Glossary: Turkish and UK terms

A criminal record certificate issued by the ACRO Criminal Records Office for people applying for visas, residence or citizenship abroad.

An adli sicil kaydı is the Turkish criminal record certificate, listing any convictions held on the judicial register, obtained from e-Devlet or a courthouse.

A written statement sworn or affirmed before a person authorised to administer oaths, used as evidence in court proceedings in England and Wales.

The aile cüzdanı is the Turkish family record book issued at marriage, recording the spouses and each child born to them; the international version has multilingual headings.

Apostil is the Turkish term for the apostille: the certificate under the 1961 Hague Convention that authenticates a public document for use in another member state.

A certificate under the 1961 Hague Convention confirming that the signature, seal or stamp on a public document is genuine, so the document can be used abroad.

The part of the UK Immigration Rules that sets out the family routes: partners, fiancé(e)s, children and parents of British citizens and settled people.

The Immigration Rules appendix listing the specified evidence for family-route applications, including the rule on how foreign documents must be translated.

The Association of Translation Companies, the UK trade body for translation businesses. Accredited members may use the ATC certification stamp; it also certifies ISO 17100.

An azilname is the notarial deed by which a principal revokes a power of attorney previously given, taking effect once it is notified to the attorney.

Bedelli askerlik is the domestic paid-service option: a Turkish citizen pays a fee and completes a short period of basic training instead of full military service.

Beyanname means declaration: in tax contexts it is the tax return filed with the Revenue Administration, and in notarial practice a sworn statement of fact.

Biometric residence permit: the plastic card that used to prove UK immigration status. BRPs expired at the end of 2024 and were replaced by the eVisa.

A certificate of no impediment, issued by a register office in England and Wales, confirming that nothing on record prevents a British resident from marrying abroad.

A translation accompanied by a signed, dated statement from the translator or translation company confirming it is a true and accurate translation of the original.

The Chartered Institute of Linguists, a UK professional body operating under Royal Charter. Its members self-certify translations; it awards the Chartered Linguist title.

A person authorised in England and Wales to administer oaths and take affidavits and statutory declarations. Every practising solicitor holds this power.

The UK registrar of companies. It incorporates companies, holds their filed accounts, officers and confirmation statements, and makes the record public free of charge.

The local tax charged by councils in Great Britain on each home, paid by the occupier, that funds local services. A council tax bill is a common proof of address.

A criminal record check issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service for England and Wales, at basic, standard or enhanced level, mostly for employment.

The final court order that ended a marriage in England and Wales under the old divorce procedure, for cases started before 6 April 2022.

A signed declaration by which a person in England and Wales changes their name, with no court decision needed. It can be enrolled at the High Court.

Denklik means equivalence: the recognition by YÖK or MEB that a foreign qualification corresponds to a Turkish degree or school certificate.

Dövizle askerlik is the scheme allowing Turkish citizens who live and work abroad to discharge military service by paying a fee in foreign currency instead of serving.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency issues driving licences and registers vehicles in Great Britain. It does not exchange Turkish driving licences.

e-Apostil is Türkiye's electronic apostille, issued through e-Devlet since 2019 on criminal record certificates, court decisions, civil registry extracts and multilingual extracts.

e-Devlet is Türkiye's e-government portal (turkiye.gov.tr), through which citizens download barcoded civil, criminal-record, education and social-security documents.

e-İmza is the qualified electronic signature under Turkish law, legally equal to a handwritten signature and used on court, notarial, tax and company documents.

The European Community Association Agreement, or Ankara Agreement, under which Turkish nationals ran businesses and worked in the UK. Closed to new applicants in 2020.

An ekspertiz raporu is an expert valuation or inspection report; for property it is the valuation prepared by a licensed valuer, and for vehicles a condition report.

The UK's online record of immigration status, viewed through a UKVI account and shared with a share code. Not to be confused with Türkiye's tourist e-Visa.

An evlenme ehliyet belgesi certifies that a Turkish citizen is free to marry under Turkish law; it is issued by the Nüfus Müdürlüğü or a Turkish consulate abroad.

A faaliyet belgesi is a certificate from a Turkish chamber of commerce or trade registry confirming that a company is registered and currently active.

