Locations Turkish ↔ English
Turkish translation in Hackney (Dalston, Stoke Newington)
Turkish was named as a main language by 4.5% of Hackney residents in the 2021 Census. Much of that community is Turkish Cypriot and settled decades ago, which makes northern Cyprus documents a recurring question here.
An older migration than the statistics suggest
The 2021 Census recorded Turkish as the second most spoken main language in Hackney, given by 4.5% of residents, against 0.9% for London. Behind that number is one of the longest-settled Turkish-speaking populations in Britain: Turkish Cypriot families arrived from the 1950s onwards and their children and grandchildren were born in E5, E8 and N16. The practical consequence is that Hackney households often hold documents issued not in Türkiye but in Cyprus, sometimes decades ago and sometimes in the name of an administration the UK does not recognise.
Documents from northern Cyprus
Papers issued in northern Cyprus cannot be given a Hague apostille, because the issuing authority is not one the Convention machinery covers, and UK bodies differ in what they will accept in its place. Some take a certified translation on its own; others want the document routed through Turkish authorities first. We will not pretend this is settled: our guide Turkish Cypriot (TRNC) documents in the UK sets out the routes we have seen work and where they fail. Ask the receiving body what it wants in writing before ordering anything, and send us that wording.
Where translations get used in the borough
Hackney’s register office handles notices of marriage and ceremonies at the town hall, and a Turkish or Cypriot birth certificate presented there needs an English translation. Homerton Hospital records travel in both directions: to Türkiye when a patient continues treatment there, and into English when someone returns. Around Kingsland Road and Shoreditch, small companies run by Turkish-speaking owners need company papers translated for banks, landlords and suppliers — see business and company document translation.
How the work reaches Ankara
There is no Hackney address behind this page. We are a Turkish company; the entire exchange is by e-mail, and paper only moves if you ask for it. Send photographs of each page, get a fixed price the same working day, and receive a certified PDF that carries the company’s registration details, a signature and the date. A courier set from Ankara costs £30 and lands in two to four working days. Older Cypriot documents in poor condition take longer to price, because handwriting and faded seals have to be read before we can quote honestly.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an office in Dalston or Stoke Newington?
No. Our only office is in Ankara and there is no UK collection point.
Can you apostille a document issued in northern Cyprus?
No, and neither can the FCDO. Apostilles are issued by the state where the document originates, and that route is not available for northern Cyprus. Our TRNC guide explains what is used instead.
My grandmother’s certificate is handwritten in old script. Can it be translated?
Often yes, but we look first. If part of it is illegible we mark it as illegible in the translation rather than guessing, which is what receiving bodies expect.
Do you translate into Turkish for a Cypriot bank or land office?
We translate into Turkish, but requirements in northern Cyprus are set locally and we cannot notarise there. We can notarise in Ankara, which some offices accept and others do not; check first.