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Iraq Attestation of Turkish Documents: Chain, Missions and TRNC Diplomas

Iraq is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. A document issued in Türkiye and used in Iraq therefore cannot rely on an apostille: it passes the Turkish attestation chain and is then attested at one of Iraq's three missions in Türkiye — the embassy in Ankara or the consulates general in Istanbul and Gaziantep.

Most documents going to Iraq are education documents: the diplomas of students who studied in Türkiye or North Cyprus and are going home. This page covers the chain, the extra step for North Cyprus (TRNC) diplomas, what to do when an apostille is requested on a document attested years ago, and the language question in the Kurdistan Region.

Last updated: 26 September 2026

Attestation chain by document

Every document issued in Türkiye follows the same backbone. The second row is kept separate: a diploma from North Cyprus has to pass its own extra steps before it can join the Turkish chain.

Document Sworn translation Notary Apostille Embassy Note
University diploma (Türkiye) Yes Yes No Yes YÖK approval after district attestation
University diploma (North Cyprus / TRNC) Yes Yes No Yes Turkish Embassy in Nicosia and MFA recognition come first
Transcript Yes Yes No Yes Same chain as the diploma
High school diploma and school records Yes Yes No Yes MEB approval, not YÖK
Civil registry record, birth certificate Yes Yes No Yes Family and identity files
Marriage certificate Yes Yes No Yes For registering the marriage in Iraq
Power of attorney Yes Yes No Yes For property and company matters in Iraq
Commercial documents Yes Yes No Yes Export documents go through the Chamber of Commerce

Steps and timing

The order cannot be changed. The total calendar is set by the Turkish MFA appointment and, for education documents, the YÖK step. We do not promise a number of days for steps that depend on an appointment.

Attestation chain for Iraq

All six steps run on paper. Step four applies to education documents only.

1 Sworn translation Beta Çeviri 2 Notary attestation Notary 3 District or provincial attestation Kaymakamlık or Valilik not an apostille 4 YÖK or MEB approval YÖK (university) / MEB (high school) education documents only 5 Turkish MFA attestation Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointment required 6 Iraqi mission attestation Iraqi Embassy, Ankara (or Istanbul, Gaziantep)
Step Time Authority Note
1. Sworn translation Same day for most files Beta Çeviri Mostly Arabic; confirm the language for the Kurdistan Region
2. Notary attestation Same day Notary Certifies the translator's signature
3. District or provincial attestation 1 business day Kaymakamlık or Valilik An attestation, not an apostille
4. YÖK or MEB approval Depends on appointment and paperwork YÖK or MEB, Ankara Education documents only
5. Turkish MFA attestation Depends on appointment Ministry of Foreign Affairs Appointment: tasdik.mfa.gov.tr
6. Iraqi mission attestation Depends on the mission's workload Ankara, Istanbul or Gaziantep Fee in US dollars, issued on a receipt

Diplomas from North Cyprus (TRNC)

Many Iraqi students graduate from universities in North Cyprus. Because TRNC documents come from an authority with limited international recognition, they cannot go straight into the Iraq chain. First the Turkish Embassy in Nicosia approves the document, then the Turkish MFA carries out a recognition step. Only after that can the document move on towards the Iraqi mission.

The order cannot be undone. In one of our own files, a district office refused to add its attestation to a TRNC diploma that already carried the MFA recognition seal; the document could re-enter the chain only through its notarised translation. That is why, for every TRNC diploma, we check the seals and which sheet each one sits on before we begin.

When an apostille is requested on a document attested years ago

Still for Iraq

Nothing extra is needed. Iraq does not use apostilles, and the embassy attestation already on the document is exactly the approval Iraq asks for. Adding an apostille is both unnecessary and may not be possible.

Now for a Hague country

Rather than putting an apostille on the consular-attested copy, we build a fresh chain from a new copy: sworn translation, notary and apostille. We confirm the exact route with the apostille authority.

The Kurdistan Region and the translation language

Documents for institutions in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah or Duhok follow the same chain in Türkiye and still need Iraqi mission attestation. The difference is the language: federal Iraqi institutions ask for Arabic, while institutions in the Kurdistan Region may also accept Kurdish or English. The institution using the document decides; ask for written confirmation before applying.

Education documents: YÖK or MEB?

The Turkish MFA does not attest education documents without an intermediate approval. University documents go to YÖK, high school and lower-level documents to MEB. The approval comes after the district attestation and before the MFA. YÖK accepts applications only from the graduate, a first-degree relative or someone holding a notarised power of attorney — which is why, for graduates already back in Iraq, the power of attorney is usually the first thing we solve.

