Preparing Documents for Turkey: Apostille, Notarised Translation and China/Taiwan Tips

Almost every process in Türkiye — residence, citizenship, company formation, marriage or property — needs foreign documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates or criminal records. They must be prepared correctly to be accepted.

Step 1: Legalisation - **Apostille countries:** if your document comes from a country in the Hague Apostille Convention, it needs an apostille from that country's authority. Mainland China joined the convention in November 2023, so Chinese documents can now generally be apostilled. - **Other places:** documents from places that cannot issue an apostille usually need consular legalisation. For documents from Taiwan, the process normally goes through the Turkish Trade Office in Taipei. Please check the current procedure before you start.

Step 2: Sworn translation and notarisation In Türkiye, documents are translated into Turkish by a sworn translator and then notarised by a Turkish notary.

Common mistakes - Names spelt differently across documents and the passport. - Documents that are too old (some authorities want documents issued within the last six months). - Translating before the apostille is added, so the apostille is not translated.

How Legit Law can help We tell you exactly which documents you need, check them before you legalise them, and arrange sworn translation and notarisation in Istanbul. [Contact us](/contact) before collecting your documents.

*This article is general information only, not legal advice. Procedures change; please contact us for advice on your situation.*