In order for payment to be made on a check, the holder must present the check to the drawee. According to Article 796 of the Turkish Commercial Code, the presentation periods for checks are as follows:
If the check is to be paid at the place where it was drawn, ten days;
If it is to be paid at a place other than where it was drawn, one month.
A check drawn in a country other than the country where it is to be paid:
If the place of issuance and the place of payment are on the same continent, one month;
If they are on different continents, it must be presented to the drawee within three months.
All these periods begin to run from the date indicated on the check as the date of issuance. Presentation periods are important because if the check is not presented within these periods, it loses its status as a negotiable instrument. These presentation periods are time-barring periods. In such cases, if the check holder does not adhere to the presentation periods, they may claim their debt based on the underlying debt relationship. A check not presented within the prescribed period serves as the basis for written evidence, and witnesses may be called regarding the matter.
