Insurance Licences in Türkiye: Foreign Documents

Foreign insurance and reinsurance companies opening a branch in Türkiye, and foreign shareholders in Turkish insurers, submit documents from abroad. The regulation on the establishment and operation of insurance and reinsurance companies sets the certification rule clearly.

Certification and translation

Documents obtained from abroad for applications under the regulation must be certified by the competent authorities of the country concerned and by Türkiye's embassy or consulate there, or under the Apostille Convention, and notarised translations of the documents must be attached to the application. The regulation on insurance and reinsurance brokers contains the same certification rule.

If a document cannot be obtained because the country has no competent authority or system for it, this must be reported with a document from that country's authority competent to confirm the situation. The regulation still names the former Undersecretariat as the recipient of applications and notices; it is listed among the regulations of the Insurance and Private Pension Regulation and Supervision Agency (SEDDK), and the broker regulation names SEDDK as the Agency.

Branches and shareholders

For the first licence of a branch of a foreign insurer or reinsurer, the documents include a certified copy of the company's articles of association and a certified copy of the decision of its competent bodies to open a branch in Türkiye. Founders submit originals of documents from the competent authorities showing that they are not bankrupt and have not entered into a composition with creditors, and a copy of their diploma certified by a notary or the university. Applications show the direct, indirect and privileged shareholding structure; those acquiring shares submit the documents required of founders.

We prepare notarised translations of foreign corporate documents in Ankara through translators sworn before a Turkish notary. The supervisory authority decides on licences.