The single Family Court of England and Wales, created in 2014, which deals with divorce, finances on separation, children's arrangements and domestic abuse orders.

The order that ends a marriage or civil partnership in England and Wales under the no-fault divorce procedure introduced on 6 April 2022.

Formül A and Formül B are the multilingual extracts from Turkish birth and marriage records issued under CIEC Convention No. 16, with headings in several languages.

The General Dental Council registers dentists and dental care professionals in the UK. Dentists trained in Türkiye normally register after passing the ORE.

The General Register Office holds the civil registration records for England and Wales (births, deaths, marriages, civil partnerships) and issues certified copies.

The General Medical Council keeps the UK register of doctors and issues the licence to practise. Overseas doctors must register with it before working in the NHS.

The General Pharmaceutical Council registers pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacies in Great Britain. Turkish pharmacists register through the OSPAP route.

The court document issued by the Probate Registry confirming that a will is valid and that the executors named in it may administer the estate.

The 1961 treaty that replaces consular legalisation with a single apostille certificate between member states. Both the UK and Türkiye are parties.

The Health and Care Professions Council regulates fifteen health and care professions in the UK, from physiotherapists and radiographers to paramedics and dietitians.

A hizmet dökümü is the SGK service record: a statement listing every insured employment period, employer and contribution days registered for a person in Türkiye.

The government body that records ownership of land and property in England and Wales. Its title register is the UK counterpart of the Turkish tapu.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service is the Ministry of Justice agency that runs the courts and tribunals of England and Wales; it administers cases but does not decide them.

HM Revenue and Customs, the UK tax authority. It collects income tax, National Insurance, VAT and customs duty and issues the tax documents Turkish bodies ask for.

The UK government department responsible for immigration, citizenship, passports, policing and security. Its immigration arm is UKVI.

Indefinite leave to remain: permanent settlement in the UK with no time limit, usually granted after five years on a qualifying visa route.

The Institute of Translation and Interpreting, the UK professional association for translators and interpreters. Qualified members may attach an ITI certification seal.

The kaymakamlık is the District Governorship in Türkiye, the state's administrative office at district level, and the quickest place to have a document apostilled.

KEP (Kayıtlı Elektronik Posta) is Türkiye's registered electronic mail, a legally recognised e-mail service whose delivery and timing are certified by the provider.

A kesinleşme şerhi is the annotation a Turkish court adds to a judgment confirming that it has become final, with no appeal pending, and is enforceable.

The process of confirming that a signature or seal on a UK document is genuine so it will be accepted abroad. For Türkiye, legalisation means an apostille.

The full copy of a birth entry in England and Wales, showing the parents' names, occupations and address. The short version shows only the child.

The Mavi Kart (Blue Card) is issued to former Turkish citizens who gave up citizenship with permission, preserving most civil rights other than voting and military duty.

MEB (Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı) is Türkiye's Ministry of National Education, responsible for schools, school-leaving certificates and the recognition of foreign school qualifications.

A muvafakatname is a notarised letter of consent in which a person agrees to an act by another, most commonly a parent consenting to a child's travel or passport.

The personal reference number used by HMRC and DWP to record a person's National Insurance contributions, tax and benefits. It is not an identity number.

The process by which an adult who has settled in the UK is granted British citizenship by the Home Office under the British Nationality Act 1981.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council registers nurses, midwives and nursing associates in the UK. Overseas-trained nurses must join its register before practising.

A translation on which a notary public has certified the translator's signature or declaration. In England and Wales the notary confirms identity, not accuracy.

A qualified lawyer in England and Wales who authenticates signatures, documents and declarations, mainly for use abroad. Not the same institution as a Turkish noter.

Noter onaylı tercüme is a translation made by a notary-sworn translator and certified by a Turkish notary, the form Turkish offices require for foreign documents.

A noter is a Turkish notary: a state-appointed legal professional who certifies signatures, deeds, copies and translations, with wider powers than a UK notary public.

The nüfus cüzdanı was Türkiye's booklet-style identity document, now being replaced by the chip-based T.C. kimlik kartı but still held and presented by many people.

A nüfus kayıt örneği is an extract from Türkiye's civil register showing a person's identity, parents, place of registration, marital status and the family entries recorded against them.

