Serka Law Firm represents Russian-speaking clients across the legal matters that bring people to Turkey: acquiring citizenship through investment, buying and protecting property, forming and running companies, securing residence and work rights, and resolving cross-border disputes. The firm is an international practice, with Turkish law its deepest ground, and intake, document review, and case communication run in Russian so nothing is lost between you and the procedure.
This page explains what we handle for Russian-speaking clients, how a matter moves to a signed engagement, what documents and timelines to expect, and how the cross-border angle changes the legal strategy. It is written for individuals and families relocating to Turkey, investors and founders building a presence here, and clients who already hold Turkish assets or residence and now face a deadline.
What does a Russian-speaking lawyer at Serka Law actually do?
We provide counsel in Russian on your matter wherever it sits and represent you before Turkish authorities, courts, and counterparties. The legal substance is Turkish law; the working language is yours. That combination matters because most filing errors, missed deadlines, and bad property deals trace back to a client acting on a rough translation rather than a precise legal reading.
A Russian-speaking file at our firm typically covers one or more of these areas:
- Citizenship by investment. Qualifying real estate purchase or capital investment, title checks, currency-conversion compliance, and the full application through to the passport. See Turkish citizenship by investment.
- Property acquisition. Title (tapu) due diligence, military-clearance and zoning checks, sale contracts, and protection against the most common buyer traps. See real estate law and property acquisition.
- Residence and work rights. Short-term, family, and long-term residence permits, work permits, and the documentary chain that supports them under the foreigners regime. See immigration and residence permits.
- Company formation and corporate work. Setting up a limited or joint-stock company, shareholder structuring, contracts, and ongoing corporate compliance. See establishing companies in Turkey and corporate and commercial law.
- Disputes and enforcement. Commercial litigation, international arbitration, and debt enforcement when a deal goes wrong or money is owed.
- Family and criminal matters. Cross-border divorce and custody questions, and criminal-defense or entry-ban issues when they intersect with residence or travel.
Which legal areas do Russian-speaking clients in Turkey most often need?
Five practice areas account for the large majority of Russian-speaking instructions, because they map onto the real reasons people connect their lives or capital to Turkey. Each one carries its own Turkish-law framework and its own failure points.
Citizenship by investment
Turkey grants citizenship to foreigners who make a qualifying investment, most commonly a real estate purchase held for the required period, with capital and fund-deposit routes also available. The legal risk is rarely the application form; it is the underlying asset. We confirm the property valuation meets the threshold, that the title is clean and the seller has authority, that prior owners do not break the eligibility chain, and that the foreign-currency conversion is documented as the rules require. A weak property file is the most common reason a citizenship application stalls.
Real estate and property protection
Property in Turkey is governed by the Civil Code (Law No. 4721) and the Code of Obligations (Law No. 6098). For a foreign buyer the decisive work is due diligence before money moves: verifying the tapu record, checking for mortgages, liens, and annotations, confirming zoning and occupancy status, and ensuring the contract protects you on price, handover, and defects. We also handle disputes after purchase, including defective construction and seller default.
Company formation and corporate compliance
Foreigners can fully own a Turkish company. Formation is governed by the Commercial Code (Law No. 6102). We advise on the right vehicle, draft the articles and shareholder arrangements, register the company, and set up the tax and accounting framework. For founders and investors this is also a residence pathway and, in some cases, part of a broader investment plan. See foreign direct investment.
Immigration, residence, and work permits
Residence and work rights for foreigners are governed by the Law on Foreigners and International Protection (Law No. 6458). The practical issue is the documentary chain: each permit type has its own evidence requirements and renewal cycle, and a gap in residence can affect everything from a citizenship timeline to a bank account. We map the correct permit to your situation and keep the chain intact.
Disputes, arbitration, and enforcement
When a Turkish-linked deal fails, the route depends on the contract and the parties. Domestic claims run through the courts under the Code of Civil Procedure; debts are pursued under the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law (Law No. 2004); and contracts with an arbitration clause or an international element are handled through arbitration, with cross-border conflict-of-laws questions governed by the International Private and Procedural Law (Law No. 5718). See international arbitration, international commercial litigation, and debt collection and execution.
