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What documents can we legalise?

Our document legalisation covers a broad spectrum of documents. This is just a small selection of the documents we regularly process for our clients.

Educational documents

Academic documents
ACCA certificates
Bachelor’s degree
Certificate of attendance
Degree certificates
Advanced diplomas
Foundation degrees
GCSEs, A Level, Edexcel
Letter of enrolment
School document
TEFL – TESOL certificate
University transcripts
Vocational qualifications

Personal documents

Adoption certificates
Bank statements
Birth certificate
Certificate of no impediment
Civil partnership
Council tax letter
Death certificate
Deed poll
Financial statements
Last will & testament
Medical certificates
Marriage certificate
Power of attorney

Business documents

Articles of association
ACRO police certificate
Bankruptcy documents
Board resolutions
Certificate of free sale
Certificate of good standing
Certificate of incumbency
Certificate of origin
Certificate of residence
Company resolutions
Confirmation statements
HM Revenue & Customs

List of documents the UK FCDO can legalise:

Documents the FCDO legalises

 

Comprehensive document legalisation services

  • Notary services: Notarisation of documents for added authenticity.
  • Apostille: Secure official certification for documents used in countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention.
  • Consular legalisation: Full legalisation process for countries not in the Hague Convention.
  • Translation: Certified translations of documents into the required language.
FAQs:

Whether you need an apostille, legalisation, or both depends entirely on the country where you’ll use the document.

  • Apostille: Only countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention require an apostille. A list of member countries can be found here.
  • Legalisation (Attestation): For countries outside the Hague Apostille Convention, you’ll need to get your document legalised (also called ‘attested’). This typically involves these steps:
  1. Certification by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
  2. Attestation by the destination country’s embassy or consulate in London 
  • Both: In some rare cases, you might need an apostille and further legalisation.

Important: Always double-check the specific requirements with the official authorities or the organisation requesting the document in the destination country.

Need help determining what you need? Contact us for guidance!

Understanding the process:

Legalising a document makes it officially recognised for use in another country. The process generally has three steps:

Step 1: Notarisation or solicitor certification

  • Option 1: FCDO-registered notary public: Find an FCDO-registered notary public. They will verify the authenticity of your document and their own identity. The notary will attach their official seal or stamp to your document.
  • Option 2: FCDO-registered solicitor: An FCDO-registered solicitor can certify your document. They will verify it as an original or a copy of an original and provide their official signature and stamp.

Step 2: FCDO apostille (Hague apostille) 

  • Submit your certified or notarised document to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)’s Legalisation Office.
  • The FCDO verifies the notary/solicitor’s signature, seal, or stamp.
  • They’ll attach an official certificate called an ‘apostille certificate’

Step 3: Legalisation/attestation (if needed)

  • You’ll need further authentication if the destination country is NOT part of the Hague Convention.
  • Contact the embassy or consulate of the destination country in the UK. They will provide specific instructions on how to authenticate your document for their country.

Important notes:

  • Fees apply for each step of the process.
  • Processing times can vary, so start the legalisation process well before you need the document.
  • Always verify the exact requirements with the authorities or organisations in the destination country.

Unfortunately, there’s no single answer to this question. The cost of legalising a UK document depends on several factors, including:

  • Steps Required:
    • Notarisation or solicitor certification: Fees vary between notaries and solicitors.
    • FCDO Legalisation: The FCDO charges a fee per document.
    • Embassy/consulate authentication: Fees are set by the destination country’s embassy or consulate.
    • Additional authentication steps: Some countries may have further requirements, incurring additional costs.
  • Document type: Some documents may have specific fees set by the FCDO or other authorities involved.
  • Postage: Costs of securely sending and receiving your documents.

To get an accurate estimate:

  • Determine the destination country: This dictates whether an apostille or additional embassy/consulate steps are needed.
  • Contact your chosen notary or solicitor: Get their specific fee for certification.
  • Contact the FCDO: They can confirm the cost of an apostille for your document type.
  • Inquire with the destination country’s embassy or consulate: Ask about any authentication fees they charge.

We’re here to help! Contact us for a personalised quote and guidance on the legalisation process.

The application process for legalising UK documents depends on whether the destination country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.

If the destination country IS part of the Hague Convention:

  1. Notarisation/solicitor certification: Get your document notarised by an FCDO-registered notary public or certified by an FCDO-registered solicitor.
  2. Apply to the FCDO: Submit your notarised/certified document to the FCDO Legalisation Office. You can apply online, by post. Instructions and the application form are on the FCDO website.

If the destination country IS NOT part of the Hague Convention:

  1. Notarisation/solicitor certification: Same as above.
  2. Apply to the FCDO: Same as above.
  3. Embassy/consulate authentication: Contact the embassy or consulate of the destination country in the UK. Follow their instructions for authentication, which will likely involve submitting your FCDO-legalised document and paying a fee.

Important Notes:

  • Start early! The process can take time.
  • Double-check requirements with the destination country’s authorities.
  • Use secure postage when sending your original documents.

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Delivering legalisation expertise that you can trust.

Expertise

Knowledge of rules and procedures ensures we avoid delays and rejected documents.

Professionalism

Preparing documents to meet both consulate and governmental office requirements.

Trustworthiness

We guarantee that your documents are legalised or we refund our fee.

Delivering legalisation expertise that you can trust

Why order document legalisation from us?

As a dedicated legalisation agency, we can guarantee that you get the seal of approval on your documents –  or get your money back.

10,000+

Documents legalised

850+

Premium services issued

100+

Translations issued

500+

Notarisations issued

UK apostille for business documents

Business customers

For corporate enquiries call 0207 0500 692 or email hello@apostillelondon.com

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