A certificate of origin (menşe şahadetnamesi) is a non-preferential origin document proving in which country exported goods were produced or underwent their last substantial transformation. In Türkiye it is issued by chambers of commerce and industry and commodity exchanges. It does not give a customs duty reduction; it enables the importing country to apply trade policy measures such as anti-dumping duties, additional duties and quotas correctly.
What does a certificate of origin prove?
The document shows which country the goods belong to in economic terms. Under Article 18 of Customs Law No. 4458 (4458 sayılı Gümrük Kanunu), goods wholly obtained in a country originate in that country: minerals extracted there, plant products harvested there, animals raised there and so on. For goods whose production involves more than one country, Article 19 applies; the country of origin is the country where a new product was manufactured or the last economically justified substantial processing was carried out. Operations such as mere packaging, labelling or simple assembly of parts generally do not meet this threshold.
A certificate of origin documents non-preferential origin. For duty reductions arising from free trade agreements, preferential origin documents such as the EUR.1, EUR-MED or an invoice declaration are used; the difference is explained in the entry preferential vs non-preferential origin.
What is it for, and who asks for it?
The party that benefits from the document is the importer. Many countries apply anti-dumping duties, additional customs duties, quotas or bans to goods originating in certain countries. For these measures not to be applied to it, the importer must prove that the goods do not come from the country subject to the measure. The Customs Guide (Gümrük Rehberi) of the Ministry of Trade (Ticaret Bakanlığı) puts the difference this way: a preferential document proves where the goods come from, while a certificate of origin proves that they do not come from a country subject to a measure.
For exports from Türkiye, a certificate of origin is not mandatory; it is issued if the destination country or the buyer requests it. In sales under letters of credit and in public tenders, the document is frequently written in as a requirement. For imports into Türkiye, on the other hand, for goods subject to origin rules, for example products with an additional customs duty or an anti-dumping measure, the customs office requires a certificate of origin and may ask for additional evidence in case of serious doubt.
Who issues it, and does customs endorse it?
The exporter fills in the document, and the chamber of commerce, chamber of industry or commodity exchange it is registered with approves it after reviewing the invoice and production information. There is an important difference from the A.TR and EUR.1: a certificate of origin is not endorsed by the customs office at export. Some importing countries may require consular legalisation in addition to the chamber's approval; this requirement should be clarified with the buyer before shipment.
What information does the document contain?
- Name and address of the exporter and the consignee,
- Country of origin and mode of transport,
- Marks, numbers, quantity and type of packages,
- Description of the goods, gross and net weight, value,
- Certification by the issuing authority consisting of date, signature and stamp,
- If the goods acquired origin through processing in that country, a description of that processing.
How is a certificate of origin obtained?
- Confirm the need: Get written confirmation from the buyer on whether the document is required and whether there is a consular legalisation or special wording requirement.
- Determine the origin: For domestic production, prepare records showing that the inputs and the processing carried out meet the Article 19 criterion. For goods you import and resell unchanged, the origin is not Türkiye; the actual country of origin is entered on the document.
- Apply to the chamber: The application is made with the completed form, the commercial invoice and, if the chamber requires, a production or capacity certificate. Many chambers accept applications electronically.
- Attach the document to the shipping documents: The approved original is sent to the buyer or the bank together with the invoice.
Common mistakes
- The number of packages, weight or description of goods on the document differing from the invoice.
- Trying to have Turkish origin stated for an imported product that was only repackaged in Türkiye.
- Thinking the A.TR serves as proof of origin; the A.TR only shows free circulation status.
- Submitting a document that does not match the issuing authority wording in the letter of credit.
How does Voltim Global support you on this?
During export customs clearance, Voltim Global checks before shipment that the information on the invoice, packing list and origin document is consistent. The type of document required by the destination country is clarified at the same time as the loading plan.