Apostilles for Certificate of Residence

Apostille service overview:

To get a UK apostille, we need the original HMRC certificate
Although certified copies can be apostilled, we recommend that the original certificate of residence is apostilled.

3-4 days and starts from £87 per document
24-hour service from £97 per document

Prices are per document and include the apostille certificate, all fees, and VAT.

An apostille on your HMRC residency document requires:

Original with wet ink signature: Preferred for FCDO acceptance.
Certified copy: If no wet ink signature, a solicitor can certify your original certificate.
Unrecognised signature: Solicitor certification or FCDO registration can be arranged.

Notes:

Apostille is usually on original, but certified copies are accepted.
Typically only the attached document needs apostille.
This differs from business-specific certificates.

How to order:

Step one:

Confirm if your certificate of residence UK is a physical or digital copy, like a PDF. Ensure an HMRC official has signed your letter of residency.

Step two:

If your HMRC certificate of residence isn’t original or lacks an official signature, it needs solicitor certification. You can mail us the original or drop it off at our office.

Step three:

Contact our office. Please provide the following information:

Is your residency certificate already certified?
In which country will your certificate be used?
How soon do you need the apostille?
Will you be mailing or dropping the documents off?
Any other information that we need to know about

When we have all the information, the team will assess your enquiry and give you a detailed quotation.

Step four:

As soon as your residency certificate has been apostilled, we will send you a scanned copy via email that your certificate is on its way or ready to be collected.

If you are not collecting your apostilled certificate from our London office – we will provide you with the tracking number the courier gave.

How much does it cost?

3-4 days and starts from £87 per document
24-hour service from £97 per document

Prices are per document and include the apostille certificate, all fees, and VAT.

The price includes admin, FCDO fees, and VAT.

There could be additional costs, depending on another service you choose and how many documents you wish to apostille. Additional cost examples are:

Translations start from £65
Notarisation by notary public (+ £96)
Return delivery costs (+ £12)
Embassy legalisation (from + £75)

Call +020 8038 7015

Send your enquiry via email

Our fast-track apostille options

There are three options for getting an apostille in the UK.

Option one: 1 day (next business day)

Documents must arrive before 9:00 am for the next-day service.
Documents can be collected around 3:30 pm the next day.

Option two: 3 to 4 days:

If documents arrive after 9:30 am, it will take 3-4 days

Option three: e-Apostille 5 to 48 hours

If the document qualifies for an e-apostille, it is usually completed within 24 hours but can take two working days, depending on the FCDO’s workload.

Distinction between a “Letter of confirmation of residence” and a “Certificate of residence

A “Letter of Confirmation of Residence” is issued when you do not have any foreign income or gains but need proof of residence from an overseas tax authority. This could be required due to local laws in the foreign country.

On the other hand, a “Certificate of Residence” is issued when you have foreign income or gains that are declared taxable in the UK. This document is necessary to prove your tax residency status in the UK to foreign authorities.

In both cases, the same application form is used. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will decide whether to issue a “Letter of Confirmation of Residence” or a “Certificate of Residence” based on the information you provide in the form.

What information is found on the certificate of residence?

The information found on a tax residency certificate or HMRC certificate of residence issued in the UK includes the following:

For individuals:

The total number of days you were in the UK during a specific tax year.
Whether or not you spent less than 183 days in the UK in the tax year.
The date you arrived or left the UK. As per the SRT rules, in case you left or arrived in the UK in a tax year, you will need a certificate of resident document legalised in the UK, showing the date you ceased being a resident. [2]

For companies that have not yet filed their tax returns:

The name and addresses of each shareholder and director
The reason why the company believes they are residents of the UK.

We provide an apostille service for both individuals as well as companies

Call +020 8038 7015

Enquire or order a UK apostille

Resolving FCDO rejection of your certificate of residence

Should you encounter a rejection of your certificate of residence from the British Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) due to the presence of a scanned or PDF signature, the appropriate course of action is to reach out to the PAYE helpline at 0300 200 3300.

Let them know your certificate was rejected and specify that you need one with a “wet” or handwritten signature.

Or, get an FCDO registered solicitor to certify your residency certificate.

Also read: Signature registration with the FCDO explained

Why is an apostille required for the HMRC certificate of residence?

An apostille for your Certificate of tax residence or HMRC certificate of residence provides proof of paying tax when conducting business outside the UK.

The apostille also entitles the company to gain relief for double taxation.

If the business has already paid the tax, the firm may be entitled to a refund from the tax office.

Who provides the apostille?

The FCDO provides the apostille for certificates of residence.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office apostilles all documents issued in the UK. They authenticate the signature on the certificates. You can contact their office directly or use an apostille agency.

Which conditions are needed to receive the certificate of residence?

You must fulfil the following requirements as a business to receive the residency certificate:

There must be a presence of a UK director.
The presence of in-house history.
The company should not be an agency.
The company should not be loss-making.

You must also provide the following additional information:

Why do you need the certificate of residence
The specific double taxation agreement you wish to claim under.
The type of income you want to make a claim for.
The length of time you wish to use the certificate of residence.
Name of the country in which the certificate is expected to be used.
The type of income for which the certificate will be issued.
The name and address of the company.
Evidence that the company does not have representative offices in other states.

Call +020 8038 7015

Enquire or order a UK apostille

References

This article has been written by experts and fact-checked by experts. We only link to high-quality sources like government information & data, original reporting and interviews with industry experts. Reputable publishers are also sourced and cited where appropriate to support the facts within our articles.