Official fees

Item Amount Set by Checked
Sworn translation TRY 400 per page (minimum TRY 800) Beta Çeviri tariff 2026-09-06
Notary attestation ~TRY 2,200 per page State notary tariff (1 page = 1,000 characters) 2026-09-06
District or provincial attestation Free Kaymakamlık / Valilik 2026-08-01
YÖK approval (university documents) Free YÖK 2026-08-01
Turkish MFA document fee TRY 895.80 Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs tariff 2026-08-01
Iraqi mission attestation In USD, set per document type on a receipt Iraqi mission Confirmed per file

These are the official items paid to Turkish authorities and the embassy. Our service fee is separate and is fixed when the file is opened, based on the number of documents. Tariffs change once a year and embassy fees follow the dollar; if a checked date looks old, we re-confirm the figure before quoting.

Where files most often come back

  • The order of steps was broken on a TRNC diploma

    Diplomas from universities in North Cyprus cannot enter the Turkish chain directly. They first need approval from the Turkish Embassy in Nicosia and a recognition step at the Turkish MFA. The order has consequences that cannot be reversed: once the MFA recognition seal is on the original, another Turkish authority may refuse to add its own, and the document can only re-enter the chain through a notarised translation.

    How to avoid it: When a TRNC diploma arrives, we check every seal on it — and on which sheet it sits — before doing anything. The order is built from the document's actual state, not from a guess.

  • An apostille is requested on an already attested document

    We regularly meet graduates whose diploma was attested for Iraq years ago and who now ask for an apostille. If the document is for Iraq, an apostille is pointless: Iraq does not use apostilles and the embassy attestation already on it is what Iraq requires. If it is now going to a Hague country, adding an apostille on top of a consular-attested copy is the wrong way; a fresh chain is needed.

    How to avoid it: When someone asks for an apostille, we first ask which country it is for. For Iraq we suggest nothing extra; for another country we work from a new copy.

  • An apostille was put on the document

    Iraq is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. People add an apostille as a precaution because it is free; it has no meaning on the Iraqi side and the correct attestation is still needed.

    How to avoid it: For Iraq the step at the district office is an attestation, not an apostille.

  • The YÖK application cannot be filed

    For a graduate who has already gone back to Iraq, YÖK is the step that stalls most often: YÖK accepts university documents only from the graduate or a first-degree relative.

    How to avoid it: The easiest route is a notarised power of attorney given before leaving Türkiye. After leaving, a power of attorney issued at a Turkish mission in Iraq also works.

  • The language for the Kurdistan Region was not confirmed

    Institutions in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok differ on Arabic, Kurdish or English. If a translation in the wrong language is rejected after the chain is complete, every step is repeated.

    How to avoid it: Ask the institution that will use the document which language it accepts, in writing. Without confirmation, Arabic is the safe choice.

How a file moves in practice

The typical Iraq file is a diploma and transcript of a student who has finished and gone home. The student is usually no longer in Türkiye, so the first task is the power of attorney for the YÖK step. If one was given at a notary before leaving, the file moves fast; if not, we wait for one issued at a Turkish mission in Iraq.

When we open the file we settle four things: whether the diploma is from Türkiye or North Cyprus, whether the document has already been through any attestation, which language the receiving institution accepts, and which Iraqi mission will attest it. Those four answers set the real calendar.

Frequently asked questions

Is an apostille enough for Iraq?
No. Iraq is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Turkish documents need district or provincial attestation, Turkish MFA attestation and attestation at an Iraqi mission.
Which Iraqi missions in Türkiye attest documents?
The Iraqi Embassy in Ankara and the Iraqi Consulates General in Istanbul and Gaziantep.
My diploma is from North Cyprus (TRNC). What changes?
Before entering the Turkish chain, a TRNC diploma needs approval from the Turkish Embassy in Nicosia and a recognition step at the Turkish MFA. The order matters, so we check the seals on the document before starting.
My diploma was attested for Iraq years ago. Do I need to do it again?
Not if it is used in Iraq; the existing embassy attestation is enough. If it is going to another country, a new chain is needed under that country's rules.
Is the process different for the Kurdistan Region?
The chain in Türkiye is the same and Iraqi mission attestation is still needed. The difference is the translation language: institutions in the region may prefer Arabic, Kurdish or English, so confirm before applying.
What does the Iraqi mission charge?
The fee is in US dollars, depends on the document type and is given on a receipt by the mission. We do not publish a figure we have not verified; we confirm the current amount when the file is opened.
Do I need YÖK or MEB approval?
YÖK for university documents, MEB for high school and lower-level documents. The graduate, a first-degree relative or we — with a notarised power of attorney — can file the YÖK application.
Do export documents for Iraq follow the same chain?
No. Invoices and certificates of origin are approved through the Chamber of Commerce in a separate chain.
My transcript has many pages. How is the notary fee calculated?
The notary charges per page, on a 1,000-character page basis, so on a long transcript most of the cost is here. The notary tariff allows a half fee for pages with few lines; on table-format transcripts we ask the notary to apply it. We give the exact figure once the page count is known.
Will my diploma and transcript be ready on different days?
No, we move them together. Both follow the same chain and go to YÖK and the MFA in the same appointment. The only difference is translation time: a long transcript can take longer than the diploma.
Do I need to come to Ankara?
No. Send the documents by courier; we courier them back when the chain is complete.

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