VERBIS is the Data Controllers' Registry maintained by the Turkish Personal Data Protection Authority. Foreign companies do not register directly; they register through a representative appointed in Turkey. This guide sets out how the process works from start to finish.
What VERBIS is, and who must register
VERBIS (Veri Sorumluları Sicil Bilgi Sistemi) is the public registry in which data controllers record their processing activities. For controllers established in Turkey, the duty to register depends on thresholds such as employee numbers and balance-sheet size. For a controller established outside Turkey, the position is simpler and stricter: registration is required, and there is no small-scale exemption. If you process the personal data of people in Turkey, you register.
Registration and representation go together. A foreign controller registers with VERBIS through its representative in Turkey. The two steps are part of one engagement: we act as your representative and complete your registration on your behalf.
The documents you will need
The core of the process is a properly executed appointment. In most cases you will need to provide:
- A board resolution or authorised-signatory decision appointing the representative, signed in wet ink.
- Notarisation of that decision in your home country.
- An apostille on the notarised document, so that it is recognised in Turkey.
- Your Records of Processing Activities, which we help you translate into the format VERBIS expects.
We prepare the appointment documents for signature and guide you through notarisation and apostille, so the paperwork is right the first time.
Your existing records are a head start
If you already maintain a Record of Processing Activities for the GDPR, most of the substance you need is already written. We provide a structured VERBIS Notification Template designed to map your existing records into the Turkish format, rather than starting again.
The process, step by step
| Step | What happens | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scope | A short call to confirm your processing and give you a fixed fee. | You and us |
| 2. Appointment | We draft the resolution and power of attorney; you sign, notarise, and apostille. | You, with our drafts |
| 3. Records | We map your Records of Processing Activities into the VERBIS format. | Us |
| 4. Registration | We complete your entry in the Data Controllers' Registry. | Us |
| 5. Upkeep | We keep the entry current and act as your representative year-round. | Us |
How long it takes
Once your signed, notarised, and apostilled documents reach us, the registration itself is typically completed quickly. The main variable is not the Turkish side but your own: the time needed to sign, notarise, and apostille the appointment in your home country. We start preparing your records in parallel so that no time is lost.
Is there a government fee?
VERBIS registration itself does not carry a government charge. Your cost is the engagement of the representative and the one-time work of appointment and registration. Our fees are published, so you know the figure before you begin.
Ready to register?
We handle the appointment, the records, and the filing. You sign once.