Company registration for Chinese nationals

A Limited Şirketi (Limited Liability Company, LŞ), the Turkish equivalent of a Chinese 有限责任公司, is the standard choice for 90 percent of Chinese-owned Turkish companies. Minimum capital is TRY 50,000 (about USD 1,500), with 1 to 50 shareholders, and simpler governance than a joint-stock company. End-to-end setup takes 7 to 14 days. For larger operations, multiple shareholders, or future fundraising plans, an Anonim Şirketi (Joint-Stock Company, AŞ) is preferred, minimum capital TRY 250,000.

Yes. Turkish company law permits 100 percent foreign ownership and a single foreign director. You do not need a Turkish co-founder, local director, or nominee. You can manage the company entirely from China if you wish, although for operational matters (banking, tax filings) we recommend having at least one Mandarin-speaking advisor or employee on the ground in Istanbul.

Not for the registration itself, we can do it via a notarised power of attorney signed at the Turkish consulate or notary in your country (then apostilled). However, bank account opening typically requires the company representative to be physically present in Turkey for KYC. We sequence the timeline so you only need a 3 to 5 day Istanbul trip, for bank account opening, e-Devlet activation, and a face-to-face with our team.

14 to 21 days total for the standard package: (1) Turkish tax number for shareholders, (2) trade-registry (Ticaret Sicili) registration, (3) tax registration with the Revenue Administration, (4) social-security (SGK) registration, (5) MERSIS digital identity, (6) e-Devlet digital ID activation for the director, (7) KEP corporate email (mandatory in Turkey), (8) corporate bank account opening, (9) digital tax-stamp procurement. The registry filings are performed by an independent Turkish lawyer and notary; the tax, SGK, and accounting steps by a Turkish chartered accountant; we coordinate the whole sequence. Our fixed fee is confirmed in writing up front and covers all government fees, notarisation, and translation, plus the first month of corporate accounting through the chartered accountant.

Main ongoing taxes: (1) corporate income tax 25 percent (2026); (2) KDV (VAT) 1, 10, or 20 percent on sales; (3) withholding tax 10 percent on dividends to non-residents (5 percent under the China-Turkey treaty in many cases); (4) social security (SGK) ~22 percent employer + ~14 percent employee on payroll; (5) stamp duty on certain contracts. First-year monthly bookkeeping, quarterly filings, and the year-end corporate tax return are performed by the Turkish chartered accountant we coordinate; we track the calendar and report progress to you.

It depends on your plans. Direct ownership: Chinese parent to Turkish opco. Simpler, but the Chinese parent must do ODI filings and Turkish profits repatriated to China face Chinese CIT after Turkish withholding (with treaty credit). Holding structure: Chinese parent to HK or Singapore holdco to Turkish opco. More complex but offers Hong Kong's territorial tax regime, lower withholding via treaty optimisation, and easier future restructuring. We model both options against your specific financial plan and recommend the cleaner one.