Documents: Turkish to English Turkish → English
Turkish pension statement (emekli maaş belgesi) translation
Certified English translation of Turkish pension documents: the SGK pension award and monthly amount statement from e-Devlet, the pensioner's card and private pension (BES) statements, for spouse visa income evidence, ILR, HMRC, DWP, councils and lenders. From £10.
What the receiving body requires
“The translation must be dated and include: (i) confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document; (ii) the full name and signature of the translator or an authorised official of the translation company; (iii) the translator or translation company's contact details; and (iv) if the applicant is applying for leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain, certification by a qualified translator and details of the translator or translation company's credentials.”
Source:
· checked 29 August 2026The Turkish documents that evidence a pension
A Turkish state pension is paid by the Social Security Institution (SGK), and the documents that prove it are drawn from SGK's records through e-Devlet. The pension information statement (emekli aylık bilgisi, or gelir/aylık bilgisi) shows the pension award number (tahsis no), the insurance status under which the pension was awarded, the date the pension began, the gross and net monthly amount and any additional payment, with a barcode for verification. A pensioner's identity card (emekli tanıtım kartı) confirms status but not amount. Older pensioners hold an award letter from the SGK provincial directorate. Private pensions under the individual pension system (Bireysel Emeklilik Sistemi, BES) are evidenced by statements from the pension company showing contributions, the fund value and any payments. The bank statement into which the pension is paid shows the monthly credit, usually labelled SGK emekli maaşı, and is often required alongside.
We translate the award details, the amounts as printed in Turkish lira, the status and date fields, the additional-payment lines, the verification note and, for bank statements, the pension credits with their descriptions.
When a UK body asks for it
- Spouse or partner visa and ILR. Pension income of the applicant or the partner counts towards the financial requirement under Appendix FM, including a pension paid abroad, at its annual rate. The Home Office wants documentation from the pension provider confirming the entitlement and amount, plus a bank statement showing the payment; the SGK statement with our translation has served as the provider's documentation to date. See translations for a spouse or partner visa.
- HMRC. A Turkish pension received by a UK resident is reported on the foreign pages of a Self Assessment return, and HMRC may ask for evidence of the amount and of any Turkish tax withheld.
- The DWP and local councils. A foreign pension is income for Pension Credit, Universal Credit and council tax reduction, and the claim needs evidence of it.
- Mortgage lenders, banks and landlords, assessing retirement income for affordability.
- Adult dependent relative applications, where the relative's own income is part of the picture.
Paperwork that goes the other way, such as a UK life certificate for SGK's annual check on pensioners abroad, is dealt with on our Turkish pension abroad page.
What the translation must contain
For visa evidence, Appendix FM-SE paragraph 1(j) sets the standard quoted below: a dated translation with a confirmation of accuracy, the name and signature of the translator or an authorised person of the company, contact details and, for leave to remain and ILR, a qualified translator's certification with the company's credentials. Our certificate carries each item and the company's Ankara Trade Registry number. HMRC, the DWP and lenders apply the gov.uk wording, which the same certificate covers.
The figures are left in Turkish lira. The Home Office converts foreign income itself using the exchange rate its guidance specifies on the date of application, and HMRC has its own published rates, so a translation that converts would be wrong for at least one of them. We render aylık as monthly amount, distinguish gross from net, and translate the additional-payment line (ek ödeme) and the holiday bonus (bayram ikramiyesi) as separate items so the reader can decide which count as income.
Apostille and verification
The Home Office, HMRC and the DWP do not ask for an apostille on a pension statement. The e-Devlet statement is verified by its barcode, which we translate the instructions for. A pension company's BES statement is verified with the company; if an authority abroad wants an apostille, an SGK paper letter can be apostilled at the valilik.
Price and turnaround
The SGK statement is one page and the certified translation costs £10.00; a BES statement is 1 to 2 pages, and a bank statement showing pension credits is priced by its own page count. Certification is included and no UK VAT is charged. Delivery is within 1 working day as a certified PDF, or the same day with the fast option for files received before 11:00 UK time. A signed hard copy by courier from Ankara is £30; we have no UK office and do not offer collection.
What you receive
- Translation of the pension statement with award details, gross and net amounts in Turkish lira, additional payments itemised and the verification note
- Certification page meeting Appendix FM-SE paragraph 1(j) and the gov.uk wording, dated and signed with company credentials
- Copy of the statement attached
- Certified PDF by e-mail; courier hard copy optional
Frequently asked questions
Is a bank statement showing the pension enough for a spouse visa?
The Home Office wants both: documentation from the pension provider and a bank statement showing the payment. The SGK statement from e-Devlet is the provider's documentation. Send both and we translate them together.
Will you convert the pension into pounds for the Home Office?
No. The Home Office applies its own exchange rate on the date of application, and HMRC uses its published rates. The translation keeps the lira figures so each body can do its own conversion.
Do the holiday bonus and additional payments count as income?
We translate them as separate lines so the reader can see them. Whether a body counts them is for that body, and an immigration adviser can tell you how the Home Office treats them.
I have a private pension (BES) as well. Can it be translated in the same order?
Yes. The pension company's statement is translated with the SGK statement and certified as one set.
The SGK letter I have is from 2015. Do I need a new one?
For a current amount, yes. The e-Devlet statement is free, shows this month's figure and carries a verification code, and it is what caseworkers expect to see.