Make a Will (Last Will & Testament) in Turkey

Making a will in Turkey decides who receives property in the country, which passes under Turkish law whatever the owner’s nationality. English-speaking lawyers explain the forms of will and how a Turkish will and a home-country will work together.
lawyers in Turkey
4
cases in this service
8
clients' rating in Turkey
4.98 ★

About Make a Will (Last Will & Testament) in Turkey

Making a will in Turkey (also last will and testament, Turkish will or will for property in Turkey; in Turkish vasiyetname, and before a notary resmi vasiyetname) is how a person decides who receives their assets after death. It is meant for foreign residents of Turkey, for foreign owners of a flat or a house there and for Turkish citizens living abroad. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Make a last Will & Testament”.

Which law applies

Under Turkish conflict-of-laws rules, real estate in Turkey passes under Turkish law whatever the nationality of the owner, while other assets usually follow the law of the deceased’s nationality. Turkish law protects a reserved share (saklı pay) for close relatives, so a will cannot leave a Turkish property entirely as the owner wishes. Many foreign owners therefore keep a will at home for their other assets and make a separate Turkish will for the property in Turkey, worded so that neither revokes the other.

Forms of will in Turkey

  • Official will (resmi vasiyetname): made before a notary (noter) with witnesses; the notary keeps it. For a person who does not speak Turkish, a sworn interpreter takes part.
  • Handwritten will (el yazısıyla vasiyetname): written, dated and signed entirely by hand by the person.
  • Oral will (sözlü vasiyetname): only in an emergency, when the other forms are impossible.

What to watch for

  • A will made abroad can be recognised in Turkey, but using it there needs an apostille, a sworn translation and the opening of the will by the court (vasiyetnamenin açılması), which slows things down for the heirs.
  • Formal mistakes, such as a typed text presented as a handwritten will or a missing date, are a common reason for a challenge.
  • Leaving out a close relative can lead to a claim for the reserved share.

What a lawyer does

A lawyer looks at the family and the assets, explains how Turkish and home-country rules interact, drafts the will with the notary and checks it against any existing will. Related pages: inheritance, contest a will and power of attorney.

Questions and answers

Is a will made at home valid in Turkey?

It can be, if it was valid where it was made: Turkey applies an international convention on the form of wills. In practice, the heirs still need it translated, apostilled and opened by a Turkish court.

Can a foreigner make a will before a Turkish notary?

Yes. The notary works in Turkish, so an interpreter is involved, and identity and capacity are checked.

Can a Turkish property be left to anyone?

Only within the free part of the estate. Close relatives keep a reserved share under Turkish law.

What happens if there is no will?

The estate in Turkey passes to the heirs named by law, who obtain a certificate of inheritance.

Is a review useful after a move or a marriage?

Life events can change who is protected and which law applies, so reviewing the will after such events is common practice.

4 lawyers who provide Make a Will (Last Will & Testament) in Turkey

Sorted by experience in this service. Write to any of them — the reply comes from the lawyer, without obligation.

  • Cansu, lawyer in Izmir

    Cansu

    Lawyer · Izmir, Turkey

    • 209 cases handled · 3 in this service
    • 13+ years in practice
    • Speaks: English, Turkish
    • Law, Yeditepe University
    • 4.96(9 reviews)
    Contact Cansu
  • Sadi Berk, lawyer in Kusadasi

    Sadi Berk

    Lawyer · Kusadasi, Turkey

    • 80 cases handled · 3 in this service
    • 15+ years in practice
    • Speaks: English, Turkish
    • Law, Marmara University
    • 5.00(6 reviews)
    Contact Sadi Berk
  • Gamze, lawyer in Bodrum

    Gamze

    Lawyer · Bodrum, Turkey

    • 123 cases handled · 1 in this service
    • 14+ years in practice
    • Speaks: Turkish, English
    • Law, Yeditepe University
    • 4.94(4 reviews)
    Contact Gamze
  • Mert, lawyer in Antalya

    Mert

    Lawyer · Antalya, Turkey

    • 43 cases handled · 1 in this service
    • 11+ years in practice
    • Speaks: English, Turkish
    • Bachelors of Law, Ankara University
    Contact Mert
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Talk to a lawyer about Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)

4 registered lawyers provide this service in Turkey. Describe your situation in a short chat — what happened, where, and how to reach you. Your enquiry is reviewed and passed to a lawyer who handles exactly this kind of case, with no obligation.

