Turkish bank statement (hesap dökümü) translation

What a Turkish bank statement looks like

A Turkish bank statement (hesap dökümü, hesap hareketleri or hesap özeti) is issued either at a branch, printed on the bank's paper and stamped and signed by the branch, or as a PDF from internet or mobile banking, which many banks now mark with a verification code. It shows the account holder, the branch, the account number and IBAN, the currency (lira, and often a separate US dollar or euro account), the statement period and, for each transaction, the date, a description, the amount and the running balance. The descriptions are terse and use the banking abbreviations of the Turkish payment system: EFT and FAST for transfers between banks, havale for transfers within the bank, POS for card purchases, and labels such as maaş for salary and kira for rent. Fixed-term deposits (vadeli mevduat) appear as a separate account with a maturity date.

We translate the header, the column headings, every transaction description, the abbreviations through a key, the balance lines and the bank's stamp or verification note, and we leave every amount in the currency of the account.

When a UK body asks for it

• Spouse or partner visa. Cash savings held for six months count towards the financial requirement, and Turkish accounts are commonly used; with the income threshold at £29,000 when we last checked, savings alone must reach £88,500. Statements also evidence salary or pension credits when income is relied on. See translations for a spouse or partner visa.
• Student visa. Maintenance funds must have been held for 28 consecutive days, and the statement must show the holder's name, the account number, the date, the bank's name and the balance. Turkish nationals are not exempt from showing funds.
• Standard Visitor visa, as evidence of the means to pay for the trip.
• ILR and naturalisation, where a statement supports residence or finances.
• Mortgage lenders, banks and solicitors, tracing a deposit that came from Türkiye for anti-money-laundering purposes. See translations for banks and mortgage lenders.
• HMRC, for interest earned on Turkish accounts.

What the translation must contain

Appendix FM-SE paragraph 1(j), quoted below, governs visa evidence: the original plus a full translation that can be independently verified, dated, with a confirmation of accuracy, the translator's or company representative's name and signature, contact details and, for leave to remain and ILR, a qualified translator's certification with the company's credentials. Appendix FM-SE also requires an electronic statement to be accompanied by a letter from the bank on its headed paper confirming authenticity, or to carry the bank's stamp on every page; we translate that letter with the statement. Our certificate provides each item with the company's Ankara Trade Registry number, and every page of the statement is attached in order.

We do not convert currencies. The Home Office converts at the rate its guidance specifies on the date of application, and lenders use their own, so a converted figure would suit nobody. Balances are labelled clearly as available balance or blocked amount where the statement distinguishes them, since a blocked sum does not count as accessible savings.

Apostille and format

No apostille is required on a bank statement by any UK body we deal with. What matters is the bank's stamp or letter for electronic statements and a period that matches the rule: six months for cash savings, 28 days for Student visa maintenance. Ask the bank for the exact period; a longer statement costs more to translate and adds nothing.

Price and turnaround

Statements are counted by characters, and a busy account generates many. A six-month statement typically comes to 6 to 15 pages of 1,000 characters, so £60.00 to £150.00; a 28-day statement for a Student visa is often 1 to 3 pages. Certification is included and no UK VAT is charged. Standard turnaround is 2 to 3 working days as a certified PDF; the economy option reduces the price by 20 per cent over twice the time and suits long statements, and the fast option halves the time for 60 per cent more. A signed hard copy by courier from Ankara is £30. We have no UK office and do not offer collection.