In Türkiye, an official translation is made by a sworn translator registered with a notary, and the notary then certifies the translator's signature (noter onaylı tercüme). Foreign documents usually need an apostille or consular legalisation from the issuing country first. Our Gaziantep office prepares sworn translations in many languages and can arrange the notary step; send a photo of your document on WhatsApp for a quote.
How official translation works in Türkiye
Türkiye does not use the "certified translation by any professional" model common in some countries. An official translation is produced by a sworn translator (yeminli tercüman) who has taken an oath before a notary and is registered there. The translator signs the translation, and the notary then certifies that the signature belongs to that sworn translator. This is called a notarised translation (noter onaylı tercüme). The notary certifies the signature, not the content; accuracy is the translator's responsibility.
Most Turkish authorities, including notaries, registry offices, land registry offices and universities, ask for a notarised Turkish translation of foreign documents. Turkish documents going abroad are translated the same way into the target language.
Typical situations we help foreigners with
- Getting married in Türkiye: wedding offices usually ask the foreign partner for a notarised Turkish translation of the passport and a certificate of no impediment to marriage from the home country, plus a sworn interpreter if the partner does not speak Turkish. Lists differ between municipalities, so get the current list from the wedding office.
- Notarial transactions: powers of attorney, sales contracts, declarations. If you do not speak Turkish, notary law requires a sworn interpreter at the signing.
- Buying property: the land registry office may ask for translations and, if a party does not speak Turkish, a sworn translator at the transaction.
- Education and recognition: diplomas and transcripts for Turkish universities or for diploma recognition.
- Business: company documents of a foreign parent company, powers of attorney and signature declarations when setting up or managing a company in Türkiye.
- Using Turkish documents abroad: civil registry extracts, criminal records, court decisions and company documents translated into English, German, Arabic and many other languages.
Apostille or legalisation first
A foreign public document must be authenticated in the country that issued it before it is used in Türkiye. If that country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, this is done with an apostille. If not, the document goes through consular legalisation, usually the issuing country's foreign ministry and then the Turkish embassy or consulate there.
The usual order is: apostille or legalisation in the issuing country, then sworn translation into Turkish (including the apostille text), then notary certification in Türkiye. Doing these steps in the wrong order is a common reason for delays.
Turkish documents you can get in English without translation
Some Turkish documents are available directly in foreign languages, which can save you a translation:
- Criminal record certificate (adli sicil kaydı) from e-Devlet in English and many other languages.
- Multilingual civil status extracts (Formül A for birth, B for marriage, C for death) from civil registry offices, accepted without translation in the member states of the Vienna Convention (CIEC No. 16), such as Germany, Austria, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Spain.
- University transcripts in Turkish and English via YÖK on e-Devlet, for many graduates.
If the receiving institution accepts these, you do not need a translation. We will tell you honestly when this is the case.
Notaries in Gaziantep
Notary opening hours are set every year by the regional chamber of notaries. At weekends, duty notaries (nöbetçi noter) serve the public; the Union of Turkish Notaries publishes the current list online. Our Turkish guide to notaries in Gaziantep explains how to find an open notary and what to bring. Remember that a notary can only certify a translation made by a sworn translator registered with that notary, which is why the translation and notary steps are usually arranged together.
Languages
We translate between Turkish and English, German, Arabic, French, Russian, Kurdish, Persian, Azerbaijani, Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Dutch and other languages. Our own sworn translators also cover less common languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Greek. Arabic speakers can contact us on WhatsApp, +90 538 368 37 34, or read our Arabic page.
How to order
- Send a clear photo or PDF of every page, including stamps and the apostille, on WhatsApp.
- Tell us where the translation will be used and send the institution's list if you have it.
- Write your name exactly as in your passport.
- Receive the price and delivery time, then confirm.
- Collect the notarised translation at our office in Şehitkamil, or receive it by courier or digitally.
Send a photo or PDF and we will tell you which certification you need and the price. We confirm the delivery time once we have seen the document. Documents are accepted from anywhere in Türkiye and abroad.
Frequently asked questions
No. We are a sworn translation office. In Türkiye a notary (noter) is a separate public office. Our sworn translators are registered with a notary; after we translate your document, the notary certifies the translator's signature. We can arrange this step for you.
Most notaries close at weekends, but Türkiye has a duty notary (nöbetçi noter) system. The Union of Turkish Notaries publishes the current duty notaries online; our Turkish guide explains how to look them up. Opening hours are set yearly by the regional chamber of notaries.
If you do not speak Turkish, Turkish notary law requires a sworn interpreter to be present when you sign a notarial deed such as a power of attorney. We provide interpreting at notaries, wedding offices and business meetings in Gaziantep.
Most often passports, birth and marriage certificates, certificates of no impediment to marriage, diplomas and transcripts, powers of attorney and company documents. The receiving office decides exactly what it needs, so ask for its list first.
Usually yes, if it is a public document from a country that is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Documents from non-member countries need consular legalisation instead. The apostille must be obtained in the country that issued the document, before the translation is made.
Yes. Send a clear photo or PDF on WhatsApp. The translation is delivered digitally or, if a notarised original is needed, by courier anywhere in Türkiye or abroad.
It depends on the language, the length and density of the document, whether notary certification or an apostille is needed and how fast you need it. The notary's fee is set by an official yearly tariff and is shown separately. Send the document and we will quote a clear price.
Related pages
This guide is general information. Requirements of authorities can change; always check the current list of the institution you are applying to.