Explainers
Does a certified translation expire?
A certified translation has no expiry date of its own. What expires, or is required to be recent, is the underlying document. This page explains which Turkish and UK documents have a shelf life and when a translation needs to be re-done.
The translation itself
Neither GOV.UK nor any UK regulator sets a validity period for a certified translation. The certification states the date the translation was made, and that is all. A translation of your 1995 birth certificate made in 2021 is as accurate today as it was then, and it can be used again for a new application. Keep the PDF; we also keep a copy for a limited period and can re-send it.
The document underneath
What does have a shelf life is the document, and the reason is that some records change. A civil-registry extract shows marital status and children on the day it was issued; a criminal record certificate is a snapshot; a residence certificate records where you lived at the time. Receiving bodies therefore ask for recently issued versions of these, and when you obtain a new one, it needs a new translation because the dates, the verification code and possibly the content are different.
| Document | Does it change? | Receiving bodies commonly want |
|---|---|---|
| Birth certificate, diploma, court judgment with kesinleşme şerhi | No | Any issue date; old translation reusable |
| Nüfus kayıt örneği | Yes: marriages, divorces, children, name changes | A recent extract; consulates and Turkish offices often specify a maximum age, UK caseworkers prefer recent |
| Adli sicil kaydı (criminal record) | Yes | Recently issued; the Skilled Worker overseas certificate is an example where recency is required |
| Single-status / no-impediment certificate | Yes | Issued shortly before the marriage notice; register offices apply their own limits |
| Bank statements, payslips, SGK hizmet dökümü | Yes | Covering a specified recent period |
| Medical reports | Yes | Recent enough to reflect current condition |
We do not state the exact number of months here because each body sets its own and changes it; the receiving body's current guidance is the authority. If you tell us the purpose we will flag a document that looks too old before we translate it.
When an old translation can be reused
- The document has not changed and the receiving body has no recency rule: reuse it.
- The receiving body wants a translation dated within a period (some regulators do): we can re-certify our own earlier translation with a current date after checking it, for a small fee, provided the source is unchanged.
- The translation was made by someone else: we can review and certify it if it meets our standard, priced as revision, or translate afresh. See proofreading and revision.
When a new translation is needed
- A new issue of a changing document (new nüfus kayıt örneği, new criminal record certificate).
- An apostille has been added since the translation was made: the apostille must appear in the translation.
- An annotation has been added to the record, for example a divorce noted on a marriage extract.
- The earlier translation lacks the GOV.UK elements (no date, no contact details) or was made for a Turkish body in the notarised format without an English statement. See common reasons translations are rejected.
Turkish bodies and validity
Turkish offices are stricter about the age of documents than about the age of translations. Consulate notes routinely require civil-status documents issued within a stated period, and nüfus, tapu and court offices apply similar limits to foreign documents and their apostilles. A notarised translation made in Ankara carries the notary's date; if the underlying UK document is re-issued, the translation is re-done. Ask the receiving office for its limit before ordering an apostille, since the FCDO apostille also carries a date and some offices count from it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reuse the translation of my diploma from three years ago?
Yes, if the diploma is unchanged and the receiving body does not require a translation dated within a period. Send it with the original as before. If in doubt, we can re-certify it with a current date.
My nüfus kayıt örneği translation is a year old. Is it still fine for a spouse visa?
The translation is fine; the extract is probably too old, because caseworkers want to see current marital status. Download a fresh extract from e-Devlet and we translate it, which costs the same as the first one.
Do you keep my translation on file?
For a limited period after delivery, as set out in our privacy notice, so that we can re-send or re-certify it. You can ask us to delete it earlier.
Does a Turkish notarised translation expire?
No, but the Turkish office may reject it if the underlying document is older than its limit. The notary's date is what they read as the age of the translation.