Get your UK document legalised with an FCDO Apostille, fully online. Choose the e-Apostille in 2–3 working days or the paper Apostille by tracked post. Notarization and FCDO fees are included.
A UK Apostille is a certificate issued by the Legalisation Office of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). It confirms that the signature, seal or stamp on a UK document is genuine, so the document is accepted in the other countries that have joined the Hague Apostille Convention.
The FCDO only legalises documents issued in the UK. A document issued in another country has to be Apostilled in that country, which is what our International Apostille is for.
There are two formats. The paper Apostille is attached to the physical document, and the e-Apostille is a secure PDF that the receiving party can verify online.
Public documents go straight to the FCDO. That includes GRO birth, marriage, death and civil partnership certificates, court documents sealed in wet ink, Companies House certificates, ACRO police certificates, DBS certificates and letters signed by an official at a government department such as HMRC.
Private documents need a UK notary or solicitor first. That covers powers of attorney, contracts, degree certificates, and copies of a passport or driving licence. The notary certifies the document and the FCDO then legalises the notary’s signature. With NotaryPublic24 that notarization is part of the order.
Not sure which group your document belongs to? Ask support before ordering and you will have an answer within minutes.
Getting a UK Apostille should be easy. Upload your document, and we handle the notarization where needed, the FCDO application and the delivery.
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The UK e-Apostille is the fastest and cheapest route. It suits documents that exist as a PDF, such as a degree certificate, a company document or a power of attorney, and it is delivered in 2–3 working days.
Some documents cannot get an e-Apostille. The FCDO excludes GRO certificates (birth, marriage, death, civil partnership and adoption), ACRO and DBS certificates, Scottish and Northern Irish disclosure certificates and fingerprint certificates. These need the UK Paper Apostille.
The receiving authority decides. Many embassies and registries still ask for a paper certificate, so confirm with them before you choose the digital option.
The FCDO charges £35 for an e-Apostille and £45 for a standard paper Apostille, plus courier or postage for paper documents. Fees are per document and are not refunded if a document cannot be legalised.
NotaryPublic24’s UK e-Apostille costs €189 and is delivered in 2–3 working days. The UK Paper Apostille costs €229 and arrives by tracked post in 4–5 weeks from order. Both prices include the FCDO fee and the notarization where one is needed.
You can also apply directly to the FCDO. You then arrange the notary or solicitor, the application, the payment and the postage yourself.
An Apostille is a certificate that makes your document valid in other countries. It's like a stamp of approval that confirms your document is real and can be used in countries that are part of the Apostille Convention. This agreement between countries makes it easier to use important documents like birth certificates and marriage licenses abroad without needing any other certifications. The Apostille verifies the signatures and seals on your document, ensuring it's accepted as genuine.
Notarization is the official process of having a document legally verified by a notary public. A notary public is an authorized official who verifies the identities of the people signing a document and confirms that the signatures are authentic. This process makes the document legally recognized and trustworthy, helping to prevent fraud and ensuring its validity for important matters like buying a house, signing a contract, or creating a will.
A Notary Public is an authorized official who has the right to issue certain certificates. An example is the Apostille stamp. A Notary Public is authorized by the state and applies their official seal and signature to certify the documents.
You need one when an authority in another Hague Convention country asks for a legalised UK document. Typical cases are a residency or citizenship application, a job or university place abroad, a marriage abroad, or a company setting up overseas. If the receiving country is not a Hague member, it needs embassy legalisation instead, which we do not currently offer.
Check whether your document is public or private. Public documents such as a GRO certificate go straight to the FCDO. Private documents such as a power of attorney or a degree certificate are certified by a UK notary or solicitor first. Then the document is submitted to the FCDO Legalisation Office, which attaches the Apostille. With NotaryPublic24 you upload the document and verify your identity, and the rest is handled for you.
Only the FCDO Legalisation Office issues UK Apostilles. A notary or solicitor cannot issue one. Their role is to certify the document so that the FCDO can legalise their signature. Services like NotaryPublic24 arrange both steps in one order.
Yes. The e-Apostille is fully digital: you upload a PDF, it is electronically notarized where needed, and the FCDO returns a verifiable PDF. The paper Apostille also starts online, but the physical document has to be posted to the FCDO and comes back by post.
Yes, after certification. These documents are not issued by a government department, so the FCDO cannot legalise them directly. A UK notary or solicitor certifies the document first, and the FCDO then Apostilles that certification. This is the same route as for degree certificates and company documents.
An Apostille does not expire. Some receiving authorities set their own age limit on the underlying document, for example a recently issued police certificate, so check their requirements.
No, you do not have to be physically present to get an Apostille online. However, you need to verify your identity with a government issued ID.
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