How to get an apostille for TEFL certificate

Both originals and certified copies can be apostilled
An FCDO-registered solicitor or notary must certify either the original or copies of your TEFL certificates.
Email, post, or deliver your document in person

For the solicitors to certify your TEFL certificate, they need to see the original certificate. The same goes for TESOL, CELTA, DELTA, Trinity CertTESOL, TEFL/TESL/TESOL online, and in-class certificates.

Let us know if we should apostille the original or a certified copy.

If you only have a COPY, or a digital download (PDF), our solicitors will require proof that your copy/PDF is genuine. This can be achieved by asking the issuing university to email our solicitors directly.

Originals do not require proof for the solicitor or notary.

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

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The full order process

Step one:

Make sure that your TEFL certificate can be legalised with an apostille. Your certificate should not be damaged or altered in any way.

Step two:

Contact our office.

When emailing, please provide the following information:

In which country will your certificate be used?
Should we legalise the original or a certified copy?
How soon do you need the apostille?
How will the TEFL certificate be delivered and returned?

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

If you accept the quote, the apostille process begins.

Step three:

Once your TEFL certificate has been apostilled, we will send you a scanned copy via email.

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

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

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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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Document receipt and return services

We have several ways documents can be delivered and returned like, email, in-person, post, or private courier.

Email:

Whenever possible, we prefer to receive documents by email. Email is instant and guarantees a fast service.

Post or courier:

When an email is not possible, we prefer to receive and return documents by mail or courier.

In-person:

You can deliver and collect documents in person too. Documents must be dropped off at the front desk and collected from the front desk – without seeing a staff member.

Appointments:

An appointment must be pre-arranged if you need to see a staff member, solicitor, or notary.

When is notarisation a must for TEFL certificates?

You must notarise your TEFL certificate when the requesting overseas authority asks you to do so.

Reasons for notarisation requests can be if your certificate must be certified as genuine or if the requesting authority resides in a country that is not part of the Apostille Hague Convention.

Can all types of TEFL certificates get an apostille?

Yes, all TEFL certificates awarded by an accredited provider, and if the course meets the standards set by the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF), can be apostilled.

This applies to all types of TEFL certificates, including TESOL, CELTA, DELTA, Trinity CertTESOL, TEFL/TESL/TESOL online, TEFL/TESL/TESOL combined, and TEFL/TESL/TESOL in-class certificates [1].

All certificates must be solicitor certified before being submitted to the FCDO for an apostille.

Types of UK TEFL certificates that can be apostilled in the UK

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults)
DELTA (Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults)
Trinity CertTESOL (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
TEFL/TESL/TESOL Online certificates: These are taken via an online course
TEFL/TESL/TESOL Combined certificates: includes both online and in-class training
TEFL/TESL/TESOL In-class certificates

Can online-only TEFL certificates be apostilled?

Yes, it is possible to get an apostille for some online-only TEFL certificates. The FCDO now accepts online-only TEFL certificates that have been issued by providers that are regulated by the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).

As a result of the Covid pandemic lockdowns much teaching and learning has moved online in recent years. For these reasons the FCDO now accepts some online TEFL certificates that have been issued by RQF regulated providers.

TEFL certificate examples with apostille (image credit see references)

What other documents are often requested when legalising a TEFL certificate?

Qualifications and documents sometimes requested with a TEFL certificate are a university degree and a criminal record check.

Foreign employers sometimes need these to prove a candidate’s abilities and good character.

Can I get an apostille for my TEFL certificate online?

You can only get an e-apostille for a TEFL certificate if it has been issued digitally. Documents submitted to the legalisation office must be uploaded as PDF files and electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor.

In practice, it is rare to get an apostille for a TEFL certificate entirely online.

You cannot get an e-Apostille if your TEFL certificate needs to be accompanied by any of the following:

Birth, death, marriage, civil partnership and adoption certificates, or any other document from the General Register Office
ACRO police certificates for England and Wales
Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificates for England and Wales
Disclosure certificates for Scotland and Northern Ireland
Fingerprint certificates

Do you need a translation for your TEFL certificate?

We can take care of the translation for you if you need to translate your TEFL or TESOL certificate.

The processing options for translating documents are as follows:

You first need to check if you need the TEFL certificate translated with – or without the apostille attached.
Then we need to know what language your UK TEFL certificate need to be translate to
The translator will then translate and certify the translation.
You can also request a sworn translation or statement of truth
We can also notarise your translation if required
We will return the translated TEFL certificate via email.
If requested, we can also post a physical copy
Translation for personal documents starts at £50 per page