The Notarised Translation Process

The starting point is this distinction: the notary does not approve the translation, the notary attests the signature beneath it. That single sentence explains why the process runs in this order and why corrections cannot be made afterwards.

Who attests what?

There are three separate responsibilities in the chain, and none stands in for another. The institution that issues the document is responsible for the accuracy of its content. The translator is responsible for the translation’s fidelity to the original document. The notary establishes only that the signature genuinely belongs to that translator.

The practical consequence of this structure is that notarisation is not a certificate of quality. What institutions are looking for when they ask for notarisation is not quality but the identity of the responsible party. Should a dispute arise, they want it to be clear who they are dealing with.

The practical benefit of understanding this structure is that having obtained notarisation does not show the translation to be free of errors. The party who has to do the checking is you, the person who will use the document. Reading fields such as the spelling of names, the date of birth and the document number with your own eyes before notarisation is the most effective quality assurance there is.

Who can be a sworn translator?

In Türkiye, sworn translatorship is not a state title conferred through a central examination. The translator applies to a notary’s office with documents showing knowledge of the language concerned; the notary’s office records that declaration in an affidavit of oath (yemin zaptı) and keeps a specimen signature on its register. From that moment on, the translator’s signature is recognised at that notary’s office.

Two things follow from this. First, the authority rests on the relationship established with the notary’s office; there is no single central register covering the whole country. Second, the title is not a grade of language proficiency but a declaration of responsibility. The quality of a translation depends on the translator’s training and experience; the affidavit of oath does not measure that.

In practice this means that the phrase “sworn translator” offers an assurance about the floor and says nothing about the ceiling. Experience with the document type, the practice of a second check and consistency of terminology are the things to ask about independently of the title.

When is notarisation not required?

Notarisation is obtained because an institution asks for it; it is not an automatic requirement for every translation. Internal use, the preliminary review stage, correspondence for information purposes and commercial negotiations generally do not call for it. Unnecessary notarisation costs both money and time.

Some institutions, by contrast, are content with a sworn translation alone and say so explicitly. Many universities and immigration authorities abroad fall into this group: the agency’s declaration and stamp are enough. Official departments in Türkiye, on the other hand, mostly look for notarisation.

The right way to decide is to confirm, not to guess. The list of documents or the application guide on the institution’s website usually answers this question outright. If it cannot be found, asking in writing forestalls a delay of several days.

Stage	Who does it	What is checked	What happens if it is skipped
Obtaining the document	The applicant	Currency, original copy, legibility	The file is turned back at the notary stage
Deciding on scope	The applicant and the agency	The receiving institution’s written request	Too much or too little attestation is obtained
Translation	Sworn translator	Figures, names, dates, layout	Correction after notarisation becomes impossible
Second check	The agency	Comparison against the original	Errors carry through to the official copy
Signature and stamp	The translator	Completeness of the declaration text	The notary cannot attest it
Notarisation	The notary’s office	Match between the signature and the register	The document is not accepted in official procedures

The process step by step

1. Obtain a written request from the receiving institution. “Have it notarised” is not enough; whether an apostille is also needed should be apparent from the same document.
2. Have the original document ready. The original, or a certified copy of it, is expected to be produced during the notarial procedure.
3. Decide how many copies you need. A notarised copy stays with the institution it is submitted to. If you are applying to three institutions, ask for three copies from the outset.
4. Have the translation prepared. Assigning a translator who is at home with the document type reduces the need for corrections later.
5. Do the checking yourself as well. Read the spelling of names, the date of birth, the document number and place names yourself; these are the fields where mistakes are most often made.
6. Complete the notarial procedure. The translator’s signature is compared against the register and attested.
7. Move on to the apostille if one is needed. A notarised translation counts as a judicial document and its apostille is obtained from the judicial justice commission.

Your own checklist

• Is my name spelled exactly as it appears in Latin script in my passport?
• Do my date and place of birth match the details on my identity document?
• Have all document numbers and serial numbers been carried over in full?
• Have seals, stamps and handwritten notes been indicated in the translation?
• Is the number of pages the same as in the original document?
• Is the target language correct? Some institutions require their own official language.
• How many copies are needed?

The most common mistakes

Asking for corrections after notarisation. This is the most expensive mistake in the process. The notarisation attaches to the signature; the moment the text is touched, the notarisation loses its validity and the procedure starts again. Checking should therefore be done before the notary.

Obtaining the apostille in the wrong order. Putting the apostille on the translation when it belongs on the original document, or the other way round, leads to the file being rejected. What determines the order is the receiving institution’s request.

A broken chain on a foreign document. For a document issued abroad to be usable in Türkiye, it must have been attested in its own country. A notary in Türkiye does not attest the authority of a foreign official body.

Applying to more than one institution with a single copy. The institution does not return the copy. When the number of copies is not planned from the start, the process has to be run through a second time.

Choosing the wrong target language. Some countries have more than one official language, and which of them is required varies with the region applied to. A translation made into the wrong language is rejected from the outset, however technically flawless it may be.

Overlooking the requirement that the document be recent. Many institutions want the document to be of recent date. A newly made translation does not make up for this; what is looked at is the date on which the document was issued.

How long is a notarised translation valid?

The notarised translation itself has no expiry date. Institutions do, however, look at the date on which the document was issued. A translation of a civil registry record notarised a year ago may therefore not be accepted, however flawless the translation; what is wanted is the translation of a current document.

The position is different for documents such as diplomas, whose date does not change. A notarised translation of a diploma can still be used years later, because the content of the document does not change. The simple way to draw the distinction is to ask: does the document show a state of affairs at a given moment, or does it record a permanent fact?

Documents showing a state of affairs at a given moment (civil registry records, criminal record certificates, proof of address, bank balances) need to be renewed. Documents recording a permanent fact (diplomas, birth certificates, court judgments) generally do not. This distinction cuts the cost of unnecessary repetition considerably.

Preparation that speeds the process up

• Put the receiving institution’s written request at the top of the file; it will be consulted at every step.
• Gather the original documents together physically; documents held in different cities are what set the timetable.
• Note the form in which your name is spelled in your passport and pass it on to the translation team.
• Work out how many institutions you will be applying to and ask for that number of copies.
• Ask at the outset whether an apostille is needed; a step added later upsets the timetable.
• Read the first version of the translation before notarisation; corrections are free of charge only at that stage.

How does the fee side work?

There are two separate items. The translation service fee is a price set by the agency and varies with volume, language pair and document type. The notary’s fee, on the other hand, is subject to an official schedule; it does not differ from one notary’s office to another and is not included in the agency’s pricing.

Once this distinction is understood, the question of “which notary is cheaper” loses its meaning. The only thing worth comparing is the scope on the translation side: is there a second check, are the copies included, what is the delivery time? We explain how the translation item is calculated on the pricing page and which documents require notarisation in our document guide. You can send us your file through the quotation form.

The account below summarises typical practice; institutional practice may vary. Confirm the details with the institution to which you will be submitting your documents.