An apostille is a single-step official certification issued under the 1961 Hague Convention that makes a document valid abroad. Between countries that are party to the Hague Convention, an apostilled document is recognised as valid directly, without the need for any further authentication. For this reason, the apostille is the most practical certification method for cross-border procedures.
Which Documents Are Apostilled?
The apostille is most often applied to the following documents: birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate, diploma and transcript, power of attorney, court decisions, criminal record certificate, company documents (certificate of activity, signature circular), official documents issued by a notary and documents certified by a financial advisor. The competent apostille authority differs for each document type.
The Apostille Process Step by Step
The apostille procedure has five steps. In the first step, the document is prepared; the original or a notarised copy is required. In the second step, the sworn translation is carried out; this step is mandatory if the document is to be translated into a foreign language. In the third step, notarisation is completed. In the fourth step, an application is made to the district governorship or the provincial governorship depending on the document type. In the fifth step, the competent authority adds the apostille annotation and the document acquires international validity.
Which Authority Issues the Apostille?
In Turkey, apostille authority is divided according to the document type. Administrative documents (certificate of activity, residence certificate, civil registry extracts and similar) are apostilled by provincial governorships. Court and notarial documents are processed through the courthouse or the district governorship. Filing the right application with the right authority is critical for speed; entrusting the apostille procedure to specialists therefore reduces the risk of delay.
Apostille Time and Cost
The apostille procedure is usually completed on the same day or, at the latest, within 1–2 business days. The apostille fee is set annually by the Ministry of Finance and is nominal. Sworn translation and notarisation fees are added on top. The total amount varies depending on the document type and the language pair.
Countries Outside the Hague Convention
If the document is to be submitted to a country that is not party to the Hague Convention, consular legalisation is carried out instead of the apostille. This process is longer and more complex than the apostille. Approval is obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and from the consulate of the relevant country. In such cases as well, we manage the entire process on your behalf.
What We Offer Under This Service
- Apostille for birth, marriage and death certificates
- Apostille for diplomas, transcripts and certificates
- Apostille for powers of attorney
- Apostille for court rulings
- Apostille for criminal record certificates
- Apostille process for corporate documents
- Consulate certification (for non-Hague Convention countries)