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Enquiries are answered by lawyers of AdvocateAbroad. This site provides legal information, not legal advice.

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What our clients say about our service in Turkey

  • In 2021 my wife and I moved from America to Spain, where we found out that Spanish law required each of us to have a will if one of us died, so the survivor could reach the cash in our Spanish bank accounts. In 2025 we contacted the lawyer to get this done. She speaks good English and carried out the task expertly and efficiently, even joining us at the notary's office to finalize the paperwork. We were so pleased that we also hired her for our Spanish taxes for 2025. They were done perfectly too, and we even received a refund. I would definitely recommend her for any need under Spanish law. The fees were very reasonable and well earned.
    — Lucky
    17 Aug 2026
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • She was always very helpful, and I would recommend her.
    — Jeffrey
    07 Jul 2026
  • Professional advice sorted out all my requests; I am very satisfied.
    — Michael
    03 Jul 2026
  • The lawyer was exemplary. A matter concerning a will needed immediate attention during my stay in the country, and he handled the legal review, the notarial consultation and the procurement of witnesses fast, reliably and efficiently, with professional expertise. When you need legal advice in Portugal, he is the person to go to.
    — Steve
    11 Jun 2026
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • The lawyer in Oviedo gave us great service, with a professional and friendly manner. His English is excellent, and he planned everything well, including the help with the notary. Thank you!
    — Goe
    30 Jan 2026
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • The lawyer has helped my family for many years, always fantastic and consistent, with good communication throughout. She is very professional and knowledgeable, and always on hand to answer questions and offer good advice. I would recommend her; she is first class.
    — Kate
    10 Dec 2025
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • What a service! The lawyer is by far the most professional, thorough and helpful lawyer or solicitor I have dealt with, and my international affairs mean I have worked with plenty. When we wanted our wills drawn up, we did not want them under Spanish law. He saw to it that they were prepared and secured under the laws of our home countries and yet fully valid here in Gran Canaria under Spanish law. My wife is 78 and needed to sell her apartment while keeping the right to live in it for the rest of her life (at least 30 years), at an agreed lower rent and with usufruct rights, so that she would get cash from the sale without losing her home. He sorted that out too. He arranged everything, the notary included, and provided us with English translations of the Spanish contract. I cannot stress enough that he was available at any time by phone, email or WhatsApp. He even went through everything with us at the notary's office, and whenever something was unclear or not in our favour, he had it redrafted again and again. His integrity, professionalism and commitment to his clients are the best I have ever met. If you need a lawyer in Gran Canaria who speaks excellent English and keeps cool under the heaviest pressure, he is the one to have beside you. Simply the best is what you get, as the song says. If you fear he will be expensive, there is no need: I paid more in the UK and Germany, among other countries where I needed legal representation. Both my British wife and I have hired him several times by now, and we will always keep returning to him, whatever else comes up. This review is long, I know, but I could say much more about his superb work. If you are not yet convinced, there is nothing more I can say. Until next time, to a legal-knowledge computer on two legs, and a wonderful one!
    — Michael
    27 Jun 2025
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • She was very professional and knowledgeable about the law, and also kind and empathetic when we discussed my options on a very personal point. The assistance was excellent and I would recommend her without hesitation.
    — Jennifer
    29 May 2025
  • The lawyer was personal and professional while writing and filing my Will. She is friendly, and she could advise me on the complexities of a Will in Portugal and on the legal requirements, which differ from those of Australia, where I am a national.
    — Michael
    24 Mar 2025
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • Friendly, patient and easy to understand.
    — Darren
    26 Feb 2025
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
  • The lawyer handled my request very well, and his English was perfect. I am completely satisfied.
    — Carl
    18 Feb 2025
  • I needed a Will covering my Spanish assets and so returned to the lawyer who had already done an excellent job when we bought our property. She was just as professional this time: she listened to what I needed and then drafted a Will that fitted it. Within days it was all finished, an amazing job. I would gladly use these services again, and without any hesitation.
    — Robert
    27 Jan 2025
    Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)