Services English → Turkish
Sworn translation for use in Turkey
Turkish authorities accept a sworn translation in two forms: one certified by the Turkish Consulate in London from a consulate-registered translator, or one sworn and notarised before a Turkish notary. We deliver the notary route in Ankara, accepted by every Turkish authority.
What the receiving body requires
“Başkonsolosluğumuza kayıtlı yeminli tercüman” (a sworn translator registered with our Consulate General) — the consulate’s condition for translations it certifies. Turkish notarised translations are the alternative accepted by domestic authorities.
Source:
· checked 29 August 2026What “sworn translation” means in Türkiye
In Türkiye a sworn translator (yeminli tercüman) is a translator who has taken an oath before a notary. A translation only becomes a document Turkish authorities will act on once the translator’s signature has been certified: by a Turkish notary (noter onaylı tercüme) or, for people living abroad, by a Turkish consulate. A UK certified translation on its own is usually sent back, however good it is, because there is no oath and no certifying authority behind it.
The two routes
Route 1: consulate-registered translator and tercüme tasdiki
The Turkish Consulate General in London keeps a list of translators registered with it. Where a document needs an outside translation, the consulate’s notary unit will certify a translation made by one of these translators (tercüme tasdiki). The stamp certifies the translator’s signature only. You need an appointment, one act per appointment, and the consular fee is charged per A4 page. Note the consulate’s own rule: for UK passports, birth certificates and marriage certificates used in the consulate’s own registrations, no outside sworn translation is requested; the consulate handles those in-house.
Route 2: Turkish notary
The translation is made by a translator sworn before a notary in Türkiye and the notary certifies it under the Notaries’ Regulation. This is the domestic Turkish standard and is accepted by every Turkish authority: the civil registry (nüfus müdürlüğü), YÖK for degree recognition, SGK for buying back years abroad, tapu offices, trade registries, courts and the military service offices. It does not require a consulate appointment and it is not limited to the consulate’s list.
What we deliver
We deliver Route 2. Our translators are sworn before notaries in Ankara, and the notarisation is done in Ankara under Turkish notary law, so the finished document is a Turkish notarial act. Where a receiving body or a third country asks for it, the notarised translation is apostilled at the Ankara kaymakamlık. The full service is described on notarised translation in Turkey. We are not on the consulate’s translator list and we do not attend consulate appointments as translators.
Before you send anything: the FCDO apostille
Turkish authorities want a UK public document apostilled by the FCDO before it is translated, and the apostille is translated as part of the document. Get the apostille first, yourself on GOV.UK (£45 paper, £35 e-Apostille where available) or through our UK legalisation partner, then send us the apostilled document. Skipping this step is the single most common reason a file bounces back from Türkiye.
Typical documents
- Decree absolute or final order for registering a UK divorce under Article 27/A or for recognition proceedings.
- UK degree certificates and transcripts for YÖK denklik.
- DBS certificate, naturalisation certificate and proof of cohabitation for Turkish citizenship by marriage.
- Powers of attorney and grants of probate for tapu and inheritance matters.
- Certificates of incorporation, good standing and articles for company formation.
- Employer letters, P60s, pension statements and residence evidence for dövizle askerlik, tecil and SGK borçlanması.
What it costs
English to Turkish translation is from £6.50 per page (1,000 characters). The Turkish notary tariff is passed through at cost, around £12–15 per page in 2026, plus a £5 handling fee. Apostille of the notarised translation in Ankara is £15. Courier to the UK is £30, or we can courier direct to your representative in Türkiye. No UK VAT is charged. For comparison, the consulate route means a consular fee per page plus an appointment in Knightsbridge, Manchester or Edinburgh.
Which route should you choose?
Choose the consulate if you are already attending for another act and the document is one page. Choose the notary route if you want to avoid appointments, have several documents, need the translation sent straight to Türkiye, or if the receiving office has said “noter onaylı”. If you are unsure which the office wants, send us their message and we will tell you.
What you receive
- Turkish translation by a notary-sworn translator, revised by a second linguist
- Notarial certificate from an Ankara notary binding translation and apostilled original
- Optional apostille from the Ankara kaymakamlık (£15)
- Scan by e-mail on the day of notarisation, original by courier to the UK or to Türkiye
- Written check that the FCDO apostille is in place before we translate
Frequently asked questions
Will a Turkish authority accept a translation notarised in Ankara rather than certified by the consulate?
Yes. Notarisation before a Turkish notary is the domestic standard; the consulate route exists for people abroad who cannot reach a Turkish notary. Both are accepted by nüfus, YÖK, SGK, tapu and the courts.
Do I need to apostille my UK document first?
Yes, for public documents such as certificates, court orders, DBS and Companies House documents. Turkish authorities reject translations of un-apostilled UK documents, and the apostille itself is translated. Get it from the FCDO before sending the document to us.
Does the consulate translate UK birth and marriage certificates?
For its own birth and marriage registrations the London consulate states that no outside sworn translation is requested; it processes UK passports, birth and marriage certificates in-house. You only need us when the document is going to an authority in Türkiye.
Can the notarised translation go straight to Türkiye?
Yes. We courier within Türkiye to your lawyer, relative or the receiving office, which is faster and cheaper than sending it to the UK and back.
Are you registered with the Turkish Consulate in London?
No. We work through Turkish notaries in Ankara. We say this clearly because some Turkish offices in the UK ask for a consulate-listed translator for consular acts; for documents going to Türkiye the notary route is what the domestic authorities use.