Process service · Middle East & AfricaOverview
Process Server in Turkey: How Service of Process Works
Turkey ratified the Hague Service Convention in 1972 and has fully objected to Article 8 (except service on a state's own nationals) and Article 10 in its entirety, so postal service and private agents are not valid. Every request goes through the General Directorate of Civil Affairs at the Ministry of Justice in Ankara, which forwards it to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for execution via the Turkish postal service. A Turkish translation makes a critical difference here: with one, the document can be served even against the addressee's will; without one, the addressee may simply refuse it.
Who serves process
Who Can Serve Legal Documents in Turkey
Turkey is a civil-law country. For requests from abroad, the Central Authority is the Directorate General for Foreign Relations and EU Affairs at the Ministry of Justice in Ankara, which passes them to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which then has the documents served through the post office.
Turkey objects to every Article 10 method, so postal service and private agents from abroad are not valid. A Turkish translation matters: with one, documents can be served even if the person refuses them; without one, service only works if the person accepts voluntarily. Turkey charges no fee, and the Hague Conference lists about three months for execution.
For defendants in Ankara or elsewhere in Turkey, the usual starting point is a statement of claim with a summons to appear; orders, notices and enforcement papers follow later in a case. Defendants may be anywhere from Ankara to the Eastern Anatolia Region, and we cover the whole country.
Proof you receive: certificate or sworn affidavit
The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office records the postal delivery, and the Central Authority returns the Hague Certificate of Service.
Ministry of Justice Central Authority Filing
We submit the Hague request to the General Directorate of Civil Affairs at Turkey's Ministry of Justice, which forwards it to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for execution — typically completing within three months, faster than many Hague jurisdictions.
Certified Turkish Translation
Providing a Turkish translation is what makes service enforceable even if the addressee is unwilling to accept it. We prepare certified translations to secure the stronger form of service under Article 5(1).
No-Cost Filing Support
Turkey charges no government fee for executing a service request, one of the more cost-efficient Central Authority jurisdictions to work with once the filing itself is properly prepared.
Treaties
Hague Service Convention and Turkey
Turkey is a party to the Hague Service Convention, so documents can be sent to its Central Authority, which arranges service and returns a Certificate of Service. Turkey has made a declaration on Article 10, which limits service by post or by private agents, so we confirm which methods are open before choosing one.
Turkey is also a party to the Hague Evidence Convention, so witness testimony and documents can be requested with a Letter of Request.
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