Document Translation and Legalisation for Turkish Universities: A Guide for Afghan Students

Translation and legalisation are where many Afghan students lose time and money: documents translated into the wrong language, certified by the wrong office, or prepared twice. A little planning avoids most of these problems.

Why Afghan documents cannot be apostilled

In many countries, documents for use abroad are certified with an apostille, a single certificate recognised by all members of the Hague Apostille Convention. Türkiye is a party to the convention, but Afghanistan is not, according to the Hague Conference's official status table. That means Afghan documents cannot be apostilled. They go through legalisation instead.

How legalisation usually works

Legalisation is a chain of certifications that lets authorities in another country trust a document. For Afghan academic documents used in Türkiye, the chain typically involves:

1. Certification by the issuing authority, such as the relevant education ministry or university
2. Certification by the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
3. Attestation by a Turkish embassy or consulate

The exact steps depend on what the university or authority asks for and on current arrangements, which have changed in recent years. Confirm the requirement before you start, because each step costs time and money.

Translation

Turkish universities and authorities may ask for:

• Original-language documents plus an English or Turkish translation
• A sworn translation into Turkish, made by a sworn translator in Türkiye
• A notarised translation

Many universities accept English documents at the application stage and ask for certified Turkish translations later, at final registration or for the high school equivalence (denklik) application. If your documents were issued in Dari or Pashto, you will need translations. Ask the university which language and certification it requires before ordering any.

Which documents usually need it

Not every document needs the same treatment. These are the documents most often affected:

• Grade 12 diploma and transcripts: needed for undergraduate applications, final registration and the high school equivalence (denklik) application
• Bachelor's diploma and transcripts: needed for master's applications and registration
• Birth or family documents: occasionally requested, for example for name or age verification
• Sponsor documents: if a parent or relative supports you financially, their supporting documents may need translation for the visa file

Your passport normally does not need translation, but every other document must match the spelling in it.

How long it takes

Each step in the chain depends on the office concerned, its workload and the arrangements in place at the time. Build several weeks into your plan, and start as soon as you know what your universities and the visa mission require. Leaving legalisation until the last month before a deadline can easily cost you an intake.

Five rules that save time and money

1. Do not translate or legalise anything until you know the requirements of your chosen universities and the visa mission.
2. Get spellings right first. Make sure your name and date of birth match your passport exactly before any translation is made.
3. Order enough certified copies for applications, registration and the visa.
4. Keep scans of everything, including every stamp and every page.
5. Never alter a document. Altered documents lead to refusal and can have lasting consequences.

How we help

We tell you exactly which documents need translation and legalisation for your universities and the visa, check spelling consistency across every document, and help you avoid paying for the same step twice. See the full documents checklist.