Getting Police Certificate (Criminal Clearance Report) in Turkey
Author: Mr. Gökhan Cindemir , Phd Candidate , Senior Partner Lawyer cindemir@cindemir.av.tr
Under Turkish Law, after five years later convicted person can request expunge his/her criminal record. The right against self-incrimination arises as an inherent right of a person pursuant to Article 76 of Turkish Constitution. Accordingly, criminal records can be saved for 5 years. Only Attorney General’s Office or convicted person has right to access that private personal data.
Criminal record (police certificate)
can be obtained via power of attorney issued by convicted person. Legal attorney who is registered to Union of Turkish Bar Associations (https://www.barobirlik.org.tr/en) . Registered attorneys at law in Istanbul can be found at the link : https://www.istanbulbarosu.org.tr/AttorneySearch.aspx
Turkish lawyer can apply to Attorney General’s Office in order to get the document . Criminal record document requires apostille stamp, if it is requested from a foreigner. Please note that it is very important to provide Turkish Residence Id Card or at least ID number. Sometimes problem arises generally with Arabic names due length of the name. In that regard, sometimes digital system is not able to search correct name. Therefore, ID number during residence of a foreigner is very beneficial.
Document can be only given in Turkish. If foreigners country is part of an apostille agreement , it will be valid in their country and they can translate the document to apostille country’s language in case it is needed. In case that country of a foreigner does not have apostille agreement, they need to get approval from Turkish Consulate of their country to prove it is a document given by Republic of Turkey.
Getting criminal record from a Attorney General’s Court department takes maximum few hours.
How to get a Police Certificate:
If you are a Turkisn national:
If you reside in Turkey:
You should apply at the General Prosecutor’s Office (branches located in each city).
If you reside outside of Turkey:
You should apply at your nearest Turkish Embassy or mail a request to the Turkish Republic Ministry of Justice General Directory of Criminal Records Central Office in Ankara:
Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
Adalet Bakanligi
Adli Sicil Genel Mudurlugu
Tuna Caddesi No. 10
Ankara
If you are not a citizen of Turkey:
If you live in Turkey:
You should apply at the General Prosecutor’s Office (branches located in each city).
If you live outside of Turkey:
You should apply at your nearest Turkish Embassy or mail a request to the Turkish Republic Ministry of Justice General Directory of Criminal Records Central Office in Ankara:
Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
Adalet Bakanligi
Adli Sicil Genel Mudurlugu
Tuna Caddesi No. 10
Ankara