Uncover heirs and the estate fully and with documentation.
Who is an heir, and what does the estate comprise? From civil registry and land registry records to bank accounts and company shares, we carry out — end to end — the identification of heirs and the documentation of all of the estate's assets and liabilities, including along the Türkiye–Germany corridor.
Inheritance begins with an accurate inventory
In an inheritance file, two questions determine everything: who are the heirs, and what does the estate consist of? The answers are often less clear than assumed; unknown heirs, unregistered real property, forgotten accounts and company shares can lock up the distribution for years.
From civil registry and land registry records to the trade registry and bank assets, we investigate the estate systematically, carrying it out together with the legal steps from the certificate of inheritance through to transfer of title. Heirs living in Germany and estates spread across two countries are a natural part of our work.
When Does This Apply?
The typical scope of our heirship and estate investigation service.
Identification of Heirs
Determining the heirs and their shares through civil registry records; locating unknown heirs.
Estate Inventory
Compiling a documented inventory of real property, accounts, vehicles, company shares, and debts.
Cross-Border Inheritance
Investigating and transferring assets in Türkiye for heirs in Germany (or vice versa).
How Does the Process Work?
The three-stage method we follow in estate files.
01 · Records Search
We systematically search civil registry, land registry, trade registry, and any other institutional records we are authorised to access.
02 · Inventory & Verification
We match assets and debts with their supporting documents and report valuation and transfer priorities.
03 · Legal Steps
We handle the certificate of inheritance, transfer of title, the action for determination of the estate, and partition proceedings.
A team that reads two countries' records in a single file
Inheritance files along the Türkiye–Germany corridor mean two legal systems, two languages, and two separate record-keeping regimes. With our Berlin and İstanbul offices, we investigate both sides' documents at the source, offering heirs a single-point-of-contact process in their own language.
- A systematic method in civil registry, land registry and commercial registry research
- Simultaneous work in both countries on Germany-linked estates
- Complete preparation of apostille, translation and the document chain
- Uninterrupted representation from estate determination to the partition action
- Full compliance with confidentiality and personal data rules
Other Investigation Services
When needed, the same team can seamlessly extend its work to our other solutions in this area.
Related Areas & Legislation
The focus areas, practice areas, desks and legislation connected with this service.
The Team Delivering This Service
With our multilingual team of lawyers, well-versed in Turkish and German law, we are by your side.
It starts with documenting that you are an heir: once the certificate of inheritance is in hand, you have the standing to make enquiries of the institutions holding the records. From there the estate inventory is built systematically — title deeds for immovable property, banks for accounts and safe-deposit boxes, the trade registry and MERSİS for shareholdings, vehicle records, and any receivables owed to the deceas…
For most steps, no. If you grant a power of attorney through the Turkish consulate in Germany — or one drawn up in proper form, apostilled and translated — your lawyer can obtain the certificate of inheritance, search the estate, carry out the land registry and bank transfers, deal with the tax formalities and, where it comes to that, handle a sale. The situations that genuinely require you to attend in person are f…
A division cannot be carried out soundly until every heir has been identified, and one made short of an heir can be set aside afterwards. So the chain of succession is established end to end from the civil registry (MERNİS) records first, and any unknown heirs are traced.Where an heir is identified but cannot be reached at their address, the proper routes of service are used, including service by publication if it c…
Yes; a statutory period runs for the actual renunciation of the inheritance, and this period must not be missed. An estate investigation is carried out precisely for this decision: we clarify the assets-and-liabilities picture and enable you to make an informed decision to renounce or accept. In an over-indebted estate, official liquidation is also considered. Timing is decisive. The statutory period is three months…
Identifying the heirs is usually completed within weeks; the estate inventory varies according to the diversity of the assets and institutions' response times. In cross-border files, the apostille and translation chain adds extra time. We set out a realistic timeline at the start, flag the steps that can stretch, and report as we go. One thing is worth knowing in advance: in practice the pace is set by how quickly t…
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