Open accounts and receive money properly.

Prepare for the bank appointment

Ask the chosen branch for its current requirements for your status before visiting. Banks can differ in non-resident onboarding, accepted identity/address evidence, remote access, currencies and business accounts. Compare fees and eligibility rather than assuming one published checklist binds every bank.

For a personal account, prepare your passport or accepted identity, relevant Turkish tax/identity number, address evidence and contact information. Mavi Kart holders should ask how the card and registry identity are recorded. Be ready to describe expected receipts and provide documents supporting income or assets.

For a company account, prepare current registry, tax and representation records, beneficial-owner information and authorised signatory documents. The bank may need further information about activities, counterparties and projected transactions.

Set up the account for its purpose

1. Confirm the legal account holder, IBAN and currency for each account. Personal investment income and a company’s turnover should not be routed interchangeably.
2. Check whether international transfers use SWIFT, which correspondent fees may apply and whether the account receives the original currency or converts it.
3. Compare exchange spreads, sending/receiving charges and transfer limits. Confirm any special rules for export proceeds with the accountant and bank.
4. Enable secure digital banking and your own two-factor authentication. Keep a recovery route if your phone number changes.
5. For payment platforms, check current Turkish-resident/business eligibility and permitted withdrawal routes directly with the provider. Do not use someone else’s account to bypass onboarding.

A transfer evidence file

For your own savings, keep statements showing ownership and the history of accumulation. For a property sale, retain the contract and completion/settlement record. For a dividend, retain the resolution and tax voucher. For client receipts, retain the contract, invoice or professional receipt and proof of performance.

Before a substantial or unusual transfer, ask the receiving bank which supporting documents it needs and how the payment should be described. Use an accurate reference. A personal transfer, shareholder loan, capital contribution and sales receipt each require different evidence.

Do not split transactions to avoid bank checks. If funds are delayed, use the bank’s formal tracing and document-response procedure. Keep the payment reference, amount, dates, sender details and correspondence.

Reconcile what arrives

Record gross income separately from processor fees, foreign withholding and net cash received. Your accountant should specify exchange-rate and recognition methods for Turkish records. A difference between an invoice and a bank credit may be a fee or withholding, not a discount or missing revenue.

Keep bank tax-residence self-certifications accurate, including other tax residences and US status where relevant. CRS/FATCA reporting can apply independently of an income-tax exemption. Update information when your circumstances change.

The location of your bank does not determine the source of the income. Moving existing money to Türkiye is not the same event as earning it; review the underlying receipt and any separate rules before assigning tax treatment.

Your document checklist

This is a preparation list. The receiving authority or bank may require additional or different documents.

• Identity and tax/identity number
• Address and contact evidence
• Source-of-funds and expected-activity file
• Company registry/signatory/ownership documents if relevant
• Bank fee schedule and transfer instructions
• Bank, processor and foreign withholding statements

Ask your adviser

• Will the account support my status and transaction types?
• What documents will a large transfer require?
• How should each gross receipt, fee and withholding be recorded?