Setting-up a translation business in Turkey
Thread poster: Ali Al awadi
Ali Al awadi
Ali Al awadi  Identity Verified
Türkiye
English to Arabic
+ ...
Jul 26, 2018

Dear all,
Do you have any idea about self-employment of translators in Turkey? How to set up a translation office/company in Turkey? I mean a company where a translator is both manager and employee


 
Elif Baykara Narbay
Elif Baykara Narbay  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 10:23
German to Turkish
+ ...
... Jul 26, 2018

Hi,

a translation business in Turkey can be set up in a couple of ways which all allow you to act both as a manager and an employee.

In Turkey, setting up a business is well-regulated and you must consult an "independent accountant and financial advisor" (serbest muhasebeci ve mali müşavir). These are people who will set up the legal business in your name, manage your book-keeping as well as calculate your taxes and send you your tax declarations. You are obliged to w
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Hi,

a translation business in Turkey can be set up in a couple of ways which all allow you to act both as a manager and an employee.

In Turkey, setting up a business is well-regulated and you must consult an "independent accountant and financial advisor" (serbest muhasebeci ve mali müşavir). These are people who will set up the legal business in your name, manage your book-keeping as well as calculate your taxes and send you your tax declarations. You are obliged to work with one, you cannot by-pass and do your own book-keeping.

More information on this and related topics are available in this forum (search for vergi mükellefi, muhasebeci etc.). I am afraid that this info is in Turkish only.

Another point is the citizenship. I don't know about your personal case but you should discuss this topic thoroughly with a financial advisor (mali müşavir) based and authorized in Turkey. The information you need is probably far beyond our expertise and probably also our knowledge.

Elif
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Ali Al awadi
 
betül asiye karpuzcu
betül asiye karpuzcu  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:23
Turkish to English
+ ...
what do you want? Jul 26, 2018

Hi,

In Turkey, officially, you do not need any diploma, certificate or membership or state registration etc. to run a translation business.
You can establish one as if you start running a shop, say, a women's apperal shop. No difference.

However, officially, sworn-translation can only be done by Turkish citizens -and this, together with court translations is the only kind of regulated translation in this country. Also, there may be some legal issues if you want to
... See more
Hi,

In Turkey, officially, you do not need any diploma, certificate or membership or state registration etc. to run a translation business.
You can establish one as if you start running a shop, say, a women's apperal shop. No difference.

However, officially, sworn-translation can only be done by Turkish citizens -and this, together with court translations is the only kind of regulated translation in this country. Also, there may be some legal issues if you want to bid in tenders. If required, you may try to get information on this part. First, it may be good to figure out this aspect of business.

Good luck!
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Ali Al awadi
Ali Al awadi  Identity Verified
Türkiye
English to Arabic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Freelancer versus sworn translator Jul 26, 2018

Many thanks for your kind response. I'm thinking to relocate to Turkey. At Ms Elif's kind advice, I've gone through a few posts in this Turkish forum about running a translation business (with Google translate of course as I don't know Turkish yet).
As far as I understood, to set up a translation business with a stamp, receipts, etc, unfortunately, everything falls in the hands of an accountant; right from the very beginning down to calculating VAT and income taxes. I thought in Turkey suc
... See more
Many thanks for your kind response. I'm thinking to relocate to Turkey. At Ms Elif's kind advice, I've gone through a few posts in this Turkish forum about running a translation business (with Google translate of course as I don't know Turkish yet).
As far as I understood, to set up a translation business with a stamp, receipts, etc, unfortunately, everything falls in the hands of an accountant; right from the very beginning down to calculating VAT and income taxes. I thought in Turkey such things are more straightforward, i.e you declare your annual income and spending to tax authorities, and taxes are set accordingly. I think, for some people, this would be enough reason to keep freelancing; and stay as far as possible away from official business.
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betül asiye karpuzcu
betül asiye karpuzcu  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:23
Turkish to English
+ ...
no freelancing, offically Jul 26, 2018

Hi Ali,

In Turkey, officially, there is no freelancing. We do not have such a legal status. Of course you can work as a freelancer but offically you have to find some other ways. Sworn translator status is nothing to do with your tax, payroll, or etc. It is just a certification. And it is governed by the notary public or granted by the judge Trust me, we make the work, they make the money.

Nobody, can de
... See more
Hi Ali,

In Turkey, officially, there is no freelancing. We do not have such a legal status. Of course you can work as a freelancer but offically you have to find some other ways. Sworn translator status is nothing to do with your tax, payroll, or etc. It is just a certification. And it is governed by the notary public or granted by the judge Trust me, we make the work, they make the money.

Nobody, can declare his/her income to tax athority, as a true person, regardless what they do. In Turkey, the government does not trust on the citizen, to say it shortly. A company or accountant should make it offically.

What we have:

we have "serbest meslek mensubu" you should have some occupation and get registered yourself as a professional of that occupation. I have heard some translators work in this status. But there is no certain decision, see below.

There is a status to be "esnaf , zanaatkar" (such as small shopkeeper /craftsman) : translation is not considered in this manner, AFAIK. Or run his/her own business (eg. single-man company, there are different types of it, you should seek help) and there should always be an accountant.

Long story short, we do not have a professional code, unfortunately Therefore, if you ask how to become a butcher here, there will be certain pre-defined professional rules, but for us, there is not.
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Emin Arı
Emin Arı  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 10:23
English to Turkish
+ ...
work permit Jul 27, 2018

Dear Ali,

I presume that you have already a work permit in Turkey?


 
Ali Al awadi
Ali Al awadi  Identity Verified
Türkiye
English to Arabic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
No work permit yet. Jul 27, 2018

Emin Arı wrote:

Dear Ali,

I presume that you have already a work permit in Turkey?


Hello Emin,
I haven't got a work permit yet. Just trying to have an idea about self-employment and/or profesional translation scene in Turkey. Perhaps I can get on board. However, I believe it's not possible to apply for a work permit unless there's an official job offer.


 
Ali Al awadi
Ali Al awadi  Identity Verified
Türkiye
English to Arabic
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
It's almost the same in Romania and Egypt Jul 27, 2018

betül asiye karpuzcu wrote:

However, officially, sworn-translation can only be done by Turkish citizens -and this, together with court translations is the only kind of regulated translation in this country.


It's almost the same with freelancing in Romania and Egypt (my country of origin). Freelancing is not regulated yet. As long as a freelancer earns his living in pyjamas at home, no body will ever ask for taxes. No matter how much money you make (unless your bank account is bulging; eyebrows will be raised with questions from where you got this money).


 


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