Essential Guide to Apostilling, Translating, and Notarizing Documents in Turkey

In Turkey, it is often necessary to have certain documents, such as birth certificates and marriage certificates, apostilled for use in foreign countries. An apostille is a certification that is added to a document to verify its authenticity and make it legally recognized in other countries.

To make documents apostilled in Turkey, individuals must first obtain an official copy of the document from the relevant authorities. For example, birth certificates can be obtained from the Civil Registry Office (Nüfus Müdürlüğü) and marriage certificates can be obtained from the Marriage Registry Office (Evlendirme Dairesi).

Once the official copy of the document has been obtained, it can be taken to the competent authority to be apostilled. In Turkey, administrative documents such as civil registry extracts and diplomas are apostilled by the governorship (valilik) in a provincial capital or by the district governorship (kaymakamlık) in a district. Documents issued by courts are apostilled at the courthouse, by the justice commission of the first-instance courts (Adli Yargı İlk Derece Mahkemesi Adalet Komisyonu Başkanlığı).

The requirements for obtaining an apostille on a document in Turkey depend on the type of document and the country where it will be used. Generally, individuals will need to provide the original document, as well as a copy of their passport or national ID card. Other requirements may vary depending on the specific circumstances.

The official translation of documents in Turkey can be done through a number of different channels. One option is to use a professional translation service, which can provide translations in a range of languages. These services are available in major cities around the country, and many offer online translation services as well.

For official use in Turkey, a translation is usually made by a sworn translator (yeminli tercüman) who has taken an oath before a notary, and the notary then certifies the translator's signature (noter onaylı tercüme). Most translation offices work with a notary and arrange both steps.

Notarization of documents in Turkey is generally done through a notary public (noter). Notaries in Turkey are licensed professionals who are responsible for authenticating and verifying legal documents. Notaries can be found in most cities around the country.

To have a document notarized in Turkey, individuals must present the original document and a copy of their passport or national ID card. The notary will review the document and, if it is in order, will stamp and sign it to verify its authenticity.

In conclusion, documents in Turkey can be apostilled for use in foreign countries by obtaining an official copy of the document and taking it to the governorship (valilik) or district governorship (kaymakamlık), or to the courthouse for documents issued by courts. The requirements for obtaining an apostille depend on the type of document and the country where it will be used. Official translations of documents in Turkey are usually made by a sworn translator and then certified by a notary. Notarization of documents is generally done through a notary public, who will review the document and stamp and sign it to verify its authenticity.