Enforcement Of Foreign Judgments In Türkiye – Q&A

General framework

Q1: Can a foreign court judgment be directly enforced in Türkiye?

No. A foreign civil judgment can only be enforced after a competent Turkish court issues an enforcement (exequatur) decision under Articles 50 et seq. of Law No. 5718 on International Private and Civil Procedural Law (IPCPL).

Q2: What is the legal basis for enforcing foreign judgments in Türkiye?

The enforcement of foreign court decisions in civil matters is governed by Articles 50–59 of Law No. 5718 (IPCPL), which set out the procedural rules and substantive conditions such as reciprocity, finality, jurisdiction and public policy.

Q3: What is an "enforcement judgment" (exequatur) under Turkish law?