Apostille is an international convention signed in 5th October 1961 in The Hague, Netherlands. With this apostille convention, an international legalization system was established for the party countries. When a document is apostilled, it is now accepted in the Apostille party countries.
How can a document be apostilled?
It is possible to apostille only the official documents. You cannot apostille a letter that you wrote, or the documents signed and stamped by a private company. It is compulsory for a document/certificate to bear a government stamp and signature on it in order to be apostilled.
You can directly apostille a birth certificate, marriage certificate, polis record or other official certificates received from the governmental offices. This certificate must bear the stamp and title/signature of the issuing agency.
Regarding the apostille legalization of the company documents or private documents such as letter of consent, you need to use an intermediary government agency such as chamber of commerce or notary public.
For example, if you want to apostille a contract signed and stamped by a private company, you need to get this contract signed and stamped by the relevant chamber of commerce. Then, the apostille legalization agency will easily legalize the stamp and signature of the relevant chamber of commerce. And, if you want to issue an apostilled letter of consent or a declaration, you need to issue this document before a notary public. The notary public will sign and stamp this certificate, and the apostille legalization agency will put apostille stamp on this certificate.
Where can you apostille your documents?
Apostille legalization can be made in governorships in most of the countries. However, it may also be possible to apostille your documents in courthouses or other authorized offices in the country.
Apostille legalization & attestation can be performed by anyone else. It is not compulsory to apply in person. You can use intermediary agencies such as Turkish Translation & Apostille Attestation Agency.
How long is the apostille valid for?
There is not any expiry date of the apostille legalization. It is not stated in the Hague Convention regarding the validity period of the apostille, and you can use your apostilled documents for many years without any problem.
However, some countries may request documents to be issued in the last 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. This is more related to the validity period of the relevant document, and thus it affects the validity period of the apostille as well. Therefore, it is better to learn the necessity of the authority where you will submit your document.
How much is Apostille price?
Apostille prices also change from country to country. Apostille legalization may be free in some countries, while it is at very cheap prices in others. For example, apostille legalization is around USD 50 in The Republic of Türkiye.
Which countries are party to Apostille convention?
Here is the list of the Apostille member countries party to Hague Apostille Convention:
https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an apostille and notarization in Turkey?
A notarization confirms a document’s authenticity within Turkey, while an apostille makes it legally valid abroad among Hague Convention member countries. Both processes serve different legal purposes and may be required for international document use.
Which documents commonly require an apostille in Turkey?
Common documents include birth and marriage certificates, diplomas, court judgments, business licenses, and power of attorney papers. These must be officially issued or notarized in Turkey before receiving an apostille stamp for international recognition.
Can foreign documents be apostilled in Turkey?
Only documents issued or notarized within Turkey can receive an apostille from Turkish authorities. Foreign documents must first be legalized in their country of origin before being submitted to Turkish institutions if required for local use.
How do you verify if an apostille is genuine in Turkey?
You can confirm an apostille’s authenticity by checking the unique reference number and verifying it through the issuing governorate’s online verification portal or by contacting the relevant provincial authority where it was issued.
What happens if a country is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention?
If the destination country is not a member of the Hague Convention, documents cannot be apostilled. Instead, they must go through a full consular legalization process via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the respective embassy.
