Founder Working from Turkey for a Foreign Company: Tax Guide
A founder working from Turkey for a foreign company should review personal tax residence, salary or service income, management and control of the foreign company, permanent establi
Last reviewed: 19 August 2026
Author: Evren Özmen, CPA / SMMM
Short Answer
A founder working from Turkey for a foreign company should review personal tax residence, salary or service income, management and control of the foreign company, permanent establishment risk, Turkish company alternatives and whether any active service income is correctly documented. Owning a foreign company does not automatically keep Turkey-based work outside Turkish tax.
Short Summary
Founder tax issues in Turkey are different from ordinary freelancer cases because the founder may control a foreign company while physically working in Turkey. The review should cover personal residence, company management, payroll or invoice model, treaty position, Turkish permanent establishment risk and whether a Turkish entity is safer.
Founder Risk Table
| Fact | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Founder lives in Turkey | Personal tax residence review |
| Foreign company is managed from Turkey | Company residence or PE risk |
| Founder takes salary | Employment and treaty analysis |
| Founder invoices the company | Contractor/service export analysis |
| Foreign dividends paid | OZM 20/D or passive income review |
Case Review
Send company country, cap table, management facts, founder role, salary/invoice/dividend plan, Turkey day count and client geography.
Email: info@ozmconsultancy.com
Subject line: Founder working from Turkey tax review
FAQ
Does a foreign company protect the founder from Turkish tax?
Not by itself. If management or work happens from Turkey, Turkish tax questions can arise.
Are dividends a separate issue?
Yes. Foreign dividends and passive foreign income should be reviewed separately, including OZM's Article 20/D Non-Dom analysis where relevant.
Durumunuzu Birlikte Değerlendirelim
Yabancı şirketle çalışma modeliniz, müşteri ülkesi, hizmet türü ve mevcut şirket yapınıza göre ilk riskleri görmek için iletişim sayfasından e-posta gönderin.
Doğrudan iletişim: info@ozmconsultancy.com | +90 216 352 29 61 | WhatsApp’tan yazın
Sources
- Company formation in Turkey: https://evrenozmen.com.tr/company-formation-in-turkey
- Remote work from Turkey: https://evrenozmen.com.tr/remote-work-turkey-tax-guide
- OZM Turkey Non-Dom guide: https://ozmconsultancy.com/turkey-non-dom/
About the author
- Evren Özmen is an Istanbul-based CPA / SMMM specializing in tax and accounting for remote workers, freelancers and professionals earning income from foreign clients. His practice has supported more than 1,000 remote-working taxpayers. Core topics include employee versus contractor classification, foreign-client invoicing, VAT exemption for exported services, service export deductions, sole proprietorship and limited company compliance. General information only; case-specific review is required before applying any tax position.
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