Documents from Türkiye
Apostille, not embassy legalisation
Türkiye has applied the Hague Apostille Convention since 29 September 1985, Germany since 1966 (HCCH status table). Turkish public documents for Germany therefore need an apostille from the Turkish side, not a legalisation by the German mission.
As a rule, apostilles for administrative documents are issued by the governorships (valilik) and district governorships (kaymakamlık), and for court documents by the justice commissions at the courts. Check with the issuing office which authority is responsible for your document.
Both countries are also parties to the CIEC convention of 1976 on multilingual extracts from civil-status records. Such extracts (birth, marriage, death) are accepted in Germany without further formalities. Whether a German office accepts a multilingual extract instead of a translated full record in your case, ask that office.
If anyone offers to "legalise" your papers at the German Embassy for a fee, they are selling something you do not need. See Avoiding scams.
Documents you will usually need
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Passport | Valid beyond the planned stay, with free pages; signed. |
| Lise diploma and transcript, YKS/ÖSYM results | Notarised copies with sworn translation for the visa (Embassy study leaflet); transcript preferably from e-Devlet for uni-assist. |
| University diploma and transcript | Notarised copy, apostille where the office asks, translation for recognition files. |
| Birth and marriage records (nüfus kayıt örneği) | Apostille and translation, or a multilingual CIEC extract – mainly for family members and minors. |
| Employer reference, contract, CV, SGK service record | Translation; private papers are usually not apostilled. |
| Criminal-record certificate (adli sicil kaydı) | Only if a German office asks for it. |
Translations
- The Embassy leaflets ask for German translations by sworn translators (yeminli tercüman).
- uni-assist requires the translator's note to be in Turkish; a note only in English or German is not accepted.
- Which translators are accepted is decided by the office that reads the file – recognition bodies can be stricter than the mission. Ask first, then pay.
- The missions want originals plus copies in the order of their checklist. Incomplete files delay the procedure and can lead to refusal.
A question this page does not answer? Contact us. Free orientation only, no legal advice for individual cases.