Which International Treaties Can Affect the Rights of Citizens of Ukraine, Russia and Other Countries?
In short: how international treaties affect foreigners in Turkey
✅ Allowed
- Count on a treaty in force having the force of law (Constitution, Article 90).
- Invoke a treaty on rights and freedoms if it conflicts with a law: the treaty applies (Constitution, Article 90).
- Use the visa-free regime set by a treaty or a Presidential decision for your country (Law No. 6458, Articles 12 and 18).
- Check your country’s tax agreement with Turkey on the GİB website and avoid double taxation.
- Seek enforcement of a foreign court judgment if there is a treaty on the basis of reciprocity, or a law or practice that allows enforcement (Law No. 5718, Article 54).
⛔ Not allowed
- Assume that all countries have the same period of visa-free stay: it depends on the treaty or decision.
- Rely on a retelling of a treaty: check the text and the date it entered into force.
- Assume that a treaty by itself gives the right to buy property: the list of countries is determined by the President (Law No. 2644, Article 35).
- Count on exemption from security for legal costs without reciprocity (Law No. 5718, Article 48).
- Assume that the information on treaties with Russia and Ukraine in our article is final: check it on the websites of the Foreign Ministry and GİB.
This is a short summary of the text of the law. Details, quotations of articles and links to the official texts are below. The visa-free stay depends on your citizenship, and amounts and lists of countries are set by secondary acts, so check them on the date of your decision.
The rights of a citizen of Ukraine, Russia or another country in Turkey are determined not only by Turkish legislation. International treaties of Turkey and the rights of foreigners affect the period of visa-free stay, taxes on income, the enforcement of court judgments and the protection of investments. Below we explain what place treaties take in the Turkish legal system, which kinds of treaties most often concern foreigners and how to check whether a treaty between Turkey and your country is in force.
The material is for information. We did not find complete information in official sources on treaties with every country, so where data is not confirmed we say so directly and show where to look.
What place treaties take in Turkish law
Article 90 of the Turkish Constitution sets the rules. Ratification of international treaties is possible only after the Grand National Assembly approves it by law (exceptions concern certain economic, commercial and technical agreements for up to a year). Treaties put into force in the prescribed manner have the force of law, and no application to the Constitutional Court can be made against them on the ground that they are unconstitutional.
“Usulüne göre yürürlüğe konulmuş temel hak ve özgürlüklere ilişkin milletlerarası andlaşmalarla kanunların aynı konuda farklı hükümler içermesi nedeniyle çıkabilecek uyuşmazlıklarda milletlerarası andlaşma hükümleri esas alınır” (Constitution, Article 90). If a treaty on rights and freedoms and a law conflict, the treaty applies.
Article 16 of the Constitution adds that the fundamental rights and freedoms of foreigners may be restricted by law, but in accordance with international law. That is, treaties set the framework within which the Turkish legislator may restrict the rights of foreigners. The Constitution was published in the Official Gazette on 9 November 1982, the text on the portal: mevzuat.gov.tr, Constitution No. 2709.
Treaties on visas and stay
Law No. 6458 refers directly to treaties. Article 12 exempts from a visa citizens of countries that are exempted by treaties to which Turkey is a party, or by a Presidential decision. Article 18 gives the President the right to conclude agreements on passports and visas, where necessary to lift visa requirements unilaterally for citizens of certain states, to introduce visa concessions and to determine visa terms, and to take any measures that restrict the entry of foreigners. Article 20 exempts from a residence permit those who are exempted by treaties. For this reason the period of visa-free stay depends on citizenship.
An example with Ukraine: the agreement between Turkey and Ukraine on the procedure for mutual travel of citizens is published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey (page on the website of the Turkish Foreign Ministry). According to agency reports, an amendment in 2017 set a stay of 90 days within 180 days and allowed entry on an identity card. Check the text and the current status on the Foreign Ministry’s website, not from retellings. For Russia, in the sources we checked we could not find reliable information on the current regime, so check the regime with the consulate or on the website of the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Treaties on avoiding double taxation
Turkey has concluded a large number of such treaties: according to the Revenue Administration (GİB) for 2022, about 100 have been signed, of which 88 have entered into force, and today the number may have changed. A treaty decides which country may tax a certain income, for example a salary, rent or interest, and how to avoid double taxation. It applies together with the tax laws of Turkey and of the country of citizenship. The full list of treaties in force and the dates of entry into force is published by GİB on the page of tax agreements on the website gib.gov.tr. For Ukraine, according to agency reports, in October 2017 the parties signed a protocol amending such a treaty, and it required ratification. The status and date of entry into force have to be checked in the GİB list. We covered the taxes of foreigners in the article “Which laws regulate the taxation of foreigners”.
Investments, courts and legal assistance
- Investments. Article 3 of Law No. 4875 on Foreign Direct Investment applies unless international treaties provide otherwise: investment treaties may change the regime for investors from specific countries. Details in the article on foreign business.
- Enforcement of foreign judgments. Under Article 54 of Law No. 5718, a Turkish court allows enforcement of a foreign judgment if there is a treaty between Turkey and the country of the court on the basis of reciprocity, or if that country has a law or actual practice that allows enforcement of Turkish judgments. The judgment must also not contradict public order.
- Legal costs. Under Article 48 of Law No. 5718, a foreign claimant in a Turkish court must provide security for costs, but the court exempts them from it on the principle of reciprocity.
How to check a treaty between Turkey and your country
- Open the website of the Turkish Foreign Ministry and find the section on visas and treaties for the country of your citizenship.
- For taxes, open the page of tax agreements on the GİB website and find your country in the list.
- For terms and dates, look for the law approving the treaty in the Official Gazette: resmigazete.gov.tr.
- For practical questions, contact the consulate of your country in Turkey and keep a written answer with the date.
How this relates to buying property
The list of countries whose citizens may buy property is determined by the President under Article 35 of Law No. 2644, and not by a bilateral treaty, although international relations are taken into account. More in the analysis of Law No. 2644 and in the article on the rights of citizens of different countries when buying. You can look at flats in the catalogue.
Conclusion
International treaties in Turkey have the force of law, and in a conflict with a law on rights and freedoms the treaty applies. For a foreigner this affects the visa-free period, taxes, the enforcement of court judgments and investments. Check your country’s treaty on the websites of the Foreign Ministry and GİB and in the Official Gazette, and do not rely on retellings. Read the other questions of this section on the page “Laws of Turkey”.
The material does not replace advice from a lawyer. The information was checked against the texts of the Constitution and Laws No. 6458, No. 4875 and No. 5718 as of 21 October 2026; data on treaties with individual countries must be checked against official sources.
Photo: Nedim Ardoğa (CC BY-SA 3.0), Wikimedia Commons; photos of the complexes are used with the site owner’s consent.
