Guides English → Turkish
Getting a UK divorce recognised in Turkey
A divorce granted by a court in England or Wales does not change your Turkish civil record on its own. This guide explains the two ways of having it recognised in Türkiye, the apostille and translation the final order needs, and when a lawyer becomes necessary.
Why this matters even if you never plan to remarry
Your nüfus kayıt örneği will continue to show you as married to your former spouse until the Turkish civil registry is told otherwise. That affects more than remarriage in Türkiye: inheritance rights, a former spouse’s consent to a property sale, a child’s records, and the ability of either of you to describe yourself as single before a Turkish notary. The UK final order (formerly the decree absolute) ended the marriage as far as UK law is concerned; Türkiye recognises it only after a registration or a court decision on the Turkish side. This is a procedural guide, not legal advice. Where children, property or a contested position are involved, a Turkish family lawyer is the right person to instruct.
Two routes: registration or a court case
Article 27/A registration. Since 2018 the Turkish Civil Registration Services Law has allowed a foreign divorce to be entered on the civil record by an administrative application, without a court. Both former spouses apply, either together or separately within 90 days of each other, at a Turkish consulate abroad or a nüfus müdürlüğü in Türkiye, presenting the final order with an apostille and a Turkish translation. The registry checks that the foreign decision is final, that it was given by a competent court and that it does not conflict with Turkish public order, and then records the divorce. It is the quicker and cheaper route, and the 27/A page describes the appointment itself.
Recognition by a Turkish court (tanıma). Where the former spouse will not join the application, cannot be found, or the 27/A application is refused, the divorce is recognised through a case in the Turkish family court under Law 5718 on private international law. The case is filed by a lawyer acting under a power of attorney, which you can grant at the consulate’s notary section; you need not travel. If the UK order also contains provisions to be enforced in Türkiye, for example maintenance, the lawyer will speak of tenfiz (enforcement) as well as tanıma. Our tanıma and tenfiz page gives the background.
Preparing the final order
| Step | Where | Cost and time (2026, check before relying on it) |
|---|---|---|
| Sealed copy of the final order (and, if asked, the conditional order) | The family court that granted the divorce, through the online divorce service or the court office | Court copy fee; days to weeks |
| Apostille | FCDO Legalisation Office; court documents qualify for the e-apostille | £45 paper (up to 25 working days plus post) or £35 e-apostille (up to 2 working days); £100 urgent service |
| Turkish translation | Either a consulate-registered translator followed by tercüme tasdiki at the consulate, or a translation notarised in Türkiye | Our Ankara route: from £6.50 per page plus notary tariff (about £13.50 per page plus £5), 2–4 working days |
| Apostille on the notarised translation, if the registry asks | Kaymakamlık, Ankara | £15, 1–3 days |
Order matters: apostille the English order first, then translate, because the apostille certificate is part of what is translated. A translation of an un-apostilled document is not accepted for 27/A or by the court, and paying for it twice is the most common avoidable cost in this process. If the final order was issued electronically without a wet seal, ask the court for a sealed copy before sending it to the FCDO; the Legalisation Office can only apostille a document whose signature or seal it can verify.
Which translation route to choose
The consulate route means an appointment with a translator on the consulate’s list and a second appointment for the certification, with the consulate’s per-page fee. The notarised route means sending scans to us; the translation is done by a notary-sworn translator in Ankara and notarised there, and the paper set is couriered to you or straight to the consulate or nüfus office you will use. Turkish registries and courts accept either. We are not on the consulate’s translator list and do not claim to be; what we deliver is the domestic Turkish notarised translation, which is the form the nüfus offices and courts in Türkiye handle every day. The final order page shows what the translated document looks like.
What can go wrong
- Applying under 27/A alone when the other party has not applied within the 90-day window, so the application lapses.
- A final order translated from a photocopy without the apostille, rejected at the counter.
- Names in the UK order that differ from the Turkish record (a maiden name reverted in the UK, a married name retained in Türkiye) with no supporting name-change document.
- Believing the decree nisi or conditional order is enough; only the final order ends the marriage.
- Waiting years, then discovering the former spouse has since died, which changes the procedure and requires the court route.
After recognition
Download a new nüfus kayıt örneği from e-Devlet to confirm the entry reads “boşandı” with the date. A woman who reverted to her maiden name in the UK may need a separate step in Türkiye to align the surname; the registry will say what it needs. If you intend to marry again in Türkiye, the recognised divorce is what the marriage office will look for. Where the UK order dealt with maintenance or property in Türkiye, your lawyer will advise on enforcement. We can translate the Turkish court decision or the updated record back into English for a UK body if that becomes necessary, for example for a later UK immigration application.
Step by step
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Obtain a sealed copy of the final order
Request a sealed copy of the final order from the court that granted the divorce, through the online divorce service or the court office, and keep the conditional order as well in case the registry asks to see the full sequence. Electronic PDFs without a seal are difficult to apostille. Check that the names in the order match your Turkish record or gather the name-change document that explains any difference.
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Apostille the order at the FCDO
Send the sealed order to the FCDO Legalisation Office for a paper apostille (£45) or, since court documents qualify, request the e-apostille (£35, up to two working days). Do not translate anything until the apostille is attached. Our FCDO page explains both options and the partner service we can arrange.
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Have the order translated into Turkish
Choose between the consulate route (a translator from the consulate’s list, then certification at the consulate) and the notarised route through Ankara. For the latter, send us scans of the apostilled order; we translate, have the translation notarised and, if required, apostilled at the kaymakamlık for £15, then courier the paper set (£30) to you or to the office you will attend. Two to four working days.
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Apply under Article 27/A
Both former spouses book appointments at the consulate covering their address, or at a nüfus müdürlüğü in Türkiye, and file the apostilled order and translation with their identity documents. Applications may be made together or separately within 90 days of each other. The registry examines the decision and, if satisfied, records the divorce on the civil register.
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If 27/A is not possible, instruct a lawyer for tanıma
Where the other party will not apply or the registry refuses, a Turkish family lawyer files a recognition case under Law 5718. Grant the lawyer a power of attorney at the consulate’s notary section (one act per appointment, with a sworn interpreter if you do not speak Turkish). The apostilled and translated order is the core exhibit. Timescales depend on the court and on whether the other party must be served abroad.
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Confirm the updated record
After registration or judgment, download a fresh nüfus kayıt örneği from e-Devlet and check that the divorce and its date appear. Deal with any surname alignment the registry requires. Keep the apostilled order and translation; they are asked for again if you remarry in Türkiye or in a later inheritance matter.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do the 27/A application on my own?
The procedure is designed for both former spouses to apply, together or within 90 days of each other. If your former spouse will not take part, recognition has to be obtained through the Turkish court with a lawyer.
Does the consulate accept a translation notarised in Türkiye?
The consulate’s own notes describe translations by its registered translators with its certification. Nüfus offices and courts in Türkiye accept translations notarised in Türkiye, so many clients use our Ankara route and file at a nüfus müdürlüğü, or give the notarised set to their lawyer. Ask the consulate directly if you intend to file there with an Ankara-notarised translation.
Do I need the whole judgment translated or only the final order?
For 27/A the final order with its apostille is the document. If a court case is needed, your lawyer may ask for the conditional order or a financial order too. Translate what the receiving office lists, not more.
My divorce was in Scotland. Is the procedure different?
The Turkish side is the same; the document is the Scottish extract decree of divorce, apostilled by the FCDO. Check with the consulate or lawyer whether any additional certification is wanted for Scottish court documents.