Documents: Turkish to English Turkish → English
Turkish will (vasiyetname) translation
Certified English translation of a Turkish will (vasiyetname), whether notarial or handwritten, together with the court record of its opening, for probate applications, inheritance tax and solicitors advising on estates with Turkish and UK assets.
What the receiving body requires
“A copy of any foreign wills or any wills dealing with assets held outside England and Wales (and if not in English, an English translation).”
Source:
· checked 29 August 2026The forms a Turkish will can take
The Turkish Civil Code recognises three kinds of will. A notarial will (resmi vasiyetname) is drawn up by a notary from the testator's instructions in the presence of two witnesses, signed, sealed and kept by the notary, who notifies the population registry so that the will is found on death. A handwritten will (el yazılı vasiyetname) must be written entirely in the testator's own hand, dated and signed; it may be lodged with a notary or simply kept at home. An oral will (sözlü vasiyet) is allowed only in an emergency and is rarely met. After the death, whichever form it takes, the will is sent to the civil court of peace (sulh hukuk mahkemesi), which opens it at a hearing, reads it to the heirs and records the opening in minutes and a decision (vasiyetnamenin açılması kararı). Heirs then have a year to challenge it. Turkish law also reserves fixed portions (saklı pay) for the spouse and descendants, which a will cannot take away, so a Turkish will and an English will drawn for the same person can pull in different directions.
We translate the notarial text with the notary's attestation, witness declarations and journal number; a handwritten will in full, marking illegible words and describing the hand; and the court's opening minutes and decision with their finality note.
Where the translation is used
- Probate. The PA1P checklist, quoted below, asks for a copy of any foreign will or any will dealing with assets outside England and Wales, with an English translation if it is not in English. That covers a Turkish will that mentions a UK asset and a Turkish will that exists alongside an English one. See translations for probate.
- HMRC, for inheritance tax on an estate with Turkish assets, where the will explains who took what.
- Solicitors drafting or reviewing an English will for a client who already has a Turkish one, to avoid an unintended revocation clause and to account for reserved shares.
- Banks and pension schemes dealing with a death, and heirs in a dispute.
What the translation must contain
Probate registries and solicitors accept a certified translation in the gov.uk form: a signed and dated confirmation of accuracy with the translator's or company's name and contact details. Ours adds our registry number and, where the registry directs it, a signed statement of truth from the translator. The translation keeps the will's own numbering and paragraph breaks so that a clause can be cited by number in the application.
Turkish testamentary terms are rendered with care because they carry legal weight: mirasçı atama is the appointment of an heir, belirli mal vasiyeti a specific legacy, saklı pay the reserved portion, and vasiyeti yerine getirme görevlisi the executor, a role Turkish wills seldom fill. The conventions are listed on how we render Turkish legal terms in English.
Apostille
The probate form does not require an apostille on a foreign will, but a solicitor relying on a notarial act from abroad often asks for one. A notarial will is apostilled at the kaymakamlık or valilik of the notary's district; the court's opening decision can be obtained with an e-Apostil through e-Devlet. If we are asked to arrange the apostille for a will made at an Ankara notary, the fee is £15 and it takes 1 to 3 working days.
Price and turnaround
A notarial will is 1 to 3 pages of 1,000 characters, so £10.00 to £30.00; the court's opening decision is 2 to 4 pages. A handwritten will is charged on the same basis, though a difficult hand takes longer to prepare. Certification is included and no UK VAT applies. Standard delivery is 2 to 3 working days as a certified PDF, with the fast and economy options at plus 60 and minus 20 per cent respectively. A signed hard copy by courier from Ankara is £30; there is no collection point in the UK.
What you receive
- Translation of the will with the notary's attestation, witness declarations and journal number, or the handwritten text in full
- Translation of the court's opening minutes and decision where supplied
- Certificate of accuracy, dated and signed, with company details; statement of truth on request
- Certified PDF by e-mail; courier hard copy optional
Frequently asked questions
My father's will is handwritten and hard to read. Can you still certify it?
Yes. We translate every legible word and mark each illegible one as such, in its place, so the reader knows exactly where the gaps are. If a Turkish court has already opened the will, its minutes often quote the text and help fill the gaps.
Does a Turkish will cover my house in London?
That is a question for a solicitor, not a translator, because it turns on domicile and on the reserved-share rules. What we can do is translate the will exactly so the solicitor can answer it.
Do I need the court opening decision, or is the will itself enough?
Probate registries have taken the will with the opening decision in our experience, because the decision shows the will was formally opened and when. Send both if you have them.
Is there a Turkish equivalent of a codicil?
A later will or an amendment (vasiyetnameye ek) made in one of the same three forms. It is translated with the original, and the certificate covers the set.
Can a will be apostilled by the Turkish Consulate in London?
No. Apostilles for Turkish documents are issued in Türkiye by the kaymakamlık, valilik or the court's judicial commission, or online through e-Apostil where the document type is covered.