How to order a translation

How to order a translation: the steps

To order a translation, send us a copy of your document, tell us the language and the purpose, and wait for our reply with a quote and a delivery date. A sworn translator then prepares the translation, and you complete the notary's endorsement as a separate step.

You can reach us through the quote form, by email, on WhatsApp or by phone. The steps are the same on every channel.

1. Send a copy of the document.
2. Tell us the language of the original, the language you need and what you will use the translation for.
3. We reply by email with a quote and a delivery date.
4. You confirm, and a sworn translator prepares the translation.
5. You attend the notary, or arrange this with a notary, for the endorsement.
6. If you use the document abroad, you obtain the apostille.

If you are new to the subject, our overview for foreigners in Ankara explains the main document types first.

What to send with your request

A short, complete request saves a round of questions. Include four things.

• A clear copy. Photograph or scan the whole page, including stamps, seals and handwritten notes.
• The two languages. Name the language of the original and the language of the translation.
• The purpose. Say which institution or person will read the translation, and whether it asks for a notarised translation. Each institution decides this in its own list.
• The place of use. Say whether you will use the translation inside Türkiye or in another country.

Add any detail that affects spelling. If your name is written differently in two documents, tell us. A name in Latin script goes into Turkish records letter for letter, with its accents. A name in another script is transliterated letter by letter.

We cannot give you a list of what each office or embassy currently asks for. Those lists change. Ask the institution that will receive your document, and send us what it says.

Quote, delivery date and the translation

After we read your copy, we reply by email. The reply contains the quote and the delivery date for your order. We do not publish a fixed turnaround time on this page, because it depends on the document and the language.

Read the quote and the delivery date before you confirm. If the date does not suit your deadline, say so in your reply. Your deadline may depend on an appointment, for example at a notary or a government office, so tell us about it at the start.

Once you confirm, a sworn translator prepares the translation. A sworn translator takes an oath before a notary, and the notary keeps the oath report on file. The translator is therefore known to the notary who will endorse the work. To learn more about the role, read how sworn translators work in Türkiye.

When the translation is ready, we tell you how to receive it. The options are explained on our page on delivery.

The notary's endorsement as a separate step

Translating documents from one language into another is one of the duties of a Turkish notary. A notarised translation is the notary's translation act. The notary adds an endorsement under the text, then dates, signs and seals it. When a sworn translator did the work, the endorsement states the translator's identity and address.

This step belongs to the notary, not to the translation office. You attend the notary yourself, or you arrange it with a notary. The notary completes the translation act with the endorsement that identifies the sworn translator.

Bring the original document if it comes from a foreign authority. A Turkish notary cannot certify a foreign authority’s document as a true copy (Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication FAQ).

Foreign documents and the apostille

The apostille is a separate step, and you need it only when a document crosses a border. A notarised translation that you make and use inside Türkiye needs no apostille.

If you use a Turkish notarial act, such as a notarised translation, in another country, the governor's office (valilik) or district governor's office (kaymakamlık) of any province or district adds the apostille. It certifies the notary's signature and seal. The translation office does not issue it.

For a foreign civil-status document that you submit to a Turkish civil registry (nüfus müdürlüğü), the rules depend on where the document comes from. The table below sets out the main cases.