Apostille of a diploma or transcript: a foreign diploma for Türkiye and a Turkish diploma for abroad
A diploma crosses a border in two directions: a foreign degree that must be accepted in Türkiye, or a Turkish diploma that an employer or university abroad asks for. In both cases the key step is the apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention, followed by a translation that the receiving body will accept. This guide explains who issues the apostille, what YÖK and MEB require, when the translation itself must be apostilled and what the e-Apostille system covers.
What an apostille is and when a diploma needs one
An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document that confirms the authenticity of the signature, the capacity of the signatory and the seal. It does not confirm the content of the diploma or the quality of the education. It is issued under the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961, which Türkiye ratified on 31 July 1985; the Convention has been in force for Türkiye since 29 September 1985.
According to the HCCH status table, the Convention had 130 Contracting Parties as of 30 June 2026. Between two Contracting Parties a single apostille replaces the chain of consular legalisation. If either the issuing or the receiving country is not a party, the document goes through consular legalisation instead: notary, governor’s office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then the consulate of the destination country.
| Situation | What the diploma needs |
|---|---|
| Both countries are parties to the Convention | One apostille from the issuing country |
| One country is not a party | Consular legalisation chain |
| Destination asks for a translation | Translation after the apostille, certified as the receiving body requires |
Foreign diploma for Türkiye: YÖK or MEB
A foreign diploma is apostilled in the country that issued it, by the authority that country has designated; Turkish offices cannot apostille a foreign document. For higher-education diplomas, recognition (tanıma) and equivalence (denklik) are handled by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). For primary and secondary school diplomas, equivalence is handled by the Ministry of National Education (MEB) through its e-Denklik system and denklik centres in Türkiye and abroad.
YÖK asks for the original diploma and transcript with Turkish translations certified by a Turkish notary or a Turkish consulate. For some countries it states expressly that both must carry an apostille; for Ukraine, for example, verification runs through the apostille register. For 2026 YÖK has set the diploma equivalence application fee at 1,250 TL, valid from 1 January to 31 December 2026. Missing documents may be completed within thirty days.
- YÖK: university diplomas, transcripts, diploma supplements
- MEB: school diplomas and transcripts, via edenklik.meb.gov.tr
- Employer, work-permit or residence file: usually apostille plus notarised translation
- University admission in Türkiye: the university sets its own document list
Turkish diploma for abroad: who issues the apostille
In Türkiye the competent authorities for administrative documents are the governor’s office (valilik) in the province and the district governor’s office (kaymakamlık) in the district; judicial documents are apostilled by the presidencies of the judicial commissions at the high criminal courts. A university diploma is an administrative document. The apostille itself is issued free of charge; this is recorded on the HCCH page for Türkiye.
The office checks that the signature and seal on the diploma can be verified. Practice differs between offices: some apostille the original, others a notarised copy, and some ask for the diploma issued or verified through e-Devlet. Confirm the exact requirement with the office you will visit before you go, and ask the receiving institution whether it wants the original or a certified copy.
- Obtain the diploma or graduation certificate from the university, or the verifiable version through e-Devlet.
- If a notarised copy or translation is required, have it prepared at a notary.
- Apply to the valilik or kaymakamlık for the apostille.
- Check the e-Apostille system at eapostil.gov.tr for electronic documents it currently covers.
- Do not take an apostilled document to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: it does not legalise apostilled documents.
Translation: sworn, notarised, and when it is apostilled too
In Türkiye a sworn translator (yeminli tercüman) is a translator who has taken an oath before a notary; a notarised translation (noter onaylı tercüme) is a translation whose translator’s signature the notary certifies. YÖK and most public bodies in Türkiye accept translations certified by a Turkish notary or a Turkish consulate. Abroad, the receiving body decides which form it accepts.
The order of steps matters. Apostille the original first, then translate, so that the translation also covers the apostille. Some receiving bodies also require the notarised translation itself to be apostilled; the apostille then certifies the notary’s signature and is obtained from the valilik or kaymakamlık where the notary works. Ask before you start, because redoing the order costs time and a second set of notary fees.
Notary fees for translations and certified copies are set in the Notarial Fee Tariff (Noterlik Ücret Tarifesi) published for 2026 in the Resmi Gazete; translator fees are agreed with the translator. We do not quote amounts here because they change every year.
Validity, common mistakes and what to check first
The Convention sets no expiry date for an apostille, and the HCCH confirms that it does not lose validity with time. In practice many receiving bodies ask for documents issued or certified recently, often within the last few months; the receiving body’s rule prevails. If your document is older, ask whether a new certified copy or a fresh apostille is expected.
Most delays come from a small number of mistakes, and nearly all of them are avoidable with one message to the receiving institution. Before you book a notary or a courier, confirm the following points with the body that will receive the diploma, in writing where possible, and keep the reply with your file.
- Apostille requested from the wrong country: a foreign diploma cannot be apostilled in Türkiye.
- Translation done before the apostille, so the apostille remains untranslated.
- A copy apostilled when the original was required, or the other way round.
- Destination country not a party to the Convention: consular legalisation was needed.
- Transcript or diploma supplement forgotten; YÖK asks for both.
- Digital printouts without wet signature, seal or hologram: YÖK does not accept them.
Sources
- hcch.net — status table of the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 (Apostille Convention); Türkiye: ratification 31 July 1985, in force 29 September 1985
- hcch.net — Türkiye, competent authorities under Art. 6 (governors, district governors, judicial commissions); price: no charge
- mfa.gov.tr — Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Legalisation Unit: apostille vs consular legalisation chains
- eapostil.gov.tr — e-Apostille system (Ministry of Justice / PTT)
- denklik.yok.gov.tr — YÖK, recognition and equivalence of foreign higher-education diplomas: documents, 2026 fees, procedure
- edenklik.meb.gov.tr — Ministry of National Education, e-Denklik for school diplomas; Denklik Regulation (Resmi Gazete 9 July 2024)
Questions
Is the apostille free in Türkiye?
Yes. The HCCH page for Türkiye records the price as no charge. Notary fees for certified copies and translations, set in the 2026 Notarial Fee Tariff, and translator fees are paid separately.
Who apostilles a Turkish university diploma?
The governor’s office (valilik) or the district governor’s office (kaymakamlık), as the competent authorities for administrative documents. Judicial documents are apostilled by the judicial commissions at the high criminal courts.
Can I apostille a foreign diploma in Türkiye?
No. An apostille is issued only by the country that issued the document. If that country is not a party to the Convention, the diploma goes through consular legalisation instead.
Does YÖK or MEB handle my diploma?
YÖK handles recognition and equivalence of higher-education diplomas; MEB handles primary and secondary school diplomas through e-Denklik. YÖK requires Turkish translations certified by a Turkish notary or consulate.
Does an apostille expire?
The Convention sets no expiry and the apostille does not lose validity with time. Receiving bodies may still ask for recently issued or recently certified documents, so check their rule.