How long does it take to get an apostille?

Our standard processing time for getting an apostille is 2-3 days. Here is what 2 to 3 days mean: If your documents arrive by 10 am , it will take 2 days If your documents arrive after 10 am , then it will take 3 days (+ next-day return delivery if required) We also offer a same-day apostille service. Documents must arrive before 10 am for the same-day service. Documents can be collected around 3 pm the same day. Order the 5-hour emergency apostille service . If a mailing or courier service is utilised, the same day becomes a 24-hour service.

Get a UK Apostille for UK Home Office Documents

Apostille service overview:

We can apostille all types of Home Office (HO) documents
Contact us to find out how the process works for your document

Most Home Office (HO) documents must be certified by an FCDO-registered solicitor or notary before being submitted for an apostille certificate.

It is recommended that the original HO documents be apostilled, especially if they bear a wet ink signature.

We can return the legalised documents via DHL or Royal Mail (next-day service), or you can collect them in person.

Jump to: How much does it cost? ↓ How long does it take?

How the process works:

Step one:

Ensure you have valid Home Office document(s) that is not damaged and can be apostilled.

Step two:

Contact our office.

Please provide the following information:

What kind of Home Office documents need to be apostilled?
In which country will your HO document(s) be used?
How soon do you need the apostille?
How will the HO document(s) be delivered and returned?

Once we have all the information, the team will assess your enquiry and provide you with a detailed quotation.

If you accept the quotation, the process of getting an apostille starts.

Step three:

Once your disability document has been apostilled, we will email you a scanned copy.

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

Note that we return documents by DHL or Royal Mail only. If you want to make other arrangements, please let us know.

How much does it cost?

3-4 day UK apostille service from £120
1 day (next business day) from £135
5-48 hours e-Apostille from £97

Our fee covers:

Solicitor certification
FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) Fees
Administration
VAT

There could be additional costs depending on your chosen service and how many documents you wish to have apostilled.

We will always provide a full breakdown to see precisely what you’re paying for.

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Your fast-track apostille options

Choose the turnaround that fits your deadline.

Option 1: Next business day

Your deed poll must arrive at our office by 9:30 am. It will be ready to collect from around 3:30 pm the following business day

Option 2: 3 to 4 day service

Documents arriving after 9:30 am are processed on the 3 to 4 business day track. This is our most popular option.

Option 3: e-Apostille in 5 to 48 hours

The e-apostille is a digital version of the apostille certificate. If your document qualifies, it is usually completed within 24 hours, but may take 2 working days, depending on the FCDO’s workload.

Most ink-signed deed polls require the paper apostille instead. Contact us if you are unsure which applies to you.

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Do I have to come to your office?

No, you don’t need to attend our office in Westminster. Documents can be sent by courier or by post. We recommend using a tracked service if you send your documents by post. We return your documents in the same way.

You are, of course, welcome to drop the documents off in person. However, delivering in person requires that you have an order number. Therefore, please make sure you contact our office first.

How do I pay for an apostille from the Home Office?

If you submit your application for an apostille directly to the FCDO, you can pay online via their website. We can invoice you if you want us to handle your apostille application. You can make an online card payment, pay through PayPal, or pay by bank transfer. See other payment options that we accept.

Do I need to have my HO document notarised or certified before getting an apostille?

Most HO documents must be certified. Although the Home Office keeps records of documents such as visas, work permits, and residence permits, these documents are not considered public documents. For this reason, they must either be notarised by a UK notary public or certified by a UK solicitor.

In practice, to preserve the Home Office’s original document intact, most people use a certified or notarised copy to obtain the apostille. The apostille certificate will be physically affixed to the document you submit.

We can arrange to have your UK documents certified or notarised before they are submitted for an apostille.

Home Office-issued documents that can be apostilled:

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR)
Indefinite leave to enter (ILE)
No time limit (NTL)
UKVI settlement letters
Immigration status document
Home Office travel documents
Asylum registration card
Naturalisation or registration certificate
Biometric residence permit (BRP)

Can I expedite my HO apostille request?

Yes, you can request an expedited apostille service. Our same-day service takes 5 hours to complete. Note that the expedited service is only available via registered apostille agents like us. You cannot order a same-day service via the FCDO website yourself.

Can I get an electronic apostille for Home Office documents?

Not yet. The Legalisation Office of the FCDO has announced that you will soon be able to get an electronic apostille (called an “e-apostille“) for some Home Office documents that have been issued and signed electronically, but they have not yet given a date.

Although the Home Office can now issue eVisas (electronic visas) and eBRPs (electronic Biometric Residence Permits), these types of electronic signatures are not yet incorporated into the electronic documents issued by the Home Office.

It is also theoretically possible to submit an application for an e-apostille with an electronic copy (e.g., a PDF file) of your physical Home Office document that a UK solicitor or notary public has digitally signed. In reality, however, not many UK solicitors or notaries public are familiar with this procedure.

Before deciding which kind of apostille to get, you must ascertain whether e-apostilles are acceptable in the country where the apostille will be used.
(The personal application waiting time for issuance of an e-apostille by the FCDO can be the same as for a normal, paper-based apostille)