How long does it take to get an apostille?

The total time depends on the apostille service, return method, and any additional services needed. Here's a breakdown: Apostille options: Next-day (in-person): Documents must arrive before 10:00 a.m. They are collected around 3:30 p.m. the next business day. Next-day (in-person): If the document requires certification, it must arrive before 9:00 a.m. Collection is around 3:30 p.m. the next business day. 3-4 business days (in-person): documents received by 10:30 am take 3 business days, after 10:30 am take 4 business days. E-apostille: usually 24 hours but can take up to 2 business days. The completed e-apostille is delivered as a pdf via email.

Apostille Processing Time: How Long Does It Take in the UK?

The total time depends on the apostille service, return method, and any additional services needed. Here’s a breakdown:

Apostille options:

Next-day (in-person): Documents must arrive before 10:00 a.m. They are collected around 3:30 p.m. the next business day.
Next-day (in-person): If the document requires certification, it must arrive before 9:00 a.m. Collection is around 3:30 p.m. the next business day.
3-4 business days (in-person): documents received by 10:30 am take 3 business days, after 10:30 am take 4 business days.
E-apostille: usually 24 hours but can take up to 2 business days. The completed e-apostille is delivered as a pdf via email.

Return options (for physical apostilles):

Collection: no extra time.
Shipping: Shipping adds 1 day for UK special delivery, 2-5 days for international, and the same day for London bike courier.

Additional services:

Translations: add 24 hours (digital) or 3-5 days (shipped).
Embassy legalisation: add 2 days to 3 weeks, depending on the embassy.

Examples:

Example 1: next-day apostille with in-person collection
- Next-day apostille: documents must arrive before 10:00 am on day one and be collected around 3:30 pm the next business day
- Total: 1 business day

Example 2: 3-day apostille with sworn Spanish translation (digital) and DHL to Europe
- 3-day apostille: 3 business days (documents in before 10:30 am)
- Sworn Spanish translation: + 1 business day
- DHL (Europe): + 2 business days
- Total: 6 business days

Example 3: 1-day apostille with UAE embassy legalisation
- 1-day apostille: 1 business day (documents in before 10:30 am)
- UAE embassy attestation: + 6-8 business days
- Total: 10 business days

Example 4: e-apostille
- E-apostille: 5 hours to 2 business days. You will receive an email with a PDF of the e-apostille.
- Total: 1-2 business days

Note: These are estimates. The FCDO’s workload and specific embassy procedures can affect the final timeframe. We will give you a more precise estimate when you place your order. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.