Explainers
Do I need an apostille?
Whether you need an apostille depends on which direction the document is travelling. Turkish documents used inside the UK rarely need one; UK documents used in Türkiye almost always do. Answer the questions below in order.
What an apostille does
An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document under the 1961 Hague Convention. It confirms that the signature, stamp or seal on the document is genuine, so that authorities in another convention country can rely on it without further legalisation. Both the UK and Türkiye are parties. In the UK the FCDO Legalisation Office issues apostilles (£45 on paper, £35 as an e-Apostille). In Türkiye the valilik or kaymakamlık issues them free of charge for administrative documents, and the courthouse justice commission for judicial documents; our service fee for obtaining one in Ankara is £15.
An apostille says nothing about the content of the document and nothing about any translation. It is about authenticity of the signature.
Decision tree: answer in order
- Which way is the document going? A Turkish document for use in the UK: go to question 2. A UK document for use in Türkiye: go to question 4.
- Turkish document for the UK: who will receive it? The Home Office, HM Passport Office, the General Register Office, UK ENIC, UCAS, the GMC, the NMC and register offices do not list an apostille among their requirements for foreign documents. They ask for the original (or the copy they specify) plus a certified translation. If your recipient is one of these, you do not normally need an apostille.
- Turkish document for a UK solicitor, bank, court or company registry? Some private recipients and some court or probate processes ask for legalised documents, especially powers of attorney, inheritance certificates and company documents. Ask the recipient. If they say yes, get a Turkish apostille on the original before translation. Many Turkish documents can now be apostilled online through e-Apostil; see Turkish e-Apostil.
- UK document for Türkiye: is it a public document? Birth, marriage and death certificates, decrees and court orders, Companies House documents, DBS and ACRO certificates, deed polls, and documents certified by a UK notary or solicitor are all public documents that Turkish bodies will expect to see apostilled. Almost every Turkish authority, and the Turkish Consulate in London, states that UK-issued documents must be apostilled first. Assume yes.
- UK document for a Turkish consulate registration only? The London Consulate's own notes for registering a UK birth or marriage list the full UK certificate and identity documents, and say the consulate does not require an outside translation of UK passports, birth or marriage certificates. Check the consulate's current note for the specific act; for a UK divorce (Article 27/A registration) the consulate does require the apostilled final order plus translation.
- Is the document eligible for an e-Apostille? The FCDO e-Apostille (£35) is available for documents that carry a qualifying electronic signature, but not for GRO certificates, ACRO certificates, DBS certificates or fingerprint certificates. If the Turkish office will verify an e-Apostille online, it is quicker; if in doubt, use paper.
- Do you also need the translation apostilled? Usually not. Turkish bodies want the apostille on the original and a notarised translation made in Türkiye. If the receiving office insists that the translation itself carry an apostille, we obtain a Turkish apostille on the Ankara notarised translation.
Order of operations
Apostille first, translate second. The apostille certificate is part of the document and must appear in the translation. YÖK, courts, trade registries and inheritance courts in Türkiye reject translations of un-apostilled documents, and a translation made before the apostille was added will be incomplete. Guides for each direction: apostille for UK documents going to Turkey and apostille for Turkish documents coming to the UK.
Two exceptions worth knowing
- Northern Cyprus (TRNC) documents. The TRNC is not a party to the convention and its documents cannot be apostilled. Certification for UK use runs through Turkish channels; see Turkish Cypriot documents in the UK.
- Multilingual extracts. Turkish Formül A/B extracts are designed to be used abroad without legalisation between CIEC member states, but the UK is not a member. For UK use they still need a certified translation; for other CIEC states they may need neither apostille nor translation.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get the FCDO apostille for me?
We have no UK office, so we cannot take your document to the FCDO ourselves. You can apply online at GOV.UK and post the document, or we can arrange it through a UK legalisation partner and pass the cost through on your quote. The e-Apostille route is entirely online where the document qualifies.
How long does a Turkish apostille take?
The kaymakamlık usually issues one the same day; the valilik takes one to three days. e-Apostil for eligible documents is issued online within minutes. Our fee for obtaining one in Ankara is £15; the state charges nothing.
Does the apostille need translating?
Yes, as part of the document. The apostille is a standard ten-field certificate, and we include it in the translation so the receiving body sees the whole document.
My Turkish document is going to the Home Office. Should I get an apostille anyway?
It is not required and will not speed up the application. If the document is available through e-Devlet you can add an e-Apostil at no cost; otherwise save the trip.
Is an apostille the same as legalisation?
Apostille is the simplified form of legalisation used between Hague Convention countries. Full consular legalisation is only needed for countries outside the convention, which is not the case between the UK and Türkiye.