The e-Apostille Era: Certify Documents Digitally via e-Government

e-Apostille is a digital service that enables official documents apostilled by authorized institutions to be produced and verified electronically. Thanks to the system, documents gain international validity without any physical circulation of paperwork. Since the system launched in 2019, more than 70,000 documents were processed by the end of March 2026; according to a statement by Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, "a total of 70,616 e-Apostille document transactions were carried out from 2019 to the end of March 2026". This figure shows that the digital apostille is no longer an exception but an increasingly widespread standard.

What is an apostille, and what does the e-Apostille change?

An apostille is the certification annotation required under the 1961 Hague Convention so that an official document issued in one contracting state can be recognized as legally valid in another contracting state. The apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature on the document, the capacity of the person who signed it, and, where applicable, the seal or stamp; the document can then be used in contracting states without any additional diplomatic or consular legalization. In other words, the apostille does not certify the content of the document but the authority and signature of the issuing body; understanding this distinction is important for setting the right expectations in international procedures.

The e-Apostille means that this certification is produced electronically instead of on paper. Transactions are carried out with a secure electronic signature and time stamp; the authenticity of the document can be verified both at eapostil.gov.tr and by clicking the link on the document or scanning its QR code. Türkiye is an early mover in this field: the country is among the 52 pioneering states implementing the e-apostille, and the documents generated are recognized as valid in more than 120 countries party to the Hague Convention.

Which documents can receive an e-Apostille?

The system was expanded gradually. Launched on January 1, 2019, the service initially began with e-Apostille transactions for judicial documents issued by the Ministry of Justice (Adalet Bakanlığı), such as criminal record certificates and court decisions. In 2021, civil registry extracts issued by the General Directorate of Civil Registration and Citizenship Affairs (Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü) were brought into scope; in 2022, the service was integrated into the e-Government Gateway (e-Devlet Kapısı). As of December 28, 2023, multilingual birth record extracts (Form A), multilingual marriage record extracts (Form B), and multilingual death record extracts (Form C) were also added to the system.

In short, as of the date of publication, the main documents covered by the e-Apostille are:

• Criminal record certificate (police clearance)
• Court decisions
• Civil registry extract and multilingual birth/marriage/death records (Forms A/B/C)

For these documents, there is no need to visit a district governor's office; a barcoded document can be obtained via turkiye.gov.tr or eapostil.gov.tr. By contrast, documents such as diplomas, transcripts, notarial deeds, trade registry certificates, and land registry records still go through the traditional (physical) apostille process. Those preparing diplomas and transcripts for university applications abroad should plan the academic translation and physical apostille steps for these documents together.

Step by step: how to obtain an e-Apostille via e-Government

The process is quite straightforward. Citizens can log into their accounts via www.turkiye.gov.tr and www.eapostil.gov.tr or the e-Government mobile app, generate a criminal record certificate on a single screen, and request an e-apostille. From the service page on e-Government, you can track your application, verify your approved document, and download it from the system. During the application you will be asked to select the country where the document will be used, so it is important to clarify the destination country from the outset.

The process behind the scenes is also digital: requests are transmitted electronically to judicial units under the Ministry of Justice (Adalet Bakanlığı) and to governorships and district governorships under the Ministry of Interior (İçişleri Bakanlığı). The approved document is delivered to you as a PDF bearing a verification link and QR code. An example scenario: an engineer about to start a job in Germany downloads their e-Apostilled criminal record certificate from e-Government in the morning, has the document translated into German the same day, and emails the complete file to their employer in the evening. A chain that used to take days can now, in most cases, fit into a single day.

e-Apostille vs. physical apostille

The fundamental difference between the two methods lies in how the document is produced and verified. While the e-Apostille applies only to specific document types generated electronically, the physical apostille can be applied to all eligible official documents in paper form. The table below summarizes the key points to help you decide:

If you would like the entire chain managed from a single point for documents requiring a physical apostille, you can leave the tracking of the notary and apostille stages to our office through our official document certification service. This eliminates any uncertainty about which authority to visit and in what order.

Getting the sequence right with translation

For documents outside the e-Apostille's scope, the order matters: first the sworn translation and notarization, then the apostille at the governorship or district governorship. Apostilles are not issued by notaries; for administrative documents the governorship or district governorship is competent, and for judicial documents the Justice Commission of the High Criminal Court (Ağır Ceza Mahkemesi Adalet Komisyonu Başkanlığı). That said, the sequence is not the same in every scenario: the apostille usually comes first, followed by the translation; however, this order may vary depending on the document type and the destination country, and an incorrect sequence may render the document invalid in the destination country. For this reason, we recommend obtaining written confirmation of the format required by the institution you are applying to (whether the apostille or the translation comes first, and whether the translation itself also needs to be apostilled).

