Complete UK Document Legalisation | London Apostille Services

Been told you need a document legalised, apostilled, attested or notarised?

The words are confusing — the solution isn’t. Most people come to us around a life event abroad: a new job, a wedding, or the expansion of a business. Find yours below, and we’ll handle every step.

Starting a job overseas

Employers and immigration offices usually want your qualifications and a clean criminal record, attested to for their country.

→ Degree certificate · ACRO police certificate · DBS certificate

Doing business or setting up abroad

Opening an entity, signing contracts or appointing a representative overseas means your company papers must be legalised — and many countries add a Chamber of Commerce or embassy step.

→ Certificate of Incorporation · Certificate of Good Standing · Power of Attorney

Getting married abroad

To marry overseas, you’ll typically need proof you’re free to marry and your birth record — then your marriage certificate legalised afterwards.

→ Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) · Birth certificate · Marriage certificate

Not sure which applies, or don’t see your document? We legalise every genuine UK document — tell us the destination country, and we’ll confirm the exact route for free.

Two routes to legalise a UK document — and we’ll tell you which is yours

Which route you need depends entirely on the destination country. Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention accept an FCDO apostille on its own.

Countries outside it need that apostille plus attestation by their embassy in London. Tell us where the documents are going, and we’ll confirm the exact route in minutes.

Route A — Apostille only (Hague countries)

The FCDO attaches an apostille verifying the UK signature or seal, and most Hague Apostille Convention member countries accept it as is. This covers most of Europe, the US, India and many more. Paper or e-apostille, depending on what your recipient accepts.
Route B — Apostille + embassy attestation (non-Hague countries)

For destinations outside the Convention — the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Vietnam and others — we first obtain the FCDO apostille, then present the document to the country’s embassy or consulate in London for final attestation.

Some documents need an extra step too: education documents may require a Cultural Bureau, and commercial documents a Chamber of Commerce. We manage every stage, so you don’t have to track who needs what.

Not sure which applies? Tell us your destination country, and we’ll confirm the route and price, free.

Tell us where it’s going — we’ll do the rest

Send a photo or scan of your document and your destination country. We’ll confirm the exact route, the price, and the turnaround — free, with no obligation.

Check my documents – its freeCheck my documents – its free

Order online — 24/7Order online — 24/7

How it works — we handle every step

Once we’ve confirmed your route, you send us your document, and we do the rest — certification, the FCDO apostille, any embassy attestation, and secure return. You don’t chase government offices or embassies; we do.

Most people never set foot in our office.

The five steps

1: Free check & intake

Send a photo or scan and your destination country. We confirm the exact route, price and turnaround before you commit — then you order online or post your document to us.

2: We prepare your document

If your document needs it, we arrange solicitor certification or notarisation first — for copies, private documents, or where the signatory isn’t on the FCDO’s register.

3: FCDO Apostille

We obtain the apostille from the FCDO Legalisation Office — either a paper or an e-apostille, depending on your document and destination.

4: Embassy legalisation (if required)

For non-Hague countries, we present your document to the relevant embassy or consulate in London for final attestation, managing any Chamber of Commerce or Cultural Bureau steps along the way.

5: Return & proof

We email you a scan for your records and return the original by tracked, insured DHL courier — anywhere in the world — or you collect it from our London office.

Wherever you are: you never need to visit us. Post or courier your document, or order online 24/7 — and we return it worldwide, fully tracked. London-based, working for clients across the globe.

Get it right first time — and avoid a rejection.

Most rejections come down to a handful of avoidable issues. Here’s how to make sure your document is accepted — and what gets documents turned away. Not sure? Our free check catches these before anything is submitted.

Make sure documents are accepted

Make sure it’s clean, legible and undamaged
Sign any document that requires a signature before sending
Check that your photo ID (e.g. passport) is valid and up to date
Send the correct version — the original, or a properly certified copy (we’ll tell you which your case needs)
Check that it’s dated where a date is required
Don’t laminate documents — laminated items can’t be legalised
Include any supporting attachments the document refers to
Remove staples and avoid hole-punching the pages

Reasons why documents get rejected

Missing signatures on documents
Missing date or other important information is missing
Public documents without the correct certification
Documents not issued in the UK, which may not qualify for a UK apostille
The registrar, solicitor or signatory isn’t on the FCDO’s register
Laminated documents, which the FCDO will not legalise
Missing numbered pages or missing attachments
A notary public hasn’t sealed the document

Need help? Do you have questions?

Contact us. We’ll get back to you as soon as humanly possible. Usually within one working hour. Alternatively, you can call us on +44 (0) 207 0500 692.

Every UK document, for every destination

We legalise all genuine UK documents — personal, academic, business and government — for use in any country worldwide. Browse the most common documents below, or jump straight to your destination.

By document:

Academic documents
Bachelor’s degree
Degree certificates
Advanced diplomas
GCSEs, A Levels, Edexcel
TEFL – TESOL certificate
University transcripts

Birth certificate
Civil partnership
Death certificate
Deed poll
Last will & testament
Marriage certificate
Power of attorney

Bankruptcy documents
Board resolutions
Certificate of free sale
Certificate of good standing
Certificate of incumbency
Certificate of residence

See every document we can legalise →

By destination:

Algeria
Angola
Cuba
Egypt
Ethiopia

Iraq
Kuwait
Lebanon
Malaysia
Nigeria

Qatar
Taiwan
Thailand
UAE
Vietnam

Embassy attestation (all countries):
251 country guides ->

Don’t see your document, or not sure of the route? Send us a scan and your destination country — we’ll confirm it free, usually within an hour.

