For a foreigner to complete a transaction at a Turkish notary, land registry or any government office, the procedure must be conducted in Turkish and the foreigner must fully understand, in their own language, what they are signing. The person who makes that possible is the sworn interpreter of the notary. Below is how a transaction actually runs from start to finish, where the interpreter comes in, and what to watch out for.

Before anything else: the notarized passport translation

The first thing a foreigner needs before any transaction at a notary or government office in Turkey is a notarized Turkish translation of their passport. It is used not only for that day's procedure but for every official procedure in Turkey: notary, land registry, bank, tax office, trade registry, immigration office. Send us a clear photo of the passport's photo page; we prepare the translation and obtain the notary's certification, so it is ready on the day. Details: notarized passport translation.

The day of the transaction, step by step

  1. Giving the details. Through the interpreter, the foreigner tells the officer what the transaction is: in a power of attorney, who is appointed and with what powers; in a sale, the price and terms; in a contract, the parties and clauses.
  2. Drafting. The officer prepares the document in Turkish.
  3. Reading and oral translation. The interpreter reads the prepared document to the foreigner in full and translates it orally into their language. Not a summary; all of it.
  4. The right to ask for changes. The foreigner may ask for changes wherever they see fit. Either they sign the document as drafted and the transaction is completed, or they tell the officer, again through the interpreter, what they want changed.
  5. Checking and re-reading. From this point the interpreter's most important task is to check that the requested changes have actually been made in the document, and to convey the final text to the foreigner once more, completely and accurately.
  6. Signature. The foreigner confirms they have understood and signs; the interpreter signs as well. The transaction is complete.

A warning: pressure to speed things up

There is something we want to point out. The people handling the side business of the transaction — the real estate agent in a property sale, the car dealer in a vehicle sale, the clerk at the notary or the land registry — may put open or implicit pressure on both the interpreter and the foreigner to get it over with. They may hint, in words or in body language, that the interpreter should summarize rather than read, and hurry things along.

Neither the interpreter nor the foreigner should give in to that pressure. No signature goes on the document until it has been read in full, the foreigner has understood every clause, and the requested changes have been made. This is the foreigner's right, and it is the interpreter's job. We do not go to the notary to finish quickly; we go to finish correctly.

Which transactions need a sworn interpreter

  • Granting, revoking or amending a power of attorney
  • Buying and selling real estate, title deed transfers, preliminary sale contracts
  • Buying and selling vehicles
  • Rental agreements executed at the notary
  • Company formation, signature circulars, partnership matters
  • Prenuptial agreements and marriage procedures
  • Consents, undertakings and declarations of every kind
  • Inheritance and waiver procedures

How to get started

  1. Contact us by WhatsApp or phone with the type of transaction, the foreigner's language, the place and the date.
  2. Send the passport's photo page; we prepare the notarized translation in advance.
  3. At the appointed time our interpreter is at the notary or the relevant office. We are based in Sıhhiye, central Ankara, and go to notaries and land registries across the city.
  4. After the transaction, the notarized documents are handed to you, or sent by courier within Turkey or by affordable international courier abroad.

The fee depends on the type and length of the transaction; we give you a clear figure at the first contact, with no surprises afterwards.

Bureaucratic procedures in Turkey and at foreign missions change from time to time. Before you act, we recommend confirming the current requirements with the institution you are applying to. We are glad to check with you which documents are needed.

Tell us what transaction you are planning; we will say what needs to be ready before the appointment and have our interpreter beside you on the day.

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