Kurdish (Kurmanji and Sorani) translation

Kurdish in the UK context

Kurds from Türkiye, concentrated in Enfield, Haringey and Hackney, speak Kurmanji (Northern Kurdish, written in the Latin alphabet) and in some regions Zazaki; their state documents, however, are in Turkish, because Türkiye issues them in Turkish only. Kurds from Iraq and Iran mostly speak Sorani (Central Kurdish, written in an Arabic-based script), and their documents are in Sorani, Arabic or Persian. Kurds from Syria speak Kurmanji, with documents in Arabic. Getting the language right at the outset saves time: many enquiries for “Kurdish translation” of a nüfus kayıt örneği or a Turkish court decision are in fact Turkish to English work, which is our core service, while a letter from a relative, a witness statement, a recording or a document from Iraqi Kurdistan needs a Kurdish translator.

What we translate

• Asylum and human-rights evidence: personal statements, letters from family and community organisations, party membership documents, court and police records from Iraq, Syria and Iran, news articles, social-media posts and voice recordings.
• Family and immigration: marriage and birth documents from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, religious marriage records, identity documents, statements for family reunion.
• Medical and welfare: medical reports, patient information, letters to and from GPs, schools and councils.
• Community and public sector: leaflets, service information, safeguarding letters and surveys in Kurmanji and Sorani for councils, NHS bodies and charities in north and east London.
• Interpreting: Kurmanji and Sorani interpreters for solicitors’ conferences, medical appointments and tribunals, remote by default; see interpreting.

Certification

Kurdish translations for the Home Office, tribunals, solicitors and the NHS are certified in the same way as our Turkish work: a statement that the translation is a true and accurate translation of the original, the date, the company’s name, registration and contact details, and a signature on every page. The certification standard in the UK is the same whatever the language. Where a document is in Arabic or Persian rather than Kurdish, we say so and arrange the right translator.

Script, dialect and names

Sorani in Arabic script and Kurmanji in Latin script are treated as separate languages for staffing. We match the translator to the region where possible (Diyarbakır Kurmanji and Duhok Kurmanji differ; Sulaymaniyah and Erbil Sorani differ), and we note dialect features in evidence transcripts where they matter to credibility. Names are rendered as they appear in any existing UK or passport document, with a transliteration note; where a person has a Turkish-registered name and a Kurdish name in use, both are shown.

What it costs and how long it takes

Kurdish work is quoted per document rather than at a fixed page rate, because the pool of qualified Kurmanji and Sorani translators is smaller than for Turkish and handwritten or poor-quality source material is common. Certification is included. Typical turnaround is 2–3 working days for short documents; larger asylum bundles by agreed schedule with early delivery of the key statements. Our Kurdish capacity is more limited than our Turkish capacity, so for a fixed hearing or submission date please contact us as early as you can and we will confirm availability in writing before you rely on it. No UK VAT is charged.

Sensitivity

Much Kurdish work concerns people at risk. Translators are chosen with regard to confidentiality and, where a client asks, to political and regional background; files are held on access-controlled systems and deleted after the retention period; and we will not share material with anyone but the instructing solicitor or client. See translations for asylum and humanitarian protection claims.