Notary & Apostille Assistance (via partner)

What is an apostille and when do you need it?

Turkey joined the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (the Apostille Convention) under Law No. 3028, issued in 1984, and the convention entered into force for Turkey on 29 September 1985.

Under this convention, an official document issued in one member state can be recognized for use in any other member state with a single stamp known as an "apostille," without the need for an additional chain of diplomatic or consular certifications. The apostille does not certify the content of the document itself; it only attests to the authenticity of the signature on it, the capacity in which the signatory acted (such as being a notary or public official), and the authenticity of the seal or stamp used.

You typically need an apostille stamp when you want to use a document issued in Turkey, or a notarized translation of a document, before an official body in another member country of the convention — whether for study, work, marriage, inheritance, setting up a company, or other cross-border official transactions.

Important points to know

• Using an uncertified copy, or one not apostilled, in a cross-border official transaction exposes you to the risk of the receiving authority rejecting the document, which can delay or disrupt your transaction
• Notary certification and an apostille stamp are two different steps: notary certification proves, within Turkey, the authenticity of a copy of an original document, or the authenticity of a signature or the translator's capacity, while an apostille grants that document or certification international recognition under the Hague Convention
• Not every document necessarily needs an apostille; it depends on the requirements of the authority or country where the document will be used, and on whether that country is party to the convention in the first place
• For countries that are not members of the Hague Convention, an apostille is not used; instead, a different consular legalization procedure is followed

Frequently asked questions

Is a notary-certified copy equivalent to an apostilled document? No. Notary certification is a domestic procedure that proves the authenticity of a copy, signature, or translation within Turkey, while an apostille is a separate additional certificate that grants that document official recognition in other member states under the 1961 Hague Convention.

Are Turkish documents bearing an apostille accepted in every country in the world? They are accepted only in countries that are party to the 1961 Hague Convention. Countries not party to the convention typically require a different consular legalization procedure instead of an apostille.

What's the difference between a notarized translation and an apostilled document? A notarized translation means a Turkish notary has certified the translator's capacity and the validity of the procedure within Turkey; this does not necessarily make it internationally recognized. If it will be used abroad, it may also need to be apostilled, depending on the requirements of the receiving authority.

Last updated: 2026-09-07