The fastest way to get an eligible UK digital document Apostilled by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Once you place your order, your document is submitted on your behalf and you receive it back as a secure PDF, typically within 2–3 working days. Not every country or institution accepts e-Apostilles. If you're unsure whether your destination does, contact support before ordering and you'll have an answer within minutes.
An e-Apostille is the digital version of the paper Apostille, issued electronically by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). It has the same legal purpose: confirming to a foreign authority that a document is genuine and was issued by a recognized UK source.
The difference is format and acceptance. The e-Apostille is a secure PDF that can be verified online, which makes it faster and cheaper than the paper version. The trade-off is that not every country or institution accepts digital certification yet. Always confirm with the receiving authority before ordering.
Getting an e-Apostille yourself means navigating which documents are eligible, finding the right electronic notarization where needed, paying the FCDO directly, and confirming with the receiving authority that digital is accepted. The eligibility rules aren’t always obvious, and a digital certificate isn’t useful if the destination won’t take it.
NotaryPublic24 handles the whole process end to end: eligibility check, electronic notarization where needed, FCDO submission, and the secure PDF delivered to you. All FCDO fees included in one transparent price.
Support is always available online. NotaryPublic24 cares about you and your documents, and works hard to get it right the first time.
The e-Apostille is the right choice when your document already exists in digital form, the receiving authority has confirmed they accept digital Apostilles, and you want the fastest, most cost-effective route.
The FCDO Paper Apostille is the right choice when your document only exists in paper form, when the receiving authority requires a physical certificate, or when you’re not sure what’s accepted and want the universally recognized option.
If you’re not sure which one fits your case, contact support and you’ll have an answer before you order.
See FCDO Paper ApostilleSome receiving authorities publish this on their website. Many don't, and the only reliable way is to ask them directly. If you'd rather have support check on your behalf, get in touch before ordering and you'll have an answer within minutes.
Yes, under the Hague Apostille Convention. The legal status is identical. The only practical difference is whether the receiving party can accept and verify a digital file versus a physical certificate.
If the receiving authority rejects it because they don't accept digital Apostilles, you can switch to the FCDO Paper Apostille at a reduced price. Your document and identity are already on file, so most of the work is done. The original e-Apostille FCDO fee is not refundable.
No. The e-Apostille is designed to be verified digitally. Printing it out doesn't make it equivalent to a paper Apostille. If you need paper, order the FCDO Paper Apostille from the start.
The e-Apostille is issued directly by the FCDO with a unique verification ID. Anyone receiving it can verify its authenticity through the FCDO's online checker. The PDF itself is delivered to you by encrypted email.
4 simple steps
Upload your eligible digital document to begin. It is encrypted in transit and handled securely throughout.
Once your order is placed, you'll be guided through online identity verification with a biometric and ID check, with clear instructions at every step. The verification usually takes about 2 minutes.
After verification, your document is submitted to the FCDO Legalisation Office. All government fees are paid on your behalf.
Your Apostilled document arrives by email as a secure PDF, typically within 2–3 working days from order.
2–3 working days processing time
From the moment your order is placed, your e-Apostille PDF is typically delivered within 2–3 working days. Faster than the paper Apostille because there is no physical posting involved.
What is an e-Apostille?
An e-Apostille is a digitally issued Apostille from the FCDO, delivered as a secure PDF. It has the same legal status as a paper Apostille under the Hague Convention, but only works for eligible digital documents and only with receiving authorities that accept digital certification.
Is yours covered?
The e-Apostille only works for certain types of UK digital documents:
These documents need the FCDO Paper Apostille instead:
Some receiving authorities publish this on their website. Many don’t, and the only reliable way is to ask them directly. If you’d rather have support check on your behalf, contact NotaryPublic24 before ordering and you’ll have an answer within minutes.
Do you have other questions?
Our support team is available to help with any questions about the process.
What you need to know
As a secure PDF by email. There is no physical certificate and no paper version.
Not always. Some governments, embassies, and institutions still require a paper Apostille, especially for immigration, court, and certain regulated processes. Always confirm with the receiving authority before ordering. If they don’t accept digital, the FCDO Paper Apostille is the alternative.
The FCDO fee for e-Apostille, electronic notarization where needed, identity verification, and the NotaryPublic24 service. One all-in price, no extras.
After you place your order, you’ll be guided through online identity verification with a biometric and ID check, with clear instructions at every step. The whole process is encrypted and usually takes about 2 minutes.
Do you have other questions?
Our support team is available to help with any questions about the process.
Our delivery promise
If anything on NotaryPublic24’s end goes wrong with the e-Apostille process, your service fee is refunded in full. You also get help to put things right.
Covered: any failure on the platform’s side. If the e-Apostille submission isn’t handled correctly, or if your order isn’t processed as it should be, your service fee is refunded in full.
Not covered: the FCDO government fee. NotaryPublic24 pays this on your behalf at submission, and the FCDO doesn’t return it regardless of outcome.
Not covered either: changing your mind after ordering. If you ordered the e-Apostille and later decide you need paper (or your destination won’t accept digital after all), the original order was processed correctly so the FCDO fee can’t be refunded. You can switch to the FCDO Paper Apostille at a reduced price since your document and identity are already on file. Support will help you confirm whether the e-Apostille works for your destination before you order, so this situation is avoidable.
Support will be transparent about exactly what happened and why. The goal is always to make sure everything works out as smoothly as possible, and if something does go wrong, NotaryPublic24 does its best to help you find the right next step.
Do you have other questions?
Our support team is available to help with any questions about the process.