What Is an Apostille?

You've been asked for an apostille, and nobody has explained what it is. Here is the short version: it's a one-page certificate, attached to your document, that tells another country "the official signature on this is genuine." Here's how that works in practice.

What an apostille actually is

An apostille comes from an international treaty, the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961. Before it existed, a document had to be certified by a chain of offices and then by the embassy of the country where it would be used — slow and expensive. The treaty replaced that chain with a single certificate. Once a document carries an apostille, the destination country doesn't ask for any further certification of it.

Turkey joined the Convention in 1985, and around 130 countries are now members. Rather than rely on a list from us, check the official status table on the Hague Conference (HCCH) website for your destination, because members are added regularly.

What it proves — and what it doesn't

• It proves that the signature and seal on the document belong to a real official, such as a notary.
• It does not prove that the contents of the document are true or correct. It certifies the official who signed it, not what the document says.

That's why a private document, like a letter or a signed contract, usually has to be notarized first. The notary becomes the "official" whose signature the apostille can then certify.

Who issues an apostille in Turkey

In Turkey, apostilles for documents of notaries and administrative authorities are issued by the governorships (valilik) and district governorships (kaymakamlık). For a Turkish document going abroad that needs a translation, the usual approach is a sworn translation, notarized, with the apostille issued on the notarized translation.

Going the other direction

If you're bringing a foreign document into Turkey, the apostille is issued in the country where the document was made, not here. When the Turkish office needs a translation, it must be a sworn Turkish translation, notarized by a Turkish notary.

What if the country isn't in the Convention?

If your destination isn't a member, an apostille alone won't be accepted. Those documents normally need a longer process, with extra certification through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then the destination country's embassy or consulate. This takes more time, so check early.

Two things worth knowing

• Check how recent the document must be. The apostille itself doesn't expire, but some receiving offices want the underlying document issued recently. Ask them first.
• The receiving office decides. Whether you need an apostille, a translation, or both is up to the authority that will receive the document, so confirm their requirements before you start.

How we handle it

We coordinate the whole chain — sworn translation, notarization and apostille — in the right order, including through our remote E-Apostille service for documents that qualify. You send a clear scan and tell us the destination country, and we confirm exactly which steps your document needs.