Documents: Turkish to English Turkish → English
Turkish single-status / no-impediment certificate (bekârlık belgesi, evlenme ehliyet belgesi) translation
Certified English translation of the Turkish certificate of capacity to marry (evlenme ehliyet belgesi) and single-status evidence (bekârlık belgesi) for registrars in Scotland and Northern Ireland, some register offices in England and fiancé(e) visa applications. £10.
What the receiving body requires
“If you need to certify a translation of a document that's not written in English or Welsh, ask the translation company to confirm in writing on the translation: that it's a ‘true and accurate translation of the original document’; the date of the translation; the full name and contact details of the translator or a representative of the translation company.”
Source:
· checked 29 August 2026What Turkish single-status evidence looks like
There is no Turkish document titled “bekârlık belgesi”. When a Turkish citizen needs to prove that they are free to marry, the district registry office (nüfus müdürlüğü) issues a certificate of capacity to marry (evlenme ehliyet belgesi), also called a certificate of no impediment. It states the person's identity, register references, marital status and, for a divorced or widowed applicant, how and when the previous marriage ended. It is drawn up in the multilingual format of the 1980 Munich Convention with numbered fields, and Turkish practice treats it as valid for six months from issue. The Turkish consulates in the UK issue the same certificate to citizens living here.
The alternative that many applicants use is a registry extract (nüfus kayıt örneği) whose marital status field reads bekâr (never married), boşanmış (divorced) or dul (widowed), downloaded from e-Devlet with a verification code. It is not a certificate of capacity, but for bodies that only need to see marital status it does the job and is quicker to obtain.
We translate the certificate's numbered fields, the marital status wording, any note on the ending of a previous marriage, the issuing office and signatory, the validity note and the e-Devlet verification line where present.
When a UK body asks for it
- Registrars in Scotland and Northern Ireland. A person who is not domiciled in the UK may be asked for a certificate of no impediment from their home country when submitting notice of marriage, and Türkiye issues one. This is the most common reason Turkish citizens ask us for this translation.
- Register offices in England and Wales. The statutory list of documents for giving notice does not include a certificate of no impediment, and the Turkish consulate confirms that it is not required for Turkish citizens marrying in England. Some registrars still ask for evidence of marital status, and a translated extract answers that without argument. See translations for giving notice of marriage.
- Fiancé(e) visa. Appendix FM requires the couple to be free to marry. Where a previous marriage ended, the divorce decree or death certificate is the evidence; a certificate of capacity is useful additional proof, particularly for someone who has never been married and has no other document to show it.
- Church and other religious ceremonies in the UK where the celebrant asks for confirmation of status before the civil preliminaries.
What the translation must contain
Registrars and the Home Office apply the gov.uk certification wording quoted below. Our certificate confirms that the translation is true and accurate, is dated, and gives the full name and contact details of the company, with its Ankara Trade Registry number and a signature; the Turkish certificate is attached. For a visa application under Appendix FM the same page covers the additional items in paragraph 1(j) of Appendix FM-SE.
The marital status terms are rendered precisely: bekâr as never married rather than single, boşanmış as divorced, dul as widowed, and evli as married. The distinction between never married and single matters to a registrar, who needs to know whether a previous marriage has to be accounted for. Where the certificate records the end of a previous marriage, we translate the court or the death reference so that it can be matched to the decree or the death certificate you submit alongside it.
Apostille and multilingual format
UK registrars have not asked us for an apostille on a Turkish certificate of capacity, and the Home Office does not require one. If your registrar wants one, the nüfus müdürlüğü certificate can be apostilled at the kaymakamlık or valilik in Türkiye, and the registry extract carries a Turkish e-Apostil through e-Devlet. The multilingual headings of the Munich format do not remove the need for a translation in the UK, which is not a party to that convention, and the field entries are in Turkish in any case. Our guide to marrying in England as a Turkish citizen explains what each registrar can ask for.
Price and turnaround
The certificate and the extract are each one page, so the certified translation is £10.00, certification included, no UK VAT. 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. Because the certificate is treated as valid for six months, we date the translation and recommend ordering it when you have your notice appointment booked. 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 certificate of capacity or the registry extract, with marital status terms rendered precisely and any previous-marriage note
- Certification page in the gov.uk wording, dated and signed, with company credentials
- Copy of the Turkish document attached
- Certified PDF by e-mail; courier hard copy optional
Frequently asked questions
I am marrying in England. Do I need this certificate at all?
Usually not. The register office list for giving notice does not include it, and the Turkish consulate confirms it is not required for Turkish citizens marrying in England. Ask your registrar; if they want evidence of marital status, a translated registry extract is enough.
I am marrying in Scotland. Which document should I get?
Scottish registrars can ask a person domiciled abroad for a certificate of no impediment. Obtain the evlenme ehliyet belgesi from a nüfus müdürlüğü in Türkiye or from the Turkish consulate, and send it to us for translation with your divorce decree if you have been married before.
How long is the certificate valid?
Turkish practice treats it as valid for six months. UK registrars generally follow the validity shown on the document, so order the translation once your notice appointment is fixed.
I am divorced. Will the certificate show that?
Yes. It records that the previous marriage ended by divorce and refers to the court decision. The registrar will want the decree itself as well; see divorce decree translation.
The consulate issued the certificate in Turkish. Is that the same document?
Yes. The consulate draws it from the same register, and it needs the same certified translation for a UK registrar.