e-Apostille from the UK – How to get one and what you need to know

The UK government has been keen on implementing e-apostilles to simplify document legalisation. The first UK e-apostille was issued on 15 December 2021. From September 2022, this option has opened for more applicants.

This guide outlines everything you need to know about UK e-legalisation services.

An e-apostille is a digital certificate attached to your electronic document, unlike the standard paper certificates that are physically attached to paper documents.

The digital certificate contains a secure electronic signature from the FCDO, a date and a reference number that can be verified at the official online apostille registry [1].

E-apostilles work the same way as physical paper certificates do. They are digitally added to your document and have the same authority as printed paper apostilles.

The e-apostille process is the same as standard apostille authentication.

The FCDO checks the digital signature on your document and issues the e-apostille.

You can use your e-apostilled documents without having to print them. You can download your apostilled document as often as you want and share it digitally through email, memory stick and other methods.

Businesses, as well as individuals, can use e-apostilles. Additionally, if you live overseas, you can use electronic apostilles in countries accepting e-apostilles.

This assumes that documents qualify for an e-apostille and the requesting authority takes e-apostilles.

To get an e-apostille or not will entirely depend on your personal circumstances. For example, if you can’t physically post your documents to the FCDO then you might want to consider an e-apostille if your documents qualify.

You also need to make sure that the e-apostille is accepted by the requesting authority.

The benefits of an e-apostille are that you do not need to post your documents and that the entire process can be completed online. Other benefits of making use of e-apostilles is that you can complete the process yourself without the help of an apostille agency, assuming you know what you are doing.

The FCDO is the only “competent authority” for e-legalisation in the UK.

FCDO registered apostille agents can also assist with getting an e-apostille – making sure that your documents are properly prepared before you apply. We get requests daily to help with the apostille process.

Plus, as registered agents, we can also expedite the apostille process.

Each electronically issued apostille costs £30. You can have a single e-apostille for a group of documents or have a separate digital certificate for each document. The specific requirements are dependent on the authority asking for them.

E-apostilles can take up to 20 working days. However, the issuance may take longer if your documents do not have the correct digital signature, misses essential information, or if the document is altered in any way.

Although e-apostilles are issued electronically and do not need to be posted, it does not guarantee that you can get an e-apostille faster than the standard apostilles. Quite the opposite is true.

Just like the standard paper apostille, the authentication process is the same.

However, apostille agents can expedite paper apostilles, like 24 hours or same-day service.

The following documents are eligible for an e-apostille in the UK:

Although these documents are eligible for the e-apostille, some countries do not recognise e-legalisation. For example, countries not part of the Hague apostille convention do not recognise the electronically issued apostille.

You must confirm that the authority to whom you will present your documents accepts e-apostilles.

If your documents were issued outside the UK, they must be legalised in the country of issuance.

You cannot get an electronic apostille for the following documents:

You will receive the e-apostille as a PDF attachment to the electronic documents it relates to. The PDF and the electronic apostille contain digital signatures from the legalisation officer to maintain integrity and confirm authenticity.

Additionally, the initial e-signature from the notary or solicitor will be preserved. Once the e-certificate is added, you can save your digital files to an online folder and eliminate the hassle of scanning your documents whenever you need to present them to authorities.

You do not need to print a hard copy of your e-apostille if the requesting authority accepts e-legalisation. If the requesting authority requested a hard copy of your documents, you must reapply for a paper-issued apostille certificate.

E-apostilles are not a better option than the tried and tested paper equivalent. The only advantage electronically issued apostilles have is that they eliminate the need to physically post your documents hard copies to the FCDO or apostille agents.

Countries that have confirmed that they accept e-legalised documents are Italy, Panama, the Netherlands, and the Philippines.

Although, all Hague member countries should accept the e-apostille. We recommend you always check if an e-apostille is an acceptable form of legalisation for your document.

Yes, e-apostilles are safe from fraud as the Legalisation Office digitally signs both the e-certificate and the related documents to maintain integrity.

Additionally, each digital apostille will have a reference number that can be verified in an online registry.

Final thought

Electronically issued apostilles are a great idea and, if executed properly, will eventually benefit everyone that needs documents legalised.

However, at the moment, all an e-apostille does is save the time that mailing ‘some’ documents takes. Remember that not all documents qualify for the UK e-apostille.

For the e-app to make a real difference, more countries must step up and take part and officially recognise the electronically issued apostille.

Electronic legalisation might be the future – but unfortunately, it is not quite ready for the UK or international use for all documents.

There are proposals that blockchain-secured technologies should manage e-legalisation. It has to be seen if the UK government will consider adopting this technology in the future.