Criminal Record Certificates

A criminal record certificate is one of the documents most often requested for residence permits, work permits, citizenship and visas. The certificate itself is the easy part. What causes delays is getting it certified and translated in the right order, and in the right country.

Turkish certificate for use abroad

If a foreign office asks for a Turkish criminal record certificate, the usual route is:

1. Sworn translation into the language the receiving office needs, if it needs one.
2. Notarization of the translation by a Turkish notary.
3. Apostille, or legalization if the destination is not a Hague member.

Criminal records are among the documents that can be apostilled electronically. Whether that route is available for your case depends on the document and the receiving office, so tell us what you have and we will confirm which route applies. Read more in E-Apostille in Turkey.

Foreign certificate for use in Turkey

If a Turkish office asks for a criminal record certificate from another country, it works the other way round:

1. Obtain the certificate from the authority in the issuing country.
2. Apostille or legalization in the issuing country. This can only be done there.
3. Sworn translation into Turkish and notarization in Turkey.

Our guide to foreign documents for use in Turkey explains this in more detail, and family residence permit documents shows how a criminal record certificate fits into a typical application.

How recent does it need to be?

Many offices only accept a certificate issued recently, but the rule differs by office and by country. Ask the receiving office how recent the certificate must be before you order it, because an old certificate has to be reissued and the certification steps repeated.

Mistakes that cost time

• Ordering too early. If the certificate must be recent, a long certification process can make it too old by the time you submit it.
• Getting the foreign apostille in Turkey. A foreign certificate has to be certified in the country that issued it.
• Using an apostille for a non-member country. It will not be recognized, and the document needs legalization instead.
• Name and date mismatches. Names and dates of birth should match your passport, because a translation repeats whatever the certificate says.
• Not asking the receiving office. It decides which certificate it accepts and how it must be certified.

How we help

Tell us where the certificate comes from, where it is going and who needs it. We will confirm the route, then handle the translation, notarization and apostille or legalization in the right order.