Many foreigners think that overstaying in Turkey is “just a small fine at the airport.” In reality, Turkish law treats overstays as a violation of the right to legal stay, which can lead to fines, multi-year entry bans, deportation procedures and, in some cases, human-rights discussions about non-refoulement (protection against return to danger). This guide […]
Winning a lawsuit abroad against a Turkish debtor is only half the battle. A foreign judgment does not automatically give you the right to seize assets in Turkey. To convert your foreign judgment into real money, you must first obtain a Turkish court decision on recognition and/or enforcement (tanıma ve tenfiz). Only after that can […]
In Turkey, once a criminal investigation targets a company or its executives, it is not only personal liberty that is at stake. The criminal justice system (under the Turkish Penal Code – TCK – and the Criminal Procedure Code – CMK) allows prosecutors and judges to freeze bank accounts, seize immovable properties, and even take […]
Foreign creditors holding cheques, promissory notes or bills of exchange issued in connection with Turkish business transactions have access to a powerful collection tool under Turkish law: special execution proceedings on negotiable instruments (kambiyo senetlerine özgü icra takibi). This is a fast-track, document-driven enforcement mechanism regulated mainly by the Turkish Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law and […]
Under Turkish enforcement law, a debtor who believes that he or she does not actually owe the amount claimed is not limited to objecting to the payment order at the enforcement office. In some situations, the debtor may also file a “debt release action” (borçtan kurtulma davası) before the civil courts. This is a special […]
When a foreign creditor starts enforcement proceedings in Turkey and the Turkish debtor objects to the payment order, the enforcement automatically stops. At that point, the foreign creditor has two main legal remedies under Turkish Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law: Both remedies are subject to strict time limits and different evidentiary rules, so choosing correctly is […]
Foreign creditors who have outstanding receivables from debtors in Turkey can use the Turkish enforcement and bankruptcy system to collect their claims. The fact that the creditor is not resident in Turkey, or is a foreign company or individual, does not prevent them from starting enforcement proceedings, as long as certain procedural and jurisdictional requirements […]
When a foreign debtor receives a payment order (ödeme emri) from a Turkish enforcement office, the rules on objection are essentially the same as for Turkish nationals. The critical points are time limits, form, and the distinction between objection to the debt and objection to the signature. 1. Service of the Payment Order and Time […]