Two concepts should not be confused here: a sworn translator's certification is the translator's declaration of the translation's accuracy with their signature and stamp, whereas a notarized translation means this translation is additionally certified by a notary. Some institutions accept only a sworn translator's certification, while others require notarization or even a separate apostille on the translation. Be sure to confirm whether the target institution accepts a digital apostille; contact us for the translation of your e-Apostilled PDF document. Even though e-Apostilled documents may be issued in a multilingual format, many foreign institutions still request a translation of the annotation and the document content into the target language; our apostille-certified translation service is available for this need.

How long does it take, and what drives the cost?

On timing, the digital system is the clear winner. While a physical apostille usually takes the same day at a district governorship, 1–3 business days at a governorship, and 3–7 business days for judicial documents, results via e-Government can be obtained instantly or within 24 hours. These timeframes may be longer during busy periods and for documents requiring additional checks, such as court decisions; readers with flights or application deadlines approaching should not leave the process to the last day. If the document reaches you late, the translation leg can be completed within the same day through our urgent express translation service.

On the cost side, several items should be considered together. In the e-Apostille service, the electronic delivery of documents to the relevant parties is carried out by Turkish Post (PTT) for a service fee. As of the date of publication, the e-Apostille service fee is around 80 TL; always confirm the current amount on the application screen. Other factors affecting the total cost include the language and length of the document (which determines the translation fee), whether notarization is required, the number of documents, and any additional format requirements of the destination country. For example, there is a significant difference in both turnaround and price between translating a single-page criminal record certificate into English and providing a legal translation of a multi-page court decision.

Common mistakes and pitfalls to watch out for

The most common mistake is assuming that an apostille can be obtained from a notary. A notary certifies a copy of a document or a translation; the apostille annotation is issued only by governorships/district governorships and, for judicial documents, by the competent justice commissions. Another mistake is trying to have a photocopy apostilled: the apostille is applied to the original document or a notarized copy; an ordinary photocopy cannot be apostilled. Furthermore, if the destination country is not a party to the Hague Convention, consular legalization is required instead of an apostille; overlooking this distinction means starting down the wrong path from the very beginning.

The digital side also has points requiring attention. When you print an e-Apostilled PDF and submit it in person, some foreign institutions may not consider the printout sufficient; you should remind the receiving party that the document can be verified online via the QR code, or ask about the institution's acceptance policy in advance. Since apostille fraud is a serious risk in international transactions, in suspicious cases confirmation should be obtained from the competent authorities of the country that issued the apostille. Finally, having the translation done by unqualified individuals wastes both time and money through translations rejected by official institutions; for documents requiring official validity, always use a translation signed by a sworn translator.

Next steps: your document is ready — now what?

After downloading your e-Apostilled document, the first task is to clarify the language and format expectations of the target institution. Most countries require the entire document, including the apostille annotation, to be translated into their official language; for institutions in the US or the UK, for example, an English translation is the standard requirement. It is also important that elements on the document such as the QR code, verification link, and annotation number are fully carried over in the translation, so that the receiving institution can verify the document online.

At Ziya Tercüme, we receive your e-Apostilled PDF documents digitally, translate them with sworn translator certification, and, if needed, also handle the tracking of the notarization and physical apostille stages. If you are unsure whether your document falls within the scope of the e-Apostille, or if the destination country has a specific format requirement, we recommend consulting us before starting the process to set it up correctly from the outset. A well-planned apostille-and-translation chain can be the smoothest link in your application abroad.

Sources

• Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (Ulaştırma ve Altyapı Bakanlığı) — Official documents reach the world digitally with e-Apostille
• Anadolu Agency (Anadolu Ajansı) — Number of e-Apostilled document transactions reaches 70,616
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Embassy in Bucharest (T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı, Bükreş Büyükelçiliği) — Information note on e-Apostille applications for Criminal Record Certificates
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consulate General in Nantes (T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı, Nantes Başkonsolosluğu) — Information on the E-Apostille Application
• Turkish Post (PTT) — PTT AŞ's e-Apostille service is expanding
• e-Government Gateway (e-Devlet Kapısı) — Criminal Record Certificate e-Apostille Application