How does a matter move from first contact to representation?
Engagement follows a defined sequence so you always know the next step. Nothing binds either side until a written engagement is signed.
- First message. You write with the goal, the documents you already hold, and any live deadline, and the exchange with us can run in Russian from the first line.
- Scope. We define what the matter covers, the procedure involved, and the realistic timeline. You receive this in clear terms before deciding.
- Engagement. The attorney-client relationship forms only when a written engagement is signed. A power of attorney is arranged where Turkish procedure requires us to act on your behalf.
- Execution. We carry out the filings, due diligence, drafting, or representation, and report progress at each procedural stage.
What documents are typically required?
The exact list depends on the matter, but most files start from a common core. Documents in Russian are accepted as they are; certified translation and apostille or consular legalization are coordinated around the chosen Turkish procedure once the path is set.
| Matter | Typical core documents |
|---|---|
| Citizenship by investment | Passport, the investment or property file, valuation report, title (tapu), proof of fund transfer and currency conversion |
| Property purchase | Passport, title (tapu) record, prior sale documents, any mortgage or annotation records, draft sale contract |
| Residence or work permit | Passport, address and income evidence, health insurance, and the permit-specific supporting documents |
| Company formation | Passport, intended company structure and activity, tax identification details, draft articles |
| Dispute or enforcement | The contract, correspondence, payment records, and any prior decisions or notices |
What does legal work in Turkey cost, and how long does it take?
The fee is agreed in the engagement agreement, which names the service and the sum (Article 163 of Attorneyship Law no. 1136), and it cannot fall below the minimum-fee tariff of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (Articles 164 and 168); timing depends on the underlying matter, its complexity, and how complete your documents are at the start. A clean property purchase with verified title moves faster than a contested one; a straightforward company formation moves faster than a structured investment. The single largest variable is the state of the file at intake: complete, well-organized records shorten every timeline.
Why do cross-border clients choose an international firm over a purely local one?
A Russian-speaking client connecting to Turkey rarely has a purely Turkish problem. The asset, the counterparty, the bank, or the family situation usually sits across two or more jurisdictions, and the relevant rules include Turkish private international law (Law No. 5718) on which law applies and whether a foreign judgment can be recognized. An international practice reads the matter the way it actually exists: the Turkish procedure in front of you, and the foreign element behind it. We also keep one consistent working language across the whole file, so the legal reasoning you receive is the legal reasoning that was actually applied, not a summary translated after the fact.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be in Turkey for my matter to proceed?
Not always. Many matters can advance through a power of attorney once engagement is signed, which lets us act before Turkish authorities on your behalf. Whether your physical presence is required depends on the specific procedure, and we tell you at the scope stage.
Can the work start if my documents are in Russian?
Yes. The work can begin from your core documents in Russian. Certified translation, apostille, or consular legalization is then coordinated around the exact Turkish procedure once the legal path is chosen, so you do not pay for translations you may not need.
My issue touches both immigration and property. Can one firm handle both?
Yes. We start with the issue that carries the most urgent legal consequence and connect the second issue to the same review, so evidence, translation, and timing stay aligned across the whole file rather than being handled as separate, disconnected matters.
Does property always lead to citizenship?
No. A property purchase only supports a citizenship application when the investment meets the legal threshold and the title and fund-transfer chain are clean. We confirm whether your intended purchase qualifies before you rely on it as a citizenship route.
Is everything kept confidential?
Yes. Client communications are confidential, and the attorney-client relationship and its protections form once a written engagement is signed.
Reach us in Russian
If you want to deal with your matter in Russian, in Turkey or across a border, write to us on WhatsApp at +90 530 127 59 35 or at info@serkalaw.com; Telegram and Signal are on the contact page. Name the goal, the city, the documents you already hold, and the nearest deadline.
This page provides general information and is not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading it; that relationship forms only by a signed engagement.