Notarized translation

What is a notarized translation?

A notarized translation is a translation made by a sworn translator and then certified by the notary before whom the translator took their oath. In this process, the notary does not certify the content of the translation; instead, the notary confirms that the person who signed it is a sworn translator registered with that notary and that the signature is genuinely theirs. This gives a notarized translation an extra level of assurance in the eyes of official institutions.

At Cantürk Lingua, we handle the entire notarized translation process: your document is translated by our sworn translator and taken to the notary, the scanned copy of the certified translation is uploaded to your account, and the original copy is sent by courier or handed over at our office. You do not need to go to the notary yourself.

When is a notarized translation required?

Whether a notarized translation is needed is decided by the institution you are submitting the document to. In practice, we most often see a notarized translation requested for the following applications:

• Residence permit applications to the Immigration Administration
• University enrollment and degree recognition applications
• Turkish citizenship applications
• Marriage procedures and civil registry records
• Powers of attorney and sales transactions to be executed before a notary
• Banks, courts and some ministries

You can check the Immigration Administration's current application requirements at goc.gov.tr. If you would like to find out which documents are required for your application, take a look at our application guide.

The notarized translation process step by step

• Upload your document to the order form and tick the notarization option.
• See the total price based on the document type, language and number of copies, and make your payment.
• Our sworn translator translates, signs and stamps your document.
• The translation is taken for certification to the notary where the translator took their oath.
• The PDF of the notarized translation is uploaded to your account.
• The original copy is sent to your address by courier or handed over at our office in Fatih.

The difference between notarized translation and sworn translation

Every notarized translation is also a sworn translation; however, not every sworn translation is notarized. If your institution only asks for a sworn translation, notarization is not needed. If the document will be used abroad, an apostille may also be required after notarization; for more on this, see our apostille translation page.

The sworn translator's role in notarization

To produce a notarized translation, the translator must have taken an oath at a notary's office and be listed in that office's records. When certifying the translation, the notary checks this record and the translator's signature. That is why a translation is certified by the notary where the translator took their oath; it cannot be taken to a different notary.

Can a notarized translation be used abroad?

If a translation made in Türkiye is to be submitted to an institution abroad, additional certification may be required depending on the destination country. For countries that are party to the Hague Apostille Convention, an apostille certificate is obtained for the notarized document; in Türkiye, the authority to issue apostilles for administrative and notarial documents lies with district governorships and provincial governorships. For countries that are not party to the Convention, legalization must be obtained from the consulate of the country concerned. The institution receiving the document determines which certification is required.

How long is a notarized translation valid?

A translation has no general expiration date; the certification attests to the authenticity of the translator's signature. However, some institutions may require the translation or the translated document to be recent. Especially for documents such as criminal record certificates, certificates of single status and bank letters, find out the institution's date requirement in advance.

Preparing your notarized translation order

• Upload all pages of the document, along with any annotations on the back.
• Add the spelling of names as it appears in the passport to your order notes.
• Decide how many notarized copies you need.
• Enter the full address where the original copy should be sent, or choose to pick it up at our office.
• If the document will be used abroad, find out whether an apostille or consular legalization is required.

Common notarized translation mistakes

The most common mistake we see is submitting only a sworn translation for an application that requires notarization; in that case, the application may be returned. The second most common mistake is leaving the apostille page out of the translation. The third is a name being spelled differently across documents. If you pay attention to these three points when you order, your translation process will go smoothly.

Delivery options

The scanned copy of the certified translation is uploaded to your account as a PDF, so you can review it before you apply. The original copy, bearing the wet signature and the notary's seal, is sent by courier to your address in Türkiye or can be picked up at our office in Fatih. Within Istanbul it is sent by courier within 24 hours; courier and shipping costs are paid by the recipient.

Quick questions and answers

Can I place a single order for different documents?

Yes. You can upload different documents, such as a passport, a diploma and a birth certificate, in the same order. The price of each document is calculated separately, and the total amount is shown in the order.

Can I get another copy of the certified translation later?

If you need an additional copy, write to us; a new copy of the translation can be prepared and notarized again. The fee for the additional copy will be quoted separately.

Multiple notarized copies

If you need to submit the same document to more than one institution, you can specify the number of copies when you order. Each copy of the translation is notarized separately, and the fee is shown in the order. We explain how the price is calculated on our translation prices page.

If you have any questions before placing a translation order, you can message us on WhatsApp or visit our office using the details on our contact page.