Turkey: Renewal of Certificates of Tax Residence – reminder

21.12.2021

Clearstream Banking1 reminds customers that in order to benefit from a reduced Double Taxation Treaty rate on Turkish cash dividend payments, the Certificate of Tax Residence must be renewed on an annual basis for both non-resident individuals and institutional beneficial owners.

Renewal process for customers

Customers are recommended to start the renewal procedure, if appropriate, as early as possible.

We remind customers that in order to benefit from a reduced DTT rate on Turkish cash dividend payments in 2022, the Certificate of Tax Residence, duly completed and signed by the local tax authorities, must be received by Clearstream Banking, no later than 09:00 CET, 21 business days before the first dividend payment to which the Certificate of Tax Residence applies.

Form requirements of the Certificate of Tax Residence

The Certificate of Tax Residence must be issued by the beneficial owner's tax authorities and include the following information:

  • The beneficial owner's full name, TIN, date of establishment (corporates) or date of birth (individuals) and registered address;
  • A reference to article 4 (Residency) of the DTT or reference to the Double Taxation Convention between the country of residence of the beneficial owner and Turkey and may not contain phrases such as "exempt from tax" or "not liable to tax"; and
  • The validity period (dd/mm/yyyy – dd/mm/yyyy).
    NB: All issuers are requesting the Certificate of Tax Residence with clear validity period details. Therefore, if a local tax authority does not issue a Certificate of Tax Residence with the above format, then the certificate must as a minimum state “for the year YYYY”.

A validity period dated in 2021 will not be accepted for payments in 2022.

It must be dated in the same year that the dividend is paid but before the first relevant dividend payment date in 2022.

The Certificate of Tax Residence must be provided to Clearstream Banking in original. It will be translated by a translation agency appointed by Clearstream Banking 's local depository and then notarised in Turkey by a notary appointed by Clearstream Banking 's local depository. The translation agency offers translation facilities in several languages. However, additional translation costs may apply and the process may take longer if the documents are provided in a language other than English.

Impact on customers

Customers are strongly recommended to start the renewal procedure, as early as possible in 2022, in order to meet the above deadline.

Further information

For further information, please contact the Clearstream Banking Tax Help Desk, Clearstream Banking Client Services or your Relationship Officer.

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1. Clearstream Banking refers collectively to Clearstream Banking S.A., registered office at 42, avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg, and registered with the Luxembourg Trade and Companies Register under number B-9248, and Clearstream Banking AG (for Clearstream Banking AG customers using Creation Accounts), registered office at 61, Mergenthalerallee, 65760 Eschborn, Germany and registered in Register B of the Amtsgericht Frankfurt am Main, Germany under number HRB 7500.