What does an apostille verify?

An apostille is issued in the UK by the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) Legalisation Office. It verifies the authenticity of a UK public official’s signature, seal, or stamp on a document, but it does not verify the document’s content.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

The apostille confirms that the person who signed, sealed, or stamped the document (or a certified copy) held a recognised official position in the UK when they did so.

UK public officials could be:

• A UK FCDO-registered Solicitor
• A UK FCDO-registered Notary Public
• A Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (or equivalent official at the General Register Office)
• A Court Official (with an official court seal)
• An official of Companies House (on official extracts)
• A designated official at ACRO or DBS (for police certificates)
• Other recognised UK government officials.

The apostille does not confirm that the information contained within the document is accurate or true. For example, an apostille on a birth certificate confirms that the registrar who issued the certificate was a legitimate registrar; it does not verify the details of the birth itself (e.g., the date, place, or parents’ names).

Similarly, an apostille on a certified copy of a degree confirms the solicitor/notary’s credentials, not the validity of the degree itself (the solicitor/notary will have verified that separately).

In short, the apostille verifies the authenticity of the UK official’s signature/seal/stamp, making the document acceptable for use in other Hague Convention countries. It does not verify the document’s content.