FAQ topics
Apostille and legalisation FAQs
When you need an apostille, where to get one in the UK and in Türkiye, what each costs, which documents qualify for the electronic versions, and in what order apostille and translation should be done.
An apostille is the Hague Convention certificate that lets a public document from one member country be accepted in another. Both the UK and Türkiye are members. Turkish documents used inside the UK seldom need one, because UK public bodies ask for a certified translation rather than legalisation. UK documents used in Türkiye almost always do, and the apostille has to be on the document before it is translated. The FCDO charges £45 for a paper apostille and £35 for an e-Apostille; the Turkish state charges nothing, and our fee for obtaining one in Ankara is £15. Start with Do I need an apostille? if you are unsure which case you are in; the service itself is described at apostille and legalisation service.
Frequently asked questions
Does my Turkish document need an apostille for the Home Office?
No. UKVI's supporting-document rules ask for the original and a certified translation; legalisation is not among them. The same is true of HM Passport Office, UK ENIC, the GMC and NMC. If you can add a free e-Apostil from e-Devlet it does no harm, but it is not required.
Does my UK document need an apostille for Türkiye?
Almost always. Turkish authorities and the Turkish Consulate in London expect UK-issued public documents (birth, marriage and death certificates, court orders, Companies House documents, DBS and ACRO certificates, deed polls, notarised documents) to carry an FCDO apostille. Get the apostille first, then have the document translated and notarised in Türkiye.
How do I get an FCDO apostille?
Apply online at GOV.UK, pay £45 for the paper service and post the document to the Legalisation Office, or pay £35 for the e-Apostille if your document has a qualifying electronic signature. Because we have no UK office we cannot take documents to the FCDO ourselves; we can arrange it through a UK legalisation partner and pass the cost through if you prefer. See FCDO Legalisation Office.
Which documents cannot get the £35 e-Apostille?
GOV.UK excludes GRO birth, marriage and death certificates, ACRO police certificates, DBS certificates and fingerprint certificates from the e-Apostille service, so those need the paper service at £45. The e-Apostille suits documents that carry a qualifying electronic signature, such as a PDF signed electronically by a UK notary or solicitor.
How do I get a Turkish apostille?
Administrative documents are apostilled free of charge at a kaymakamlık (usually same day) or valilik (one to three days); court documents at the courthouse justice commission. Criminal records, court decisions, the nüfus kayıt örneği and multilingual extracts can be apostilled online through e-Devlet's e-Apostil. If a paper document is in Ankara, we obtain the apostille for a £15 service fee.
Apostille first or translation first?
Apostille first. The apostille becomes part of the document and must appear in the translation. Turkish courts, YÖK, tapu offices and trade registries reject translations of documents that were not apostilled, and a translation made before the apostille was attached is incomplete.
Can the translation itself be apostilled?
In Türkiye, yes: a notarised translation made in Ankara can carry a Turkish apostille, which we obtain for £15 if the receiving office asks. In the UK a translation can only be apostilled after a UK notary or solicitor certifies it, and the apostille then confirms their signature, not the translation. Few Turkish bodies ask for this.
Do Northern Cyprus (TRNC) documents get an apostille?
No. The TRNC is not a party to the Hague Convention, so its documents cannot be apostilled, and UK bodies do not treat them as legalised. Certification for UK use runs through Turkish channels, and the practical route depends on the document; see Turkish Cypriot documents in the UK.
How long is an apostille valid?
The apostille itself does not expire; it certifies a signature that was genuine on the day it was issued. Receiving offices, particularly in Türkiye, apply age limits to the underlying document and sometimes count from the apostille date, so obtain it close to the time you will use it and check the office's limit first.