Turkey's National Post Office ("PTT A.Ş.") put the brand new online apostille ("e-Apostille") system into service that enables all apostille related transactions to be completed online as of 1st January 2019.

PTT A.Ş. was authorized by the Law No.7101 on the Amendments to the Code of Enforcement & Bankruptcy and to Some Other Laws ("the Law") that came into force on 15 March 2018 to set up the brand new e-Apostille system. The Law provided that documents apostilled by the authorized bodies will be made available online to persons concerned via PTT A.Ş., in which PTT A.Ş. will do so in compliance with the principles of personal data protection.

An "apostille" is a form of authentication issued to documents for use in countries that participate in the Hague Convention of 1961. Once a document has had an Apostille attached to it confirming the authenticity of signatures and seals it can be presented to any country which recognises the Apostille. E-Apostille, although providing the same authenticity, introduces an online and paperless system on a secured network where applicants can receive apostille on their documents with an electronic signature.

The Law provides that documents requested to be apostilled will be available at http://www.eapostgil.gov.tr with the approval of the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Internal Affairs in exchange for a small fee.

With the e-Apostille system the following will be achieved:

  • Requesting an apostilled document electronically,
  • Receiving an apostilled document by authorized bodies with a secured electronic signature,
  • Transferring the document to the persons concerned electronically (ie.paperless),
  • Preparing the online platform where international institutions and organizations can verify the originality and authenticity of the document.

The e-Apostille system and documents produced thereof will be valid for transactions and/or procedures in countries that participate in the Hague Convention of 1961.

Although as of January 1st 2019, PTT A.Ş. is still working on putting most of the system's features in place (ie. e-Apostilled Diploma, Transcript, Company incorporation documents, Marriage License sample etc.) pertaining an e-Apostilled Criminal Record sheet and Court Judgements/Verdicts have been made available on the e-Apostille system, in which the first can be pertained for 25 Turkish Liras ("TL") and the latter for 50 TL.

Succeeding technologic advancements made, the new e-Apostille system caters a more secured and efficient way on the execution of the Hague Convention of 1961. The e-Apostille system, while offering an online and paperless documentation to persons requested an apostille, it also offers a faster way in which electronically signed documents can be pertained.

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