District of Columbia Apostille for Documents Used in Türkiye
District of Columbia apostilles for Türkiye: what ONCA authenticates, where out-of-DC notarizations and federal documents go, and ordering records.
In the District of Columbia, apostilles come from the Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications, known as ONCA, part of the Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia. Its scope is narrow and clearly stated: documents notarized by a DC notary public, and certified documents issued or signed by a DC government agency.
Anything outside those two groups needs a different office, and two cases come up often.
What ONCA does not handle
A document notarized by a notary public outside DC goes to the Secretary of State of the state where that notary is commissioned. A power of attorney signed before a Maryland or Virginia notary, for example, does not belong at ONCA.
Federal documents are also outside its scope. ONCA names citizenship documents, FBI background checks and FBI Clearance Letters, and refers them to the Authentication Office of the US Department of State. For Türkiye, an FBI check therefore follows the federal route, not the DC one.
For DC records that still have to be ordered, there is a practical shortcut. A DC birth certificate or a GED can be sent by the provider you order it from straight to ONCA for authentication, so the document does not need to pass through your hands first.
ONCA accepts documents through its Mail In Service Center and its Walk In Service Center.
In Ankara
After authentication, sworn translators in Türkiye translate the document into Turkish at our Ankara office. A Turkish notary adds a certification of the translation when the receiving authority calls for one, and that authority rules on acceptance.
Who issues the apostille
| Document family | Competent authority | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Civil status | Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia, Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA) | os.dc.gov |
| Education | Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia, Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA) | os.dc.gov |
| Notarial | Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia, Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA) | os.dc.gov |
| Federal | U.S. Department of State, Authentication Office | os.dc.gov |
Frequently asked questions
- Who issues the apostille for civil status documents from District of Columbia?
- Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia, Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA). A DC Birth Certificate ordered for authentication can be sent by the third-party document provider directly to ONCA.
- Who issues the apostille for education documents from District of Columbia?
- Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia, Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA). A GED ordered for authentication can be sent by the third-party document provider directly to ONCA.
- Who issues the apostille for notarial documents from District of Columbia?
- Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia, Office of Notary Commissions and Authentications (ONCA). ONCA does not authenticate documents notarized by a Notary Public outside of DC; those go to the Secretary of State where the notary public is commissioned.
- Who issues the apostille for federal documents from District of Columbia?
- U.S. Department of State, Authentication Office. ONCA lists federal documents, including citizenship documents, FBI background checks and FBI Clearance Letters, among documents it does not authenticate and refers to the US State Department, Authentication Office.