In the UK, a document’s eligibility for an e-apostille is very specific and limited. It’s primarily determined by how it was signed, not just by its type.
The primary rule:
To be eligible for a UK e-Apostille, a document must be:
- A PDF file.
- Electronically signed by a UK-registered solicitor or notary public using a qualified electronic signature that meets the FCDO’s requirements. This is not a scanned signature; it’s a secure digital signature.
Examples (illustrative, not exhaustive):
Eligible (if electronically signed by a solicitor/notary):
- Powers of Attorney
- Affidavits and Declarations
- Company Documents (if prepared and electronically signed appropriately)
- Contracts
- Educational Documents (degrees, transcripts – after solicitor/notary certification and electronic signature)
- Translations (after being certified and electronically signed by a solicitor/notary).
- Copies of Passports, Driving Licences (after being certified and e-signed)
- Deed Poll
- Divorce papers
- Bank and financial statements
- Proof of address documents (bills, council tax letter, etc.)
- P60 & P45, PAYE
Categorically ineligible documents (these always require a paper apostille):
The FCDO explicitly states that the following documents are not eligible for e-Apostilles, regardless of how they are signed or certified:
- Birth, death, marriage, civil partnership, adoption certificates (and any other document from the General Register Office – GRO).
- ACRO police certificates for England and Wales.
- Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificates for England and Wales.
- Disclosure certificates for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- Fingerprint certificates.
- Membership certificates for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
In summary, a UK document is only eligible for an e-apostille if it’s a PDF electronically signed by a UK solicitor or notary public (using a qualified electronic signature). Certain common document types are never eligible and always require a paper apostille.