The nüfus müdürlüğü is the district Civil Registry Office in Türkiye, which records births, marriages, divorces and deaths and issues identity documents and extracts.

The end-of-tax-year certificate an employer gives each employee showing total pay and the tax and National Insurance deducted between 6 April and 5 April.

The legal process in England and Wales of proving a will and obtaining authority to collect, manage and distribute a deceased person's estate.

The licence a learner driver in Great Britain must hold before taking lessons and tests. It allows supervised driving only and becomes a full licence after the tests.

SGK (Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu) is Türkiye's Social Security Institution, which records employment contributions, pays pensions and runs the state health insurance.

A code generated from your UKVI account that lets an employer, landlord or other checker view your immigration status online for a limited time.

A qualified lawyer in England and Wales who advises clients, handles documents and transactions, and can certify copies and witness declarations.

A UK ENIC document stating which UK qualification level a foreign qualification compares to. Advisory, unlike a YÖK denklik, but widely requested by employers.

A formal written statement of fact made under the Statutory Declarations Act 1835 and signed in front of a solicitor, commissioner for oaths or notary.

The T.C. kimlik numarası is the eleven-digit personal identification number assigned to every Turkish citizen and printed on identity documents and most records.

A taahhütname is a written undertaking, usually notarised, in which a person binds themselves to do or refrain from something, such as repaying a sum or vacating premises.

Tanıma is the recognition by a Turkish court of a foreign judgment, most often a divorce, so that it has legal effect in Türkiye without a fresh trial.

The tapu müdürlüğü is the district Land Registry Office in Türkiye, where property transfers are signed and registered under the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre.

Tapu is the Turkish title deed: the document issued by the Land Registry Office recording the owner, the property, its share and its block and parcel details.

Tecil is the deferment of Turkish military service, granted to students until an age limit and to workers abroad in renewable periods, on application through a consulate.

Tenfiz is the enforcement order a Turkish court grants for a foreign judgment that requires execution in Türkiye, such as a maintenance, costs or property order.

A terhis belgesi is the discharge certificate issued when a Turkish citizen completes military service, recording the unit, dates of service and rank on discharge.

The Türkiye Ticaret Sicili Gazetesi is the Turkish Trade Registry Gazette, in which company formations, capital changes, directors and signatories are published.

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, the central body through which almost all full-time undergraduate applications to UK universities are made.

UK Visas and Immigration, the Home Office directorate that decides visa, settlement and citizenship applications and sets the supporting-document rules.

An ustalık belgesi is the master craftsman certificate issued under Türkiye's Vocational Education Law, qualifying the holder to run a workshop and train apprentices in a trade.

UYAP (Ulusal Yargı Ağı Bilişim Sistemi) is the National Judiciary Informatics System, the electronic case-management network used by all Turkish courts.

The valilik is the Provincial Governorship, the office of the vali who represents the Turkish state in each of the 81 provinces and issues apostilles on administrative documents.

A vekaletname is a Turkish power of attorney: a notarial or consular deed by which one person authorises another to act for them in specified matters.

A veraset ilamı is the certificate of inheritance issued by a Turkish court or notary naming the heirs of a deceased person and their shares of the estate.

A vergi levhası is the Turkish tax registration certificate that every business and self-employed person must hold, showing the taxpayer, tax office, tax number and declared income.

Vukuatlı describes a civil registry extract that includes the recorded events (vukuat): marriages, divorces, births, deaths and name changes, not only a person's current details.

A yeminli tercüman is a translator who has taken an oath before a Turkish notary and whose translations that notary can then certify as notarial acts.

The yerleşim yeri belgesi is the current Turkish residence certificate, printed from the national address register and showing a person's registered address and move-in date.

YÖK (Yükseköğretim Kurulu) is the Council of Higher Education, the body that supervises Turkish universities and recognises foreign degrees through denklik.

Yurtdışı borçlanması is the SGK scheme that lets Turkish citizens count years worked or spent abroad towards a Turkish pension by paying contributions for them retrospectively.

İkametgâh means place of residence; the ikametgâh belgesi was the residence certificate issued by the muhtar, now replaced by the yerleşim yeri belgesi.

An imza sirküleri is a notarised signature circular: the document showing which officers of a Turkish company may sign on its behalf, with their specimen signatures.