This page answers questions about documents that come from abroad. In these files the chain works in the opposite direction, and the first steps are outside our control.
I am going to use my foreign document in Türkiye; where should I start?
The document is first verified in its own country. Until this step is completed, the procedures done here cannot be used. The order is built from the outside in.
Would it not do if I had the translation made first?
It would not. A translation and a certification attached to an incompletely verified document go to waste. The expense arises again.
What is the apostille certificate on the document for?
It verifies the authenticity of the signature and the seal. It does not verify the content. The certificate is also included in the translation.
Is it mandatory to translate the certificate?
A certificate that is skipped leaves the document incomplete. The scope is the whole of the document. A check is made.
Are the names of foreign institutions translated?
They are carried over in their original form and, if necessary, an explanation is added. A one-to-one equivalent produces the impression of a wrong institution. The method is cautious.
The legal concept has no equivalent here.
Instead of a forced equivalent, a descriptive expression is used and a note is added. The difference is made visible. The reader is not misled.
Do dates get mixed up?
The order of day and month changes from country to country. A wrong reading produces a date error. The format is worked out carefully.
The number formats are different; will that be a problem?
The use of separators may differ. The values are carried over carefully and checked separately. A layer is added.
The spelling of the name looks different from my passport.
For names outside the Latin alphabet, transliteration rules are applied and the passport spelling is taken as the basis. An inconsistency stops the procedure. The source is determined.
My document may contain missing pages.
The page count is made on the first day. When a missing document is requested from abroad, the turnaround lengthens. Early detection is important.
The handwritten sections cannot be read.
An illegible passage is not guessed; a note is added. A high-resolution scan may help. The limit goes on record.
The document is very old; can it be translated?
It can. Old terms and abolished institutions are carried over in their original form and explained. Historical accuracy is preserved.
Can old names be replaced with today's?
They are not replaced. This intervention distorts the historical reality of the document. The explanation is given separately.
I have a translation that was made abroad.
In some procedures it may not be accepted. The expectation is asked of the relevant organisation. If necessary, it is done again here.
Does the translation need to be certified in Türkiye?
It varies with the procedure. It is learned from the organisation to which you will submit it. No assumption is made.
There is more than one language in the document.
Which sections are to be translated is determined at the outset. For documents drawn up in several languages, translation may not be needed at all. The question is asked.
Is the text of seals and stamps translated as well?
It is. These elements show the official nature of the document. Those that cannot be read are noted.
I received the document by e-mail; is a printout sufficient?
The printout of an electronically signed document does not carry the signature. The form of submission is asked of the relevant organisation. The expectation is learned in advance.
We regularly receive documents from abroad.
Which country produces which verification is learned once and recorded. Later files speed up. The information is kept per country.