Get your UK document Apostilled by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), with no office visits and no government paperwork on your end. Once you place your order, your document is notarized where required, submitted to the FCDO, and returned to you Apostilled by tracked post. All FCDO fees are included in the price, and the Apostilled document is delivered in 2–3 weeks from order placed.
An Apostille is an official certificate that authenticates a UK document for use in another country, issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). It confirms to a foreign authority that the document’s signature and seal are genuine.
Once Apostilled, your document is recognized in any country that is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, which covers over 125 countries including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, and Japan.
Apostilling a UK document the traditional way means understanding which documents need notarization first, posting the right things to the right addresses, paying the FCDO directly, and tracking a process that takes weeks. Mistakes are costly: the FCDO doesn’t refund its fee if a document is rejected.
NotaryPublic24 handles the whole process end to end: notarization where needed, FCDO submission, tracked return delivery, and all FCDO fees in one transparent price.
The appointed Notary Public is qualified and UK-licensed. The system flags anything that needs special attention before submission, so problems are caught early rather than after the FCDO returns a rejection.
Support is always available online. NotaryPublic24 cares about you and your documents, and works hard to get it right the first time.
If your document is eligible for digital certification and your destination accepts e-Apostilles, the FCDO e-Apostille is a faster route. Delivered as a secure PDF in 2–3 working days, with no physical posting involved.
Eligibility is limited (digitally issued academic documents, Companies House documents, electronically notarized documents, and a few more). If you’re not sure whether your document qualifies, contact support before ordering.
See FCDO e-ApostilleFrom order placed to Apostilled document in your hands, typically 2–3 weeks. Most of that is FCDO processing time plus tracked return post, which is outside what can be shortened.
You're told why and what to do next. If the rejection is on NotaryPublic24's end, the issue is fixed. If the underlying document doesn't meet FCDO criteria (something that should have been caught at order), the service fee is refunded. The FCDO's government fee is non-refundable in all cases. That's their policy, not the platform's.
Yes. Tracked post is used both ways, with tracking links shared at each stage. Originals are insured in transit.
It depends on the document. Public documents issued by UK authorities (GRO birth certificates, court documents, ACRO certificates) can be Apostilled directly. Private documents (powers of attorney, declarations, corporate documents) need to be notarized first. Both routes are handled by NotaryPublic24, and the price covers both.
The Apostille alone won't be accepted. Non-Hague destinations require consular legalization, which is a different and longer process that NotaryPublic24 doesn't currently handle. Contact support if your destination isn't a Hague member and you'll get pointed in the right direction.
No. FCDO fees, notarization where needed, secure tracked postage in both directions, and the NotaryPublic24 service are all included. One price, no surprises.
5 simple steps
Upload a scan of your 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 your verification is complete, NotaryPublic24 reviews your case, appoints your Notary Public, and shares a secure address for you to post your original document. The FCDO requires the physical document for paper Apostilles, so tracked post is used in both directions, with insurance throughout.
Your appointed Notary Public notarizes the document where required. NotaryPublic24 then submits it to the FCDO Legalisation Office, paying all government fees on your behalf.
Your Apostilled document is posted back to you by tracked delivery, typically within 2–3 weeks from order.
2–3 weeks processing time
From the moment your order is placed, your Apostilled document is typically returned within 2–3 weeks. Most of that time is FCDO processing plus tracked return delivery.
What is an Apostille?
An Apostille is an official certificate issued by the FCDO that authenticates your document for use abroad. It confirms to a foreign authority that the document’s signature and seal are genuine, and is accepted in over 125 countries that recognize the Hague Apostille Convention.
Is yours covered?
NotaryPublic24 can Apostille a wide range of UK-issued documents.
Personal documents
Educational documents
Government documents
Business and legal documents
Business and legal documents typically need notarization first, which is handled as part of the order.
A few document types fall outside what can be handled:
If you’re not sure whether your document qualifies, contact support before ordering. You’ll usually 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
After your verification is complete, NotaryPublic24 reviews your case, appoints your Notary Public, and shares a secure address for you to post your original document. The FCDO requires the physical document for paper Apostilles, so tracked post is used in both directions, with insurance throughout. You’ll get tracking links at each stage.
The Apostille is a physical certificate, physically attached to your original document. The two travel together once the FCDO has issued it.
The Apostille is accepted in countries that recognize the Hague Apostille Convention. That covers over 125 countries including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, and Japan.
If your destination isn’t a Hague member, the Apostille alone won’t be enough. Consular legalization is the route in those cases, which NotaryPublic24 doesn’t currently handle. Contact support before ordering if you’re unsure.
Always confirm the receiving authority’s exact requirements. Some need additional steps like embassy attestation or certified translation. If you’re not sure, contact support and you’ll usually have an answer within minutes, before you order.
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 Apostille process, whether that’s a mistake by your appointed Notary Public or an issue with how your order was handled, your service fee is refunded in full. You also get help to put things right.
Covered: any failure on the platform’s side or the appointed Notary Public’s side. If the 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. The same applies if the underlying document doesn’t meet FCDO criteria for reasons that couldn’t have been caught beforehand.
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.