What is embassy attestation?
Embassy attestation is a process that countries outside the Hague Convention require. It involves getting your UK documents officially recognised by a foreign embassy in London.
This “stamp of approval” verifies the authenticity of your documents’ signatures and seals, confirming a legitimate authority issued them.
Before submitting your documents to the embassy, you’ll usually need to authenticate them by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (The FCDO) with an apostille certificate. This additional step ensures that your documents meet the specific requirements of the foreign country.
The embassy attestation process in London
Step 1: Notarisation or certification (if needed)
- Some documents may need a notary public or solicitor to witness your signature and certify the document’s authenticity.
- Check the requirements of the specific embassy.
Step 2: FCDO apostille
- The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) adds an “apostille” certificate to your document, making it acceptable to embassies.
- Processing time: This can be standard service (a few days) or premium if available.
Step 3: Embassy attestation
- You submit your notarised and apostilled document to the relevant embassy in London.
- Embassies have their own fees and processing times. Check their website for details.
Important note: Always double-check the specific requirements on the embassy website where you plan to use your documents.
Realistic timelines
The entire process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on these factors:
- Whether notarisation is required
- FCDO processing time (standard vs. premium)
- Embassy-specific turnaround time
- Additional steps like translation or Chamber of Commerce legalisation
Tip: Start the process well in advance of when you need the attested documents to avoid any last-minute delays.
Common UK documents we attest for embassies
Personal documents
- Certificates (birth, death etc)
- HMRC letters
- Police letters
- No impediment certificates
- Court documents
Business documents
- Incorporation certificate
- Company letters
- Minutes & resolutions
- Financial documents
- Non-disclosure agreement
Educational documents
- Degree, masters, diploma
- Professional qualifications
- Training certificates
- School letters
- GCSE, CSE, O Level
An attestation service that you can rely on.
Experience
Knowledge of rules and procedures ensures we avoid delays and rejected documents.
Professional
Preparing documents to meet both embassy and governmental office requirements.
Trust Worthy
We guarantee that your documents are attested or we refund our fee.
Why use our London embassy attestation service?
We are experienced, we will save you time and money and we guarantee our service or your money back.
1000+
Attestations completed
8 min
From the FCDO building
Daily visits
Milton Keynes office
1000+
Happy customers
Transparent pricing for every attestation route
We show you exactly what you’re paying for – no hidden charges or surprise fees at checkout.
What makes up the total cost:
What’s included in our price:
Email us your document details and destination country for an exact quote. We respond within a few hours on business days.
Choose how your attested documents return to you
We handle your documents like the irreplaceable records they are.
UK delivery options:
International returns:
For physical collection, you can pick up your documents at our central London office between 8 AM and 5 PM, Monday to Friday.
Need to collect outside these hours? Contact us to arrange.
We catch embassy errors before they happen
Embassy rejection wastes your money and time, sometimes £200+ in fees and several weeks in delays. Our systematic checking prevents this.
Common mistakes we see:
Embassies change their rules without much notice. We track these changes and update our procedures so your documents meet current requirements.
