US Company Documents for Use in Türkiye

A US company that sets up a branch, opens a bank account or signs a contract in Türkiye usually needs proof of its existence and its officers: a certificate of formation, articles of incorporation or a certificate of good standing. In every state we have checked, the starting point is a certified copy from the state's own business registry, not a copy printed from the company's files.

Which copy counts

Texas issues its universal apostille for certified copies of business organization documents on file with the Secretary of State, such as certificates of formation. Georgia wants certified copies issued by the current Secretary of State. Washington issues apostilles only on certified copies or certificates of documents on file with its Corporations Division. In Utah the document must be a certified copy from the Department of Commerce and notarized at the Department.

Virginia is different in one detail: documents from the State Corporation Commission are signed by the Clerk of the Commission and cannot be notarized. Alabama lists articles of incorporation, corporate bylaws and certificates of merger among the documents it regularly apostilles, and Maryland names corporate good-standing certificates. Colorado adds a practical check: confirm with the receiving country that a certified copy alone is not enough before asking for an apostille on it.

For use in Türkiye

Ask the Turkish institution you are dealing with which certificate it wants before ordering one. Once the certified copy is apostilled, our translators in Ankara, sworn before a Turkish notary, translate it into Turkish, and a Turkish notary certifies the translation where required. The receiving institution decides on acceptance. The table shows the office for each state.