Birth Certificate Translation and the Multilingual Copy

These documents are issued by the civil registry offices. A standard birth record extract is in Turkish and, if it is to be used abroad, has to be translated and certified. Multilingual copies issued under international conventions, by contrast, contain standard fields in several official languages and are accepted in many countries without a separate translation. The choice between these two routes directly determines how long the process takes and what it costs.

With civil registry documents, choosing the right copy is often the most decisive decision in the whole process. For one and the same birth you can request either the standard Turkish record extract or the international multilingual copy, and the two lead down different paths. The standard copy requires a sworn translation, while the multilingual copy can be used directly in many countries. Knowing which copy will serve in which country before you obtain the document therefore saves both an unnecessary translation cost and the delay that comes of holding the wrong document.

What is a multilingual copy?

A multilingual copy is a civil status document drawn up to an international standard format, with shared field headings in more than one language. Because the information is set out in numbered standard fields, the authority in the receiving country can read the field headings in its own language. The document can therefore be used without a separate translation in the countries that accept it.

This does not mean that it is valid everywhere, however. There are countries that do not accept the multilingual copy, or that require a separate translation into their own official language. Before deciding which type of copy to obtain, you therefore need to find out what the destination country’s practice is.

Multilingual copy or translation?

The decision depends on what the destination country and the receiving institution expect. For a country that accepts the multilingual copy, a separate translation is money wasted; for a country that does not, or that insists on an official translation into its own language, you need to obtain the standard copy and have a sworn translation made. The table below summarises the distinction.

The process step by step

1. Get the receiving institution’s requirements in writing. Whether the multilingual copy is accepted, and any apostille and translation requirement, will be apparent from them.
2. Decide which type of copy you need. If the multilingual copy is accepted, request the document in that format from the civil registry office.
3. Check whether an apostille is needed. For apostille purposes, civil registry documents are administrative documents and are endorsed by the governor’s office or the district governor’s office.
4. Have the translation done if one is needed. Where the standard copy is to be translated, the names, dates and places must match the source exactly.
5. Plan the number of copies. If you are applying to more than one institution, each will keep its own copy, so obtain enough of them at the outset.

Consistency in the spelling of names and places

The birth certificate is the identity backbone of a person’s entire file abroad. The spelling of the name on it must be identical to the spelling in the passport and in the other documents. Even a small difference in the way Turkish characters are carried into the target language can raise the question of whether the person named across the documents is the same person. In translation, therefore, personal and place names are fixed to the Latin-script spelling used in the passport.

The same care applies to the names of the mother and father. Because these details are compared against other documents in family reunification and citizenship files, the spelling on the birth certificate has to be consistent. A small inconsistency between documents can send the whole file for further examination.

Common mistakes

• Paying for a translation you do not need. For a country that accepts the multilingual copy, a separate translation costs both money and time.
• Obtaining too few copies. Applying to several institutions with a single copy means running the process a second time.
• Not matching the spelling of the name to the passport. Inconsistency between documents is one of the commonest grounds for refusal.
• Skipping the apostille. If a document is sent without the endorsement to a country that requires an apostille, the file comes back.

Points that come up often

Can I use the old birth certificate I already have? Because a birth certificate records a permanent fact, its content does not change; some institutions nonetheless ask for a recently issued copy. Asking what is required at the outset saves doing the same thing twice.

Does the multilingual copy need an apostille as well? It depends. Some countries accept the multilingual copy without an apostille, while others still look for one. The apostille requirement therefore has to be checked separately, just as the type of copy does.

Are a civil registry extract and a birth certificate the same thing? No. A birth certificate records the birth itself, whereas a civil registry extract shows a person’s current family and registration status. The institution’s requirements will state which of the two is wanted; confusing them leads to obtaining the wrong document.

How is the certificate of a child born abroad used? The certificate of a child born abroad can be used once it has been certified in the country of issue, by apostille or legalisation, and translated in Türkiye; registration in the Turkish civil register is a separate procedure. The order is certification in the country of origin first, then translation.

The birth certificate in inheritance and citizenship files

The birth certificate plays a central role not only in school or visa applications but also in matters such as inheritance and citizenship, where descent has to be proved. In these files the document is assessed not on its own but together with the other civil registry records showing the person’s link to their mother and father. Consistency of names, dates and family relationships across all the documents is therefore decisive for the acceptance of the file as a whole.

Expectations about how recent the document must be can also vary in files of this kind. Since a birth is a permanent fact, the content does not change; some institutions nonetheless ask for a copy issued after a particular date. For some procedures a civil registry extract, which shows the line of descent in one place, is more suitable. Asking at the outset which document will serve prevents you from obtaining the wrong copy.

Checklist

• Does the destination country accept the multilingual copy, or does it require a separate translation?
• Is an apostille needed and, if so, is it to be obtained from the administrative authority?
• Do the spellings of names and places agree with your passport and your other documents?
• Do the parents’ names match your other civil registry documents?
• How many institutions will you be applying to, and have you obtained enough copies?

We can establish which copy of your birth certificate is needed and in what order it should be prepared and, where a translation is required, complete it with your identity details spelled consistently. You can send us your document through the quote form, see the approach we take to civil registry documents on the translation services page, and find the details of certification in our document guide.

This page sets out the general framework; the details of an individual matter may differ. For the requirements that apply, check the institution’s current list of documents.