How do I get a marriage certificate translated into English?

Turkey is a party to ICCS (CIEC) Convention No. 16 (Vienna, 8 September 1976; in force for Turkey since 30 June 1985). Under it the Civil Registry (Nüfus Müdürlüğü, also via e-Devlet) can issue a multilingual extract of the marriage record — Formül B — that is designed to be used without translation and is exempt from legalisation in the other contracting states: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Croatia, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland.

The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Ireland are not parties, so for those destinations a sworn English translation of the Turkish record is normally still required — and even inside a contracting state an individual university, bank or employer may still ask for one. Ask the receiving institution before ordering a translation; if the multilingual extract is enough, you do not need us for this document. Status checked 14 September 2026 against the CIEC signatory table.

Whether the apostille goes on the original or on the translation depends on the receiving institution.

GOV.UK asks family-visa applicants for a certified translation of any document that is not in English or Welsh. Its certification guidance asks the translator to confirm in writing on the translation that it is a “true and accurate translation of the original document”, with the date of the translation and the translator’s full name and contact details.

For the documents the Immigration Rules specify for your route (paragraph 39B(f); for financial evidence in family applications also Appendix FM-SE paragraph 1(j)), the rules ask for a full, dated translation that can be independently verified, with the translator’s confirmation that it is accurate, the full name and signature of the translator or an authorised official of the translation company, and contact details. For an application made inside the UK for leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain, they also ask for “certification by a qualified translator and details of the translator or translation company’s credentials”. Whether a given document is a specified document depends on your route, and the rules do not define “qualified translator”.

Our translator, Uğur Arı, is a sworn translator in Türkiye: his oath is recorded by a Turkish notary (Kartal 12th Notary Office). He is not a member of ITI, CIOL or ATC. Each translation carries the confirmation, date, full name, signature, stamp and contact details listed above. Notarisation in Türkiye is added only if you or the receiving authority ask for it; it does not replace any UK-specific requirement.

Formül B: the multilingual extract uses standard wording and codes explained in several languages, including English. The GOV.UK pages linked here do not say whether it is accepted without a translation; if you are unsure, include a certified translation. UKVI decides whether a document is acceptable. We translate documents; we do not give immigration advice.