In the UK, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office is the sole competent authority to issue e-Apostilles. Like paper apostilles, the FCDO is the only body authorised to issue e-Apostilles.

However, it’s crucial to understand the process and the role of other parties:

  • The FCDO Legalisation Office: They create the PDF of the e-Apostille for the eligible document and verify the electronic signature on the PDF document.
  • UK solicitors and notaries public: While they don’t issue the e-Apostille itself, UK solicitors and notaries public play a critical role in the process. For most documents to be eligible for a UK e-Apostille, they must be:
    1. In PDF format.
    2. Electronically signed by a UK FCDO-registered solicitor or notary public using a qualified electronic signature that meets the FCDO’s requirements. This is not just a scanned signature image; it’s a cryptographically secure digital signature.

Not all solicitors/notaries offer electronic signing services that meet FCDO requirements.

It is essential to use a solicitor or notary familiar with the e-apostille process and have the necessary technology.

In summary, only the FCDO Legalisation Office can issue an e-apostille in the UK. However, for most documents, the process requires the prior electronic signature of a UK FCDO-registered solicitor or notary public on a PDF version. The solicitor/notary does not issue the apostille; they make the document eligible for one.