Your debt in Turkey may not follow you in the U.S.

The relocation of Turkish citizens who have credit debt, credit‑card payments, or an enforcement proceeding underway in Turkey to the United States does not mean that their debts disappear. Ongoing legal proceedings in Turkey can, under certain circumstances, also affect their assets in the U.S. However, every enforcement order issued in Turkey is not automatically enforceable in the U.S. So, can the bank accounts, salaries, or homes of Turkish residents in the U.S. be seized because of debts in Turkey?

Moving to the United States does not erase debts in Turkey.

A portion of Turkish citizens establishing a new life in the United States continues to maintain financial ties with banks, financial institutions, or individual creditors in Turkey. Credit‑card debt, consumer loans, mortgage loans, personal debt, and enforcement proceedings that were initiated in the past are among the matters that can produce legal consequences between the two countries.

A person who has debt in Turkey moving to the United States does not automatically erase that debt or terminate the creditor's right to collect. Depending on the nature of the debt, the statute of limitations, and the relevant legal process, creditors can file a lawsuit in Turkey or initiate enforcement proceedings.

Moreover, living in the United States does not mean that the person's assets in Turkey are completely shielded from enforcement actions.

Bank accounts and real estate in Turkey can be seized.

If a person with a valid enforcement proceeding in Turkey holds a bank account, real estate, vehicle, or other economic asset in the country, those assets can become subject to seizure when legal conditions arise.

For instance, if a Turkish citizen residing in the United States owns an apartment registered in Turkey, the creditor can request that the property be seized to recover the debt. Likewise, bank accounts, rental income, and certain claim rights in Turkey can also surface during the enforcement process.

However, there is an important distinction here. An enforcement proceeding initiated in Turkey does not allow direct seizure of bank accounts or real estate in the United States. A separate process in accordance with U.S. law must be carried out for that.

Can a bank account in the United States be seized?

One of the most frequently asked questions among Turkish residents in the United States about debts in Turkey is whether accounts in American banks and assets acquired in the U.S. are at risk.

The answer to this question depends on the legal status of the debt and the actions taken by the creditor.

A bank or creditor in Turkey cannot directly withdraw money from a U.S. bank account solely based on a debt collection action initiated only in Turkey.

However, a lawsuit can be filed to have a judgment for a money claim issued by a Turkish court and meeting the necessary legal conditions recognized in the United States.

There is no uniform system across the United States for the recognition and enforcement of foreign court judgments. The process is largely governed by the laws of the relevant state.

To enforce court judgments issued in foreign countries in the United States, a legal proceeding is usually required to be initiated in a competent U.S. court.

Important detail for Turks living in New York

New York, where the Turkish population is concentrated, is one of the states that has clear legal provisions regarding the recognition of money claim judgments issued abroad.

The 53rd article group of the New York State Code of Civil Procedure sets out the conditions under which certain monetary judgment decisions issued abroad may be recognized.

Under this framework, if a suitably qualified court decision issued in Turkey is recognized in New York, it can become enforceable as if it were a judgment issued in the state.

In such a case, it may be considered to act on bank accounts or other assets in accordance with the relevant state's seizure and collection rules.

However, this outcome does not arise automatically. The creditor must initiate the necessary legal process and the court must recognize the foreign judgment.

Not every enforcement file in Turkey is deemed valid in the United States.

In U.S. law, the mere initiation of an enforcement action against a person in Turkey and a court's decision regarding a monetary claim do not carry the same meaning.

For example, a debt collection action initiated by a bank in Turkey over a credit debt does not, on its own, qualify as a court judgment that could be enforced in New York.

New York's regulation on foreign court judgments primarily covers monetary claim judgments that are final, binding, and enforceable in the country where the judgment was rendered.

Tax debts, fines, and certain family‑law‑related judgments are excluded from this regulation. Therefore, it is not possible to say that every debt in Turkey can be transferred to the United States by the same method.

Can a U.S. court reject a judgment issued in Turkey?

U.S. courts evaluate foreign monetary‑claim judgments according to specific legal criteria.

Under New York law, whether the issuing court is competent and whether the proceeding was conducted in accordance with fundamental fair‑trial guarantees is of great importance.

Failure to provide timely notice that would allow the debtor to defend themselves, obtaining the decision through a fraud that eliminates the right to defense, or a decision that contravenes public order can also serve as grounds for refusal of recognition.

However, the debtor merely refusing to comply with the Turkish court ruling does not automatically mean that the recognition process in the United States will be rejected.

Can wage garnishment be applied to a salary earned in the United States?

Garnishment of wages in the United States due to a debt originating in Turkey can arise only when the necessary legal conditions are met in the United States.

When a foreign currency judgment is recognized and enforceable in the relevant state, the creditor may resort to the collection methods provided for in local law.

However, wage garnishment in the United States is protected at both federal and state levels. Therefore, recognition of a court ruling does not mean that the debtor’s entire salary can be seized.

Likewise, whether a person's home or other assets can be seized also depends on state laws, ownership status, and applicable exemptions.

Does debt in Turkey affect a credit score in the United States?

Another question that Turkish residents in the United States wonder about is whether unpaid loans in Turkey are reflected in their American credit history.

A credit debt in Turkey is not automatically transferred to credit reports in the United States simply because it is unpaid. The different credit record systems in the two countries demonstrate that a negative entry in Turkey does not automatically reflect on an American credit score.

However, if the debt is pursued for collection in the United States or reported to credit bureaus by a collection agency, different outcomes can arise.

In the United States, debt collection agencies have specific legal obligations to contact the debtor before reporting to credit bureaus. Therefore, the nature of the debt and the procedures carried out in the United States are also important.

Can a Turkish person living in the United States receive a court summons from Turkey?

A person who has a debt collection or lawsuit in Turkey and lives in the United States does not mean that official notices cannot be served to them.

Article 25/a of Notification Law No. 7201 allows Turkish citizens living abroad to receive notifications through Turkey's embassies or consulates.

Under this method, the subject of the notification and the authority that sent it are communicated to the person. After the notification is sent in accordance with the procedure specified in the law, if the person does not apply to the consulate within 30 days, the notification may be considered served.

Therefore, a person living in the United States who ignores official notices from Turkey can create timing problems in exercising their right to appeal or defend, rather than halting the legal process.

Is there a risk of being arrested or deported in the United States due to a debt in Turkey?

The failure to pay an ordinary credit card or bank debt in Turkey, by itself, does not constitute grounds for arrest or deportation in the United States.

The collection of debts governed by private law is viewed as a distinct legal process from criminal investigations and immigration proceedings.

However, if a debt relationship is subject to a separate criminal charge such as fraud, or if orders from a U.S. court are not complied with, the situation can change. Therefore, each case must be examined according to its own circumstances.

Does the passage of years on a debt hinder its collection?

Whether debts are subject to statute of limitations is also important for Turks living in the United States.

However, there is no single statute of limitations that applies to every debt. The type of debt, the terms of the contract, any previously initiated lawsuit or enforcement proceedings, and relevant legislation can affect those periods.

In the United States, different time limits can apply for the recognition of foreign court judgments.

For example, in New York, a lawsuit to recognize a foreign judgment for a monetary claim must be filed within the earlier of the period during which the judgment is valid in the country where it was issued or a 20‑year period from the judgment's entry into force.

Therefore, assuming that a debt that arose years ago disappears on its own is incorrect.

What should Turkish residents in the United States pay attention to?

It is important for people in Turkey who have outstanding debts from the past or ongoing enforcement files to first learn the current legal status of the debt.

In particular, those in Turkey who have registered real estate, bank accounts, or other assets must monitor the proceedings carried out against their rights.

If an official notice regarding a debt in Turkey is obtained from a court or collection agency in ABD, it is important to act in accordance with the laws of the relevant state.

Issues such as the statute of limitations on debts, the validity of the summons, the nature of the court judgment, and assets that cannot be seized can alter the outcome of the collection process.

There is no automatic seizure system between the two countries.

There is no general agreement that would automatically enforce court judgments reciprocally between Turkey and ABD.

Therefore, the enforceability of a judgment obtained in Turkey in ABD is evaluated based on the jurisdiction of the relevant ABD court and state law.

In conclusion, moving to ABD does not erase debts in Turkey, nor does it mean that every debt can be directly collected in ABD.

The most important distinction is that a court ruling that can be recognized and enforced in the United States is not the same as an ongoing enforcement proceeding in Turkey. For Turks living in the United States, the nature of the debt, the legal process, and the state in which it occurs play a critical role in determining possible outcomes.