Bank Account Opening in Türkiye

Foreigners can open a bank account in Türkiye, including people who do not hold a residence permit. A Turkish bank account opening is still an application, not a purchase: the bank runs its own know-your-customer checks and can decline without giving every reason. We help you get the documents the bank asks for, including the tax number, and stay on the application until the bank opens the account or declines it.

The tax number comes first

Every Turkish bank needs a tax identification number (vergi kimlik numarası) before it opens an account for a foreigner. Foreigners without a Turkish ID number can get one at a tax office by presenting a passport, and the Revenue Administration also offers an online application for foreigners. Once you hold a residence permit you also receive a foreigner identification number starting with 99, which banks use in place of the tax number.

Documents banks commonly ask for

• A valid passport, and the residence permit if you have one
• The Turkish tax number
• Proof of address: a Turkish address if you live there, or for non-residents an official document, a recent utility bill from home, or an identity document showing your address. Banks publish their own lists of accepted address documents for non-residents.
• A Turkish mobile number, which many banks need for online banking and one-time codes
• Information on your occupation, income, and the source of the funds you will deposit

A residence permit is not a legal requirement for a basic account, but it widens the choice of banks and makes approval easier. Some branches are more used to foreign clients than others, so where you apply matters.

Currencies and account types

Turkish banks open accounts in Turkish lira and in foreign currencies such as US dollars and euros. Non-residents usually start with a demand deposit account and a debit card; credit products normally need a residence permit and local income.

Accounts for investors

If you are applying for Türkiye citizenship by investment, the investment is usually routed through a Turkish bank, so it helps to open the account with a bank that is used to that process. We coordinate the timing with the rest of your application.

Company accounts

A Turkish company opens its account after registration with the trade registry and tax office. The bank asks for the trade registry gazette, the articles of association, the signature circular of authorised signatories, the tax plate, and identification for the shareholders and managers. See our company incorporation service in Türkiye.

Why applications get delayed or refused

• No tax number, or a tax number that does not match the passport
• Proof of address the branch does not accept
• No Turkish phone number for verification
• A purpose for the account or source of funds that is vague
• Choosing a branch with little experience of foreign clients

You can browse every Türkiye service, including passport renewal, the national ID card, and the police clearance certificate.

• A check of which bank in Türkiye will consider your nationality, residence, and planned use of the account
• A document checklist built from that bank's current rules for non-residents
• Review of your passport, second ID, proof of address, references, and source-of-funds papers before anything is sent
• Help arranging notarised or certified copies, apostilles, and translations when the bank asks for them
• Preparation of the bank's application, signature, and tax-residence (FATCA/CRS) forms
• Submission and follow-up with the bank, including answers to its compliance questions
• A clear note in advance if the bank wants a branch visit, a video call, or more documents
• For companies: preparation of the corporate pack (incorporation documents, registers, good standing, ownership chart, board resolution)

1. Brief. Tell us who the account is for (you, your family, or your company), where you live, the currencies you need, and what the account will be used for.
2. Bank match. We identify a bank in Türkiye that accepts your profile and confirm its document list, whether it needs a visit, and its opening deposit and fees. You then receive our quote.
3. Document pack. You send scans; we check them, arrange notarised copies, references, or translations if needed, and fill in the bank's forms with you.
4. Submission. The signed forms and certified documents go to the bank, by courier where originals are required.
5. Compliance review. The bank runs its due-diligence checks and may ask follow-up questions about your income, assets, or planned transactions. We help you answer them.
6. Account opened. The bank confirms the account number and you fund the opening deposit. Cards and online-banking access follow on the bank's own timeline.
7. After opening. Keep your details up to date: banks ask account holders to refresh identification and address documents from time to time.

You receive a quote before any filing starts. It separates the CitizenX fee from the bank's opening deposit and charges, notarisation, apostille, translation, and courier costs. Those extras are added only when they apply, and only after you approve them.

Minimum opening deposits and monthly fees are set by each bank and differ by account type, so we confirm them with the chosen bank before you apply.