What if my document is rejected by the FCDO?

While the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) rarely rejects documents, it’s understandable to be concerned if this happens.

Rest assured that if your document is rejected, we will guide you through resolving the issue and not charge additional fees for resubmission.

We’re committed to getting your document apostilled and have a lot of experience handling these situations.

The most common reason for rejection is a problem with the signature or seal on the document.

The FCDO maintains a database of registered signatures and seals from UK public officials.

If the signature or seal on your document is not in their database or if there is any doubt about its authenticity, they will need to verify it. In most cases, rejections are not a case of ‘if’ we can get it done but rather ‘when’.

If your document is rejected, here’s how we’ll help:

Notification and explanation: We’ll immediately notify you of the rejection and explain the reason provided by the FCDO.

Solution: We’ll advise you on the best action to resolve the issue. This may involve one of the following:

• Signature registration: If the signature is not registered, we can guide you through adding the public official’s signature to the FCDO database. Please note that we cannot do this on your behalf. This action will need to be done independently.

• Signature verification: If the signature is on the database, it must be independently verified by the issuing authority (e.g., HMRC, ACRO, GP Practice, Court, DEFRA, Companies House). This usually takes 2-5 working days but depends on how quickly the authority responds.

• Replacement document: In some cases, obtaining a new or replacement document may be necessary. For example, for birth, marriage, or death certificates older than 6 months or those issued by a church, a new certified copy from the General Register Office (GRO) might be required.

• Solicitor or notary certification: In rare cases, having your document certified by a solicitor or notary public might be an option. However, this is not always accepted by the FCDO or the requesting authority, so we will always advise you to check if this is a viable solution before proceeding.

• If a GRO certificate issued within the last 6 months is rejected, the FCDO will email the relevant Register Office to verify the Registrar’s signature.

• The signature verification process will not take place for certificates older than 6 months or those issued by a church. You may need to obtain a new certified copy from the GRO or ask the original Register Office or Church to register the signature directly with the FCDO.

Our commitment:

• No additional resubmission fees: After the issue is resolved, we will not charge you any extra fees to resubmit your document to the FCDO.

• Expert guidance: We will provide expert advice and support throughout the process.

• Persistence: We will work diligently to get your document apostilled, even if it requires extra steps.

We understand that document rejections can be frustrating, but we want to assure you that we are here to help.

We have a high success rate in resolving these issues and are confident we can find a solution for you. We will not give up until we have found a solution for you.