Turkish Certificate of Inheritance (Veraset İlamı) from Germany — Complete Guide 2026

Someone in your family has passed away in Turkey, or left assets there. You are sitting in Germany trying to figure out what comes next. You have heard the phrase "Veraset İlamı" mentioned by a relative, by a bank, or by the land registry office. You are not sure what it is, who issues it, whether you have to fly to Turkey to get it, or whether the probate certificate you already have from Germany is enough.

It is probably not enough. This guide explains why — and exactly what you need to do instead.

1. What Is the Turkish Certificate of Inheritance?

The Turkish Certificate of Inheritance — Veraset İlamı in Turkish, also called Mirasçılık Belgesi (Certificate of Heirship) — is the official document that formally identifies who the legal heirs of the deceased are and what share of the estate each heir is entitled to receive.

It is issued under Article 598 of the Turkish Civil Code (Türk Medeni Kanunu) by either the Turkish Civil Court of Peace (Sulh Hukuk Mahkemesi) or, in straightforward cases involving only Turkish nationals, by a Turkish notary.

Why Is It Required?

Without the Turkish Certificate of Inheritance, none of the following is possible in Turkey:

What the Certificate Is and Is Not

The certificate is declaratory — it declares who is already an heir (heirship arises automatically on death), it does not create heirship. This matters for one important reason: obtaining the certificate does not mean you have accepted the inheritance. You can still reject it within the three-month rejection window after you become aware of your status as heir and the death. Neither obtaining the certificate nor filing a tax declaration constitutes acceptance.

The certificate is also not final — it can be challenged and corrected at any time through an annulment lawsuit (Veraset İlamının İptali Davası) before the Court of First Instance (Asliye Hukuk Mahkemesi).

2. Notary or Court — Which Route Do You Take?

Since 2011, the Turkish Certificate of Inheritance can be issued either by a Turkish notary or by the Civil Court of Peace. Which route applies to you depends on who is involved in the inheritance.

Route A: Turkish Notary (Fast track — available only under specific conditions)

When all conditions are met, the notary can issue the certificate on the same day in 15–30 minutes. The notary accesses the Turkish civil registry (MERNİS) electronically to verify the family tree and calculates the legal shares accordingly.

Conditions for the notary route — all must apply:

⚠️ Critical for anyone reading this from Germany: The moment even a single party involved — whether the deceased or any heir — holds a foreign nationality (including German nationality), holds a Blue Card (Mavi Kart), or is a dual national, the Turkish notary loses jurisdiction entirely. This is not discretionary. Article 71/B(3) of the Turkish Notaries Act (Noterlik Kanunu) makes this an absolute rule. The notary cannot issue the certificate in these cases even if everything else is straightforward.

Route B: Civil Court of Peace (Sulh Hukuk Mahkemesi — required in most cases with a Germany connection)

The court route is mandatory when:

Which court? Any Turkish Civil Court of Peace has jurisdiction — at the deceased's last place of residence, at any heir's place of residence, or at the location of inherited property. This flexibility is useful: your lawyer can file in whichever city is most practical.

Timeline:

Cost Comparison 2026

These fees are fixed — they do not scale with the value of the estate. Additional costs from Germany include: Turkish consulate fees for the power of attorney, apostille fees, and certified translation costs (combined typically €200–500).

3. Blue Card (Mavi Kart) Holders — A Special Situation Rarely Explained

If you or anyone else involved in the inheritance holds a Blue Card, this section is the most important one for you. Almost no English-language guide addresses this clearly.

What Is a Blue Card (Mavi Kart)?

The Blue Card is an official identity document issued to former Turkish citizens — people who were Turkish nationals by birth but renounced their Turkish citizenship with government permission. It is also issued to their descendants up to the third degree.

Blue Card holders retain most of the rights of Turkish citizens — they can live, work, and own property in Turkey. But they are legally classified as foreign nationals. They are not Turkish citizens.

The Inheritance Certificate Problem for Blue Card Holders

Blue Card holders cannot obtain the Turkish Certificate of Inheritance from a notary. There are two reasons for this:

Legal reason: Article 71/B(3) of the Notaries Act excludes anyone with a foreign status — and Blue Card holders are legally foreign nationals — from the notary route.

Technical reason: When someone renounces Turkish citizenship, their record in the civil registry (Nüfus) is closed. The notary accesses the MERNİS database to trace family relationships — but for Blue Card holders, that record no longer exists in the active registry. The notary physically cannot verify the family connection.

Consequence: Blue Card holders must go through the Civil Court of Peace. The good news: this can be done entirely through a lawyer with a power of attorney from Germany. No travel to Turkey required.

What Blue Card Holders Need to Bring

Unlike Turkish nationals, Blue Card holders must provide additional documentation to the court that proves family relationships through other means:

4. Does a German Erbschein (Probate Certificate) Work in Turkey?

This is the question asked most often — and the answer is more nuanced than most people expect.

The Legal Framework: The 1929 Convention

The relationship between Germany and Turkey on estate matters is governed by the Annex to Article 20 of the German-Turkish Consular Convention of 28 May 1929 — the so-called Nachlassabkommen (Estate Agreement). This agreement remains in force today and takes precedence over the EU Succession Regulation, since Turkey is not an EU member state.

The Decision Matrix: Which Certificate for What?

For Turkish Real Estate: Always the Turkish Certificate

This is the critical point: Turkish land registries will not accept a German Erbschein, an apostilled and translated German probate document, or a European Certificate of Succession for property title transfers. The only document that works is the Turkish Certificate of Inheritance. This is confirmed by consistent practice of Turkish land registries and is grounded in the lex rei sitae principle — Turkish property is always governed by Turkish law.

The European Certificate of Succession Gap

Many EU citizens in Germany are unaware of this: the EU Succession Regulation (No. 650/2012) does not apply in Turkey. Turkey is not an EU member state and the Regulation has no binding effect there. This means:

If you are an EU citizen with assets in both Germany and Turkey, you need to plan for both legal systems separately. A Turkish will or an internationally coordinated estate plan is far more effective than a single German will.

5. Step by Step: Getting the Turkish Certificate of Inheritance from Germany

Step 1 — Assess Your Situation

Before doing anything else, establish: What nationalities do all involved parties hold? What is in the Turkish estate — real estate, bank accounts, vehicles, company shares? Is there a will? Are there any civil registry complications (name discrepancies, children from different marriages, adoptions)?

The answers determine whether a notary or court is needed, and what documents must be prepared. A brief consultation with a lawyer before you start saves significant time.

Step 2 — Issue a Power of Attorney at the Turkish Consulate

Go to the nearest Turkish consulate in Germany. Consulates with notarial functions are located in Frankfurt, Berlin, Stuttgart, Munich, Cologne, Hamburg, Hanover, Karlsruhe, Münster and Nuremberg.

Bring your valid passport. Have a Sondervollmacht (special power of attorney) drawn up in Turkish. This document is immediately valid in Turkey without an apostille — it is one of the few documents that does not require further certification. For German-language background on the document itself, see our power of attorney guide.

The power of attorney must explicitly authorise the following:

⚠️ Common mistake: A general power of attorney — even one notarised in Germany — is not sufficient for Turkish court and land registry proceedings. The document must be issued at the Turkish consulate, in Turkish. Your lawyer should review the text before you go.

Step 3 — Prepare Your Documents

All foreign documents (issued outside Turkey) must be apostilled and certified translated into Turkish by a sworn translator before they can be used in Turkish legal proceedings.

How to get an apostille in Germany: Contact the relevant Regierungspräsidium (regional government authority) for the type of document. Death certificates from civil registry offices (Standesamt) need the apostille from the responsible Regierungspräsidium.

Sworn translator: Ensure the translator is state-certified (in Germany: "allgemein beeidigt" for Turkish). Not every translation agency meets this standard. Ask your lawyer which translators they work with.

Step 4 — Your Lawyer Files in Turkey

With the power of attorney and documents in hand, your lawyer in Turkey files the application. For court cases involving foreign heirs, the court must formally serve notice on the parties — your lawyer handles this. Once the certificate is issued, it has no expiry date — it remains valid indefinitely unless successfully challenged.

Step 5 — What Follows the Certificate

The certificate is the key that unlocks everything else — but it is not the end of the process.

Inheritance tax declaration: Must be filed at the Turkish tax office at the deceased's last place of residence. Deadline for heirs living abroad: 6 months from the date of death (8 months if both the deceased and all heirs were abroad). File even if the court process is still ongoing — the deadline runs from the death, not from the certificate.

Tax clearance certificate (İlişik Yoktur Yazısı / İlişik Kesme Belgesi): Issued by the tax office after the inheritance tax is paid. Without it, no title deed transfer can proceed.

Title deed transfer (WEBTAPU): Online application through Turkey's land cadastre system. Your lawyer manages this with the power of attorney.

Bank accounts: Each bank has its own internal procedure. Generally: the certificate, tax declaration and clearance certificate are required. All heirs may need to participate if there are multiple.

Vehicles: Re-registration at the traffic registry office.

6. Common Mistakes — and How to Avoid Them

Mistake 1: Going to a Turkish notary as a foreign national or Blue Card holder

The notary will turn you away. This is a very common experience that wastes weeks of time. Always assess nationality first.

Mistake 2: Presenting a German Erbschein to a Turkish land registry

It will not be accepted for property transfers. The only solution is the Turkish certificate — no amount of apostilling, translating or notarising the German document changes this.

Mistake 3: Assuming the European Certificate of Succession works in Turkey

It does not. Turkey is not bound by the EU Succession Regulation. Turkish real estate is always governed by Turkish law.

Mistake 4: Getting a general power of attorney from a German notary

Turkish courts and land registries generally do not accept a general German notarial power of attorney. The document must be issued at the Turkish consulate in Turkish.

Mistake 5: Missing the inheritance tax deadline

The deadline runs from the date of death — not from when the certificate is issued. Filing late results in penalties and interest. File the tax declaration even if the court process is still in progress.

Mistake 6: Forgetting the Turkish Tax ID Number

Foreign heirs need a Turkish Tax ID Number (Vergi Kimlik Numarası) for every step of the process — tax declaration, title deed transfer, bank access. Your lawyer can obtain this on your behalf without you needing to appear in Turkey.

Mistake 7: Not getting an injunctive order when a dispute is possible

If you suspect a family member may attempt to sell or transfer an asset before the estate is properly settled, ask your lawyer to apply for a precautionary injunction (ihtiyati tedbir) at the same time as the Certificate of Inheritance application. This prevents the asset from changing hands during the proceedings.

7. Five Common Scenarios — What to Do in Each Case

Scenario A: All heirs are Turkish nationals, estate is in Turkey, no will

→ Notary route is available. Lawyer obtains the certificate on the same day with a consular power of attorney. Fastest and simplest.

Scenario B: One heir is a German national (never held Turkish citizenship)

→ Court route mandatory. Apostilled German documents required. Your lawyer files at any Civil Court of Peace in Turkey. Timeline: 4–10 weeks with complete documents.

Scenario C: You are a Blue Card (Mavi Kart) holder

→ Court route mandatory — notary cannot access your closed registry. Apostilled documents proving family relationships needed. Manageable from Germany through a lawyer. Timeline: 4–12 weeks.

Scenario D: The deceased was a German national who owned a flat in Istanbul

→ Turkish certificate from the court — mandatory for the Tapu transfer. For German assets, a German Erbschein from the German Nachlassgericht. Two parallel processes. Both can be managed through lawyers in their respective countries.

Scenario E: The deceased lived in Germany but was Turkish national, estate split between both countries

→ Turkish certificate needed for Turkish assets. For German bank accounts, an apostilled Turkish certificate may suffice under the 1929 Convention. For German real estate, a German Erbschein. Coordinate both processes through lawyers in both jurisdictions to avoid missing any deadlines.

8. Handle the Turkish Certificate of Inheritance with Doğru Kanzlei

Doğru Kanzlei holds dual bar membership with the Ankara Bar Association and the Karlsruhe Bar Association (§ 207 BRAO). We access Turkey's UYAP attorney portal directly from our Mannheim office — no third-party relay through a separate Turkish law firm.

Founding attorney Av. Hasan Doğru spent approximately a decade as a member of Turkey's Special Operations unit (Özel Harekat) before his legal career — giving our estate work a practical understanding of Turkish institutional processes that purely academic training does not provide.

For the broader inheritance process, see our Turkish inheritance general guide.

What we manage for clients across Germany and beyond: