Whether you need to submit the original document for an apostille depends on the document type. Certain documents must be submitted as originals for the FCDO to legalise them.
Other documents can be apostilled as solicitor-certified copies, but the ones listed below must be originals.
Documents that must be originals for legalisation:
- ACRO police certificates:
- DBS certificates (Disclosure and Barring Service).
- Background checks by other UK police forces.
- Fingerprint forms
- ACCA certificate
- Certificates of No Impediment (CNI)
- Medical reports or letters (signed by FCDO-registered doctors)
- UK court documents (if not solicitor-certified)
Vital record documents – birth, death, marriage, and civil partnership certificates.
- The original certificate: Issued by the relevant registry office (e.g., General Register Office in England/Wales, National Records of Scotland, etc.).
- Or, official certified copy/extract: Issued directly by the same registry office. This is not a photocopy certified by a solicitor; it’s an official duplicate issued by the authority that holds the original record.
Important:
A photocopy of the documents listed above – even if certified by a solicitor or notary- will not be accepted for an apostille.
You must submit the original document for an apostille if it is a vital record (birth, death, marriage, or civil partnership) or an official certificate (ACRO, DBS, fingerprint forms, or court documents). Certified photocopies, even by a solicitor or notary, are not accepted for these documents.