Built by us, free for you — tools that take the guesswork out

Legalisation goes wrong when people guess — wrong route, wrong certification, a signatory the FCDO doesn’t recognise. So we built the tools to remove the guesswork. They’re free, and they’re the reason our clients rarely see a rejection.

Legalisation route finder

Tell it your document and destination country, and it tells you the exact route — either an apostille only or an apostille plus embassy attestation. The fastest way to know what your case actually needs.

Use the Route Finder ->

251 country legalisation guides

A dedicated guide for every destination we serve — the steps, the order, and the quirks for 251 countries and territories. If you’re sending documents to a specific location, start here.

Browse country guides

Document certification checker

Not sure if your document needs solicitor certification or notarisation before the FCDO will touch it? This checks before you pay a penny— and before a rejection costs you days.

Check your document

These aren’t generic widgets — we built each one from thousands of real cases. They’re free to use, with no account and no obligation, because getting it right the first time is the whole point.

Behind the scenes, every solicitor and notary we use is checked against our own register of FCDO-recognised signatories before we submit — so your document is never refused over a signature the FCDO doesn’t accept. (One of the most common reasons documents get rejected.)

Clear pricing — from £87, with no surprises

A standard UK apostille starts from £87, with next-day and digital options available. Embassy legalisation is priced per country and document because every consulate charges differently — so we give you one clear, all-inclusive quote before any work begins. No hidden fees, no surprises.

Standard apostille — from £87 (3–4 days)
Express apostille — from £97 (next day)
e-Apostille (digital) — from £97
Embassy legalisation — quoted per case (free check)

See full pricing and turnaround times →See full pricing and turnaround times →

Whatever your document and destination, you’ll always know the total cost upfront — confirmed in writing before we start.

Why people trust us with their documents

Legalisation is high-stakes — a rejection means lost time, lost fees, and a missed deadline abroad. People choose us because we get it right the first time and handle the whole thing so they don’t have to.

The whole process, managed end to end

Solicitor certification, the FCDO apostille, embassy attestation, translation — one team, one point of contact, from your document to its destination. You never coordinate between offices.

15+ years spotting problems before they cost you

Wrong certification, an unregistered signatory, a laminated document — we catch the issues that get documents rejected before they’re ever submitted. That’s experience you can’t shortcut.

Embassy legalisation is our speciality

The hard, multi-step routes — UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Kuwait, and beyond — are what we do most often. We know each consulate’s quirks, so non-Hague cases that catch others out are routine for us.

Real people and a guarantee behind it, too, for you

Registered with the FCDO Legalisation Office, with genuine human support — no call centres. And if a document is rejected due to our handling, we put it right or refund. Simple.

Wherever your documents are going, you’ll have one expert team making sure they arrive correct, accepted, and on time.

Document legalisation — your questions answered

Do I need an apostille, embassy legalisation, or both?

It depends on the destination country. Countries in the Hague Apostille Convention accept an FCDO apostille on its own. Countries outside it — such as the UAE, Qatar and Egypt — need the apostille plus attestation by their embassy in London. Tell us where your document is going, and we’ll confirm the exact route in minutes.

How long does legalisation take?

A standard UK apostille takes 3–4 working days, with a next-day express option. Embassy legalisation takes longer and varies by country — typically 1–3 weeks depending on the consulate. We give you a specific timeframe for your document and destination before you commit.

How much does it cost?

A UK apostille starts from £87. Embassy legalisation is quoted per country and document, because each consulate charges differently. You’ll always get one clear, all-inclusive quote upfront — no hidden fees. (link: see full pricing →)

Can you legalise a photocopy, or do you need the original?

In many cases, a copy can be legalised — but it must first be certified as a true copy by an FCDO-registered solicitor or notary, and we can arrange that. Some documents (such as GRO birth and marriage certificates and police certificates) must be the official original. Send us a scan, and we’ll tell you exactly what’s needed for yours.

I'm already living abroad — can you still help?

Yes. Most of our clients never visit our office. Post or courier your UK document to us, or order online anytime, and we will return it worldwide via tracked, insured DHL courier. We handle the entire UK-side process on your behalf.

My document is going to a non-Hague country (UAE, Qatar, Egypt…). Can you handle the embassy step?

Yes — embassy legalisation is our speciality. We obtain the FCDO apostille first, then present your document to the relevant embassy or consulate in London, managing any Chamber of Commerce or Cultural Bureau step along the way. You deal with one team, not several offices.

What if my document gets rejected?

We’re built to prevent that — we check the document, certification and signatory before anything is submitted. And we stand behind our work: if a document is rejected due to our handling, we either correct it or issue a refund. (link: our service guarantee →)

How do I get started?

Two easy ways: send a scan and your destination country for a free document check, and we’ll confirm the route, price and turnaround — or, if you already know what you need, order online 24/7, and we’ll take it from there.

Have a question we haven’t covered? Explore our complete FAQ section for dozens more answers.

Legalising documents for your business ?

Law firms, accountants, corporate service providers and HR teams use us as their UK legalisation partner — for incorporation documents, powers of attorney, board resolutions and certificates of good standing, handled in volume and on deadline.