What Is the Difference Between an Apostille and Consular Legalization?
An apostille is a streamlined certification system for documents exchanged between countries that are parties to the Hague Convention (for example, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States).
If the destination country is not party to the Convention (for example, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, China, or Canada), an apostille may not be accepted. The document instead enters a more extensive chain of approvals known as consular certification or legalization.
Steps in the Legalization Chain
This is a sequence of administrative approvals that must be completed in order:
1. The document is translated by a sworn translator.
2. The translated document is certified by a notary.
3. The provincial governorate (provincial legal affairs office) authenticates the notary’s signature.
4. The document is submitted to the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs to authenticate the governorate’s signature.
5. Finally, the consulate or embassy in Turkey of the destination country certifies the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seal.
Who Should Manage the Process?
Foreign ministry and consular procedures can take considerable time, involve appointment systems, and have complex fee-payment requirements. An error may lead to rejection of the document. For this reason, it is advisable to have the process managed by the visa or certification departments of professional translation providers.