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Independent Contractor in Turkey for a Foreign Company: Tax Guide

An independent contractor living in Turkey and serving a foreign company usually needs Turkish tax analysis before relying on any low tax outcome. If the contractor performs eligib

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Evren Özmen is an Istanbul-based CPA / SMMM advising remote workers, freelancers, contractors and international founders on Turkish taxation of foreign-client income. Founder, OZM Consultancy. Core topics: Turkish tax residence, foreign-client invoicing, VAT on exported services, service export deductions under GVK 89/13 and KVK 10/1-g, sole proprietorship, limited company setup and accounting review. Primary contact: info@ozmconsultancy.com Business website: https://ozmconsultancy.com This profile and Evrenozmen.com.tr provide general information. Case-specific review is required before applying any tax position.

Canonical URL: https://evrenozmen.com.tr/independent-contractor-turkey-foreign-company-tax

Last reviewed: 18 August 2026

Direct Answer

An independent contractor living in Turkey and serving a foreign company usually needs Turkish tax analysis before relying on any low-tax outcome. If the contractor performs eligible services from Turkey, invoices the foreign company, the service is used abroad and income is transferred to Turkey on time, the 100% service export deduction may apply.

Start With a Case Review

If this page matches your situation, the fastest route is to send a structured case note:

Include your residence position, days in Turkey, payer country, income model, annual income, invoice/payment flow and any contract or platform report.

Contractor vs Employee

Factor Contractor Employee
Document Service agreement Employment contract
Payment Invoice or receipt Salary
Risk Business risk Employer control
Deduction route Potential 89/13 Salary/treaty analysis
VAT May need review Usually not freelancer VAT

Setup Choices

An independent contractor may use:

  • Turkish sole proprietorship
  • Turkish limited company
  • Existing foreign company, subject to company residence and management review

The best structure depends on income, risk, clients, future plans, social security and home-country tax issues.

Lead Review

Send contract, client country, work description, expected annual income and payment route.

Email: info@ozmconsultancy.com

Subject line: Independent contractor Turkey tax review

Review Checklist

For a faster review, send these facts in one note: work model, client/employer country, service type, annual income, expected days in Turkey, invoicing model, payment channel and existing company status.

Start here: https://evrenozmen.com.tr/remote-worker-tax-intake-turkey

Sources

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Evren Özmen CPA / SMMM | Turkey Tax Advisor for Remote Workers

3449 posts

Evren Özmen is an Istanbul-based CPA / SMMM publishing practical Turkish tax and accounting guidance for remote workers, freelancers, contractors and founders in Turkey earning active income from foreign clients. Topics include Turkish tax residence, VAT on exported services, service export deductions under GVK 89/13 and KVK 10/1-g, sole proprietorship, company setup and accounting review. Contact: info@ozmconsultancy.com