Accountants and corporate service providers in Istanbul

Istanbul holds 49 of the 90 Turkish firms on Accountanty, more than half of the country’s listings, and it is where a founder from abroad has the widest choice. Thirty-three of the Istanbul firms say foreign clients are a focus, which is two in three of the city’s profiles and most of the 50 such firms in Turkey. If you are opening a subsidiary, a branch or a liaison office from outside the country, this is the list to start with.

Most of the Istanbul firms are small practices: 44 of the 49, against four that belong to large networks and one of medium size. Forty-one are accounting firms, four are law firms and four are corporate service providers. Of the 17 that give a founding year, the oldest dates from 1946 and the median from 2003, so the city mixes long-established offices with practices founded in the last two decades.

Firms in Istanbul

Ozbek CPA

Accounting firm · Boutique firm

Istanbul

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +6 more

Languages: English · Turkish

View profile of Ozbek CPA

Celikel CPA

Accounting firm · Boutique firm

Istanbul

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +5 more

Languages: English · Turkish · Russian · Chinese …

View profile of Celikel CPA

TaxEurope

Accounting firm · Boutique firm

Istanbul

  • Company formation
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Tax compliance
  • +4 more

Languages: Turkish · English

View profile of TaxEurope

25 more firms in Istanbul

Who the Istanbul firms work for

Foreign investors are the client group named most often, by 23 firms. Eight name foreign-capital companies, and expats appear on eight profiles under two spellings. Three firms name foreign entrepreneurs. A smaller group serves one market in particular: two firms name German companies and two name German-speaking clients, and two say they work with the branches and liaison offices of foreign companies. Multinational companies are named by two firms.

On sectors, real estate and e-commerce lead with six firms each, followed by construction and manufacturing with five. Technology, energy and services are named by four firms each, and technoparks, tourism and start-ups by three. Two firms each mention international trade, automotive, logistics, cooperatives and freelancers. A founder in one of those sectors can ask for references from clients of a similar size before signing.

The structures they set up

Branches are the structure named most often, by 26 Istanbul firms, and liaison offices follow with 24. Four firms mention representative offices and three name the branch of a foreign company in those words. For a company that wants its own Turkish entity, the limited company appears on 18 profiles under one label and on 13 as Ltd. Şti., and the joint stock company (A.Ş.) on 12, 11 and six profiles under three spellings. Nine firms handle sole proprietorships, eight free zone companies and four holding companies.

Which form suits you depends on what the Turkish entity will do, who will sign for it and whether it will trade or only represent the parent. The legal steps are on the Turkey guide; a firm should explain the choice for your case in writing before it prepares any documents.

Services and languages

All 49 firms handle tax compliance, 46 offer company formation and 44 keep accounts. Payroll is offered by 39 and VAT by 37, and 27 each provide audit and corporate secretarial work. Twenty-six help with residence permits and visas, which matters if you plan to move to Turkey to run the company yourself. Thirteen help with a business bank account and seven provide a virtual office, so a company that needs both a registered address and an account can usually find them under one roof here.

English is listed by 36 Istanbul firms and Turkish by 31. Eight work in German and seven in Russian, four in Arabic, three in Chinese, two in Persian and one in French. Ask in your request who will answer your questions month to month and in which language the tax filings will be explained to you.

A few profiles name professional titles such as SMMM or YMM, or membership of the Istanbul chamber. Ask any firm you shortlist for its registration and for the name of the licensed person who signs your returns. Two Istanbul firms publish pricing; for the others, ask for a monthly fee in writing and what it leaves out.

Next steps

Read company formation in Turkey for how to choose a provider, and compare single services on accounting in Turkey, payroll in Turkey or residency and visas in Turkey. Firms in the capital are on the Ankara page and those on the Mediterranean coast on the Antalya page. When your brief is ready, send one request through Accountanty and we forward it to suitable accountants in Istanbul.

Frequently asked questions

How many accountants does Accountanty list in Istanbul?

Forty-nine: 41 accounting firms, four law firms and four corporate service providers. Forty-four are small practices, four belong to large networks and one is medium-sized.

Do Istanbul accountants work with foreign companies?

Thirty-three of the 49 say foreign clients are a focus, and 23 name foreign investors as a client group. Twenty-six firms handle branches and 24 liaison offices, the two structures a foreign parent often uses first.

Which languages do Istanbul firms offer?

English is listed by 36 firms and Turkish by 31. Eight work in German, seven in Russian, four in Arabic, three in Chinese, two in Persian and one in French. Confirm the language with the person who will handle your account.

Can an Istanbul firm help with a residence permit and a bank account?

Twenty-six Istanbul firms help with residence permits and visas, and 13 with a business bank account. Ask whether both can run alongside the company registration so the steps do not wait on each other.

Do Istanbul firms publish their fees?

Only two do. For the rest, describe your company, expected transactions and staff in the request, and ask for a written monthly fee with the annual filings and any extra services listed separately.

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General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, rates and fees change: check them with the official sources linked on this page or with a qualified adviser before you act.