Liaison Office
"What can a liaison office do in Türkiye?"
Quick Answer
A liaison office in Türkiye is a non commercial presence of a foreign parent. It can support market entry through limited representative activities, but it cannot invoice, sell, or generate revenue in Türkiye. Staying within the permitted scope is the key legal and tax compliance point.
What a Liaison Office Can and Cannot Do in Türkiye
Liaison offices are designed for presence without commercial operations. Typical permitted activities include market research, promotion and representation of the parent company, coordination, and developing business contacts. The line is crossed when the liaison office starts acting like a sales office or service provider inside Türkiye.
Key Points to Remember
- No invoicing or revenue generation in Türkiye
- Do not sign sales or service contracts locally unless structured and authorized correctly
- Funding is generally from the foreign parent and should be documented consistently
- Activity scope should match the license and internal workflows to avoid tax and compliance exposure
When a Liaison Office Is the Right Choice
A liaison office is often suitable when you want to test the market, coordinate suppliers or distributors, or build a local team for research and relationship management before launching sales. If you need to invoice Turkish customers, hire staff for operational delivery, or sign ongoing commercial contracts, a branch or a Turkish subsidiary is usually the better structure.
Before you choose the structure, map your intended activities and who will contract and invoice. A small difference in day to day practice can change the legal classification and risk profile.
Need Help Choosing Between Liaison Office, Branch, or Subsidiary?
We can review your planned Türkiye operations, confirm whether a liaison office is viable, and propose a compliant structure with clear do and do not rules for your team.
Discuss Your Market Entry Plan