Explainers
Sworn translators in Turkey vs certified translators in the UK
Türkiye has notary-sworn translators; the UK has none. Understanding the two systems tells you which kind of translation each country's authorities will accept, and why a translation done for one side often has to be redone for the other.
Two legal traditions
Türkiye follows the civil-law model. Under the Regulation on the Notaries Act (Noterlik Kanunu Yönetmeliği), a translation is a notarial act: the translator swears an oath before a notary (article 75), the notary records the translator as a yeminli tercüman, and each translation is signed by the translator and certified by that notary (article 96). The resulting document is a noter onaylı tercüme, and Turkish public bodies are used to seeing it.
The UK follows the common-law model. There is no oath, no register and no state seal. The Institute of Translation and Interpreting puts it plainly: in the UK there is no such thing as a sworn translator. A translation is certified by the translator or translation company writing and signing a statement that meets the GOV.UK wording. Professional bodies such as ITI and CIOL offer seals to their qualified members, and the ATC offers a stamp to its accredited companies, but none of these is required by law and the Home Office keeps no approved list.
Side by side
| Türkiye: yeminli tercüman | UK: certified translation | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Noterlik Kanunu Yönetmeliği, articles 75 and 96 | No statute; GOV.UK guidance and each body's own rules |
| Who attests? | Translator signs; notary certifies the sworn translator's signature | Translator or translation company self-certifies |
| What is attested? | Identity and oath of the translator; the notary does not re-check the text | Accuracy and completeness, in the translator's own words |
| Form | Notary stamp, seal and bound copy; notary journal number | Signed and dated statement with name and contact details; company stamp |
| Cost | Notary tariff per page (667.67 TL per page in 2026) plus the translation | Usually included in the translation price; some UK agencies add £15–25 |
| Accepted by | All Turkish public bodies; Turkish consulates when their own list is not required | Home Office, HMPO, GRO, ENIC, UCAS, GMC, NMC, courts, employers |
| Cross-acceptance | A Turkish notarised translation into English is fine in the UK only if it also carries the GOV.UK statement in English | A UK certified translation into Turkish is usually re-done for Turkish bodies |
What this means for a document going to the UK
If your document was translated and notarised in Türkiye, check that the translation carries an English-language statement with the date, the translator's or company's name and contact details. Most Turkish notarised translations do not, because the notary's certificate is in Turkish and confirms the oath rather than accuracy. We add the GOV.UK statement to every translation we deliver for UK use, so you do not need the notary at all for the Home Office or HM Passport Office. Read more in What is a certified translation in the UK?
What this means for a document going to Türkiye
Turkish bodies accept two things: a translation by a notary-sworn translator in Türkiye, certified by that notary; or a translation by a translator on a Turkish consulate's list, with the consulate's tercüme tasdiki. SGK's guidance on yurtdışı borçlanması and YÖK's denklik rules both spell this out. A certification statement in the UK style does not fit either category, however good the translation.
Our translators are sworn before notaries in Ankara, and the notarised translation is produced there. The Turkish notary's tariff is passed through at cost and shown on your quote. Because a UK public document must usually be apostilled by the FCDO before a Turkish body will act on it, apostille first, then send us the scan. See notarised translation in Turkey and apostille for UK documents going to Turkey.
A note on the word “sworn”
Some UK agencies advertise “sworn translations”. In a UK context the phrase has no legal content. If a Turkish body has asked you for a yeminli tercüme, a UK agency cannot supply one unless it routes the work through a Turkish notary or a consulate-listed translator. Ask where the oath was sworn and which notary certified it.
Frequently asked questions
Are your translators sworn?
Yes, before notaries in Ankara, which is what a Turkish notarised translation requires. For UK purposes this status is not needed, and we certify in the UK style instead.
Is a Turkish notarised translation valid in the UK?
It can be, provided the translation itself carries the GOV.UK statement in English. The notary's Turkish certificate on its own does not meet the GOV.UK wording. If you have an existing notarised translation, send it to us and we will tell you whether it needs re-certifying.
Can a UK solicitor's certification replace a Turkish notary?
Not for Turkish bodies. A solicitor's certification plus an FCDO apostille authenticates the solicitor's signature; the Turkish office will still want the translation made by a sworn translator in its own system. The Ankara route is simpler and cheaper.
What does the Turkish notary actually check?
That the translator is on the notary's sworn list and has signed in person. The notary does not proofread the translation. Accuracy rests with the translator, which is why we run a second-linguist revision before the notary stage.