Sworn translations and apostille for Turkey: getting it right

Anyone who wants to use documents from Germany, Austria or Switzerland in Turkey quickly comes across two terms: apostille and sworn translation. The same applies in reverse to Turkish documents presented in the DACH countries.

The apostille

Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Turkey are all parties to the Hague Convention abolishing the requirement of legalisation for foreign public documents. Instead of a lengthy consular legalisation, an apostille is therefore usually sufficient. It confirms the authenticity of the signature and seal on the document.

Where do you get the apostille? It is issued by an authority in the country where the document was issued, not in Turkey. Which authority depends on the type of document and, in Germany, also on the federal state, in Switzerland on the canton. Court judgments are often handled by different offices than civil status records. Turkish documents for use abroad receive their apostille in Turkey.

Sworn translation

Turkish authorities, courts and land registries usually require a Turkish translation by a sworn translator (yeminli tercüman). Note that the apostille itself is usually translated as well.

Notarisation

Often the translation alone is not enough. A notary then confirms that the translation was made by a translator sworn in before that notary. This is called a notarised sworn translation (noter onaylı yeminli tercüme). Ask the office requesting the document in advance which exact form it needs.

Multilingual extracts

For certain civil status documents there are international multilingual forms. In some cases they are accepted without translation. Whether this applies to your procedure should be clarified individually.

Common mistakes

• An apostille on a photocopy instead of the original or a certified copy
• A translation that leaves out the apostille
• Different spellings of names between passport and document
• Documents that are too old when the authority asks for a recent issue date

Status 2026 – please check before applying which form the relevant authority requires.

How Türkei App helps

In the app you can order documents and translations and, if needed, book a Turkish lawyer to check which form your procedure requires. The AI assistant helps with first questions.