need before the appointment

Oral interpreting at the signing is separate from written translation of your documents. Depending on your case, the land registry may need:

• Passport or ID translation. TKGM's FAQ says the national ID or passport is submitted with a Turkish translation if it is not in the Latin alphabet.
• Power of attorney translation. A power of attorney issued abroad is submitted as the original or a certified copy together with its translation.
• Inheritance documents. Foreign certificates of inheritance must be recognised by a Turkish court before the land registry can act on them, under Article 37 of the Land Registry Law as quoted by TKGM.

TKGM's pages do not say who must make these written translations or whether they must be notarised. Ask the land registry office handling your file what form it accepts before you order translations.

Practical tips

• Ask for a written translation of the draft deed and any pre-contract before the signing day. Hearing a legal text only once, orally, makes it hard to spot mistakes.
• Agree the interpreter's fee and waiting time in advance. TKGM does not set interpreter fees, and appointments can run late.
• If both the buyer and the seller are foreigners with different languages, ask the office whether one interpreter can cover both languages or whether you need two.
• Keep your interpreter's contact details. You may need them again for later steps, for example a citizenship commitment annotation; see citizenship by property investment.

For the full order of the purchase, see buying property in Türkiye as a foreigner, and for document requirements in general, our documents section.

How we can help

We are a sworn translation office in Gaziantep with translators in many languages, including English, German, Russian, Arabic, Persian, Azerbaijani, Uzbek, Bulgarian and Romanian. We translate passports, powers of attorney and deeds into or out of Turkish and can explain how notarisation works. For interpreting at the land registry, we can help you find an interpreter who is authorised by the justice commission for your language and province. For Arabic in Gaziantep, our sworn Arabic translator Muammer Ataç interprets at land registry signings himself.