Birth Certificate Translation for the UK

The international (multilingual) formula copy as an alternative

Civil registry offices in Türkiye can also issue a birth record as a multilingual international document, a formula copy that carries standard fields in several languages. The countries that accept this multilingual copy, however, are for the most part parties to the relevant international convention, and because the United Kingdom falls outside that framework, British authorities generally ask for a certified translation into English. Even so, confirming from the application guidance which form you should submit, the multilingual copy or a full translation, saves you either an unnecessary translation or a refusal; in some transactions the multilingual copy is a convenience, whereas an official application will usually expect a full translation.

Consistency in converting Turkish letters

The difficulty met most often in transferring names is how Turkish letters are to be shown in English. The governing principle is not to interpret the letters phonetically but to follow the official spelling in the person’s passport exactly; however the name is written there, the certified translation uses that spelling. Showing an “ş” as “s” in one place and “sh” in another, for instance, creates an inconsistency within a single document and makes it harder for UKVI to match the identity. Where a person has two or more given names the order of the names is preserved, and separate fields such as the mother’s maiden name are not conflated. Province and district names appearing as the place of birth are not translated but left in their original spelling; trying to give a place name an English equivalent corrupts the geographical information in the document. The date is likewise transferred as it stands; only where necessary is the name of the month written in English, and the day and the year are not altered. This consistency ensures that all the names look the same in family reunion files, where several documents belonging to the same family (birth, marriage, civil registry) are submitted together, and it prevents needless rounds of questions.

Transliteration of personal and place names

The most critical technical point in translating a birth certificate is the transfer of personal and place names. Names containing the special Turkish letters (ç, ğ, ı, ö, ş, ü) must match the passport spelling exactly; if a name written “Gökçe” in the document is converted differently in the passport, the two documents look as though they belong to two different people and the file is put on hold. The place of birth and the names of provinces and districts keep their original spelling; the translation does not anglicise a place name. Core fields such as the names of the father, the mother and the child, and the date and place of birth, are transferred without interpretation. Even the smallest inconsistency in the spelling of a name causes trouble in applications such as family reunion, where the identity link is decisive.

Certified translation and the certificate of accuracy

There is no sworn translator system in the United Kingdom; the official assurance behind a translation is the signed certificate of accuracy attached to it. That certificate states that the translation is complete and accurate and carries the name of the translator or agency, contact details, the date and a signature; membership of the ITI or the CIOL adds confidence. Seals and signatures in the document are marked with a [Seal] / [Signature] note; on an e-Devlet copy bearing a QR code, [QR code] and [e-signature verification] are indicated, and no attempt is made to decode the contents of the code.

The difference between a birth certificate and a civil registry extract

A birth certificate and a civil registry extract (the family register) are different documents; the first records the event of birth, the second the person’s current registration details in the civil register. Finding out at the outset which of the two the British recipient wants saves you from having the wrong document translated and starting the process over. The translation shows the type of the document correctly in its title; calling a civil registry extract a “birth certificate” misrepresents what the document covers. If the document is going to more than one recipient, the type of document each of them wants has to be confirmed separately.

Marginal annotations, the apostille and the order of certification

A birth record, or a civil registry extract, may carry marginal annotations such as marriage, divorce, acknowledgement of paternity or a change of name; these are part of the document too and are translated in full, since they show the person’s marital status. The order of certification: confirm whether you are submitting the document as a multilingual copy or as a certified translation, and obtain the apostille before the translation. Before delivery:

• Confirm whether you are submitting the document as a multilingual copy or as a certified translation.
• Verify that the transliteration of names is consistent with the passport.
• Check that the marginal annotations have been translated and the certificate of accuracy attached; obtain the apostille before the translation.

The United Kingdom is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention; confirm the current position on the official HCCH list. You can see the level of certification other documents require on our document types page, review the cost on our pricing page, and upload your document to request a quote. Translations are handled from our single office (Ankara Kızılay). It is sensible to confirm the current requirements with the institution you are applying to.