A solicitor or notary must certify the certificates to get an apostille for a Certificate of Naturalisation (Naturalisation Certificate or British Citizenship Certificate ). Certification is required for the original and a copy.
Getting an apostille usually takes 2 to 3 days, and costs start from £110, including solicitor fees, FCDO fees, our fees, and VAT.
We can return the legalised documents via DHL courier (next-day service), or you can collect them in person (24 hours).
Jump to: How much does it cost? ↓ How long does it take?
How the process works:
Step one:
Decide which version of your naturalisation certificate needs to be apostilled.
- Your original certificate of naturalisation
- A photocopy of your certificate of naturalisation
- Electronic certificate of naturalisation produced from the original PDF
Step two:
Contact our office.
When emailing, please provide the following information:
- In which country will your certificate of naturalisation be used?
- How soon do you need the apostille?
- Do you also require embassy legalisation?
- How will the certificate be delivered and returned?
When we have all the information, the team will assess your enquiry and give you a detailed quotation.
If you accept the quotation, we will send an invoice to be paid, and the process of getting an apostille starts.
Step three:
Once your naturalisation 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 DHL tracking number the courier gave.
Note that we return documents by DHL courier only. If you want to make other arrangements, please let us know.
Getting an apostille for a certificate of naturalisation starts from £110. (includes solicitor fees, FCDO fees, our fees & VAT).
Other costs will depend on what service you choose (same-day service), if you also need embassy attestation, and what return delivery method has been chosen.
Additional cost examples are:
- Same day or express service (+ £123)
- UK return delivery costs (+ £20)
- Notarisation by notary public (+ £90)
- Embassy attestation/legalisation (from £75)
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.
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 documents off in person. Delivering in-person requires that you have an order number. Please make sure you contact our office first.
When should I get an apostille for a naturalisation certificate?
You should get an apostille certificate for your naturalisation certificate if you intend to use it outside the UK.
However, please note that the apostille can only be applied to the certified copy and not the original, as the original cannot be modified in any way. Your apostille service provider will check that.
How do you replace a lost certificate of naturalisation?
If you lose or suspect that your naturalisation certificate has been stolen, you must notify the Home Office as quickly as possible. [2]
It is also good to notify the police that your certificate was lost.
If you’ve misplaced or had your naturalisation certificate taken, you must:
Your naturalisation certificate can be ordered from the National Archives if you were granted British citizenship before September 30, 1986. [2]
How do I locate the naturalisation certificate number?
You can locate your naturalisation certificate number at the bottom of the certificate, above the reference number and to the left of the date.
How do I locate my naturalisation certificate reference number?
You can locate the reference number of your naturalisation certificate at the bottom of the certificate, just to the left of the date and immediately below the Certificate Number.
Which information does the naturalisation certificate contain?
The information contained in the naturalisation certificate provides information about the holder. Naturalisation certificates follow a standard format.
The certificate should typically include the following information:
Verifying that the naturalisation certificate is issