Establishment of Liaison Offices

Related Institution: Ministry of Economy

Duration (day): 5

Cost : 0

Necessary Documents

• The original copy of the "Certificate of Activity" of the parentompany approved by the relevant Turkish Consulate orpproved in accordance with the provisions of the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, prepared on the basis of the Hague Conference on Private International Law,
• Operational report or balance sheet and income statement of the parent company,
• The original copy of the certificate of authority issued to the name of the person who is appointed to carry out the operations of the liaison office,
• The original copy of the power of attorney in case that another person will carry out the establishment transactions of the liaison office.

Explanation

The Ministry is authorized to grant permits and extend such permits to companies established in accordance with the laws of foreign countries to open liaison offices in Turkey, provided that they do not carry out commercial activities in Turkey.

Applications for establishment and extension shall be finalized within 5 days following the application, provided that the necessary information / documents are complete and proper.

Applications of foreign companies to establish liaison offices so as to operate in sectors subject to special legislation, such as money and capital markets, insurance, etc., will be assessed by authorities and institutions authorized by the relevant special legislation.

The following provisions govern the operations of liaison office:

a) Liaison offices, having received their establishment permit, shall send a copy of the tax office registration document to the General Directorate latest within 1 month. Liaison offices shall notify the General Directorate of any change of address latest within 1 month.

b) Liaison offices shall send the "Data Form for Liaison Office Activities" given as Annex IV of the Regulation, to the Ministry every year latest until the end of May, so as to inform the Ministry about their activities of the previous year. Documents certifying that the previous year's expenses of the office have been covered by foreign currency transferred from abroad, have to be enclosed as well.

c) Liaison offices are granted operation permits of 3 years at most. For extensions, successive extensions of maximum 3 years each may be granted by taking into consideration the activities of

previous years and plans and objectives for the future.

d) In the case that the liaison office terminates its activities, the "termination and examination of business note" to be received from the relevant tax office has to be submitted to the General Directorate. Liaison offices cannot claim any money transfer except the residue arising due to the termination and liquidation.

e) The Ministry  might cancel the permits of liaison offices ascertained to have violated the legislation and shall notify the relevant authorities thereof.