How to Open a Bank Account in Turkey

First, every foreigner in Turkey who wishes to open a bank account in Turkey or a banking account must go to the Tax Office to obtain a personal tax number called “Vergi Dairesi”.

Note:

The person must have an official address, either their residential address or the hotel address, clearly and correctly. They should take a picture of the first page of their passport and attach it to the application for the tax number, which they will obtain immediately.

If they do not have an address, they can take the address of any hotel in the area where the relevant Tax Office is located and list it as their address.

If they do not have residency in Turkey, they must translate their passport or identification card into Turkish and ensure that their personal address in the country they are applying from is included in the translation to open a bank account.

Note:

The translation does not need to be notarized.

They go to the bank of their choice, and the easiest in general for foreigners are:

Kuveyt Türk

Albaraka Türk

Ziraat Bankası

Note:

Most private banks in Turkey do not accept opening a personal account for a foreigner who does not have residency in Turkey. For example, they must present a residency statement from the Population Department if they have tourist residency.

They will take a number from “Gişe İşlemler,” not “Bireysel İşlemler”.

They will provide the tax number and passport translation containing the address and residence if available, to the employee and request to open a personal account.

Note:

Syrian citizens holding an ID card or temporary identity card can open an account in the mentioned banks above, most likely according to each branch and the flexibility of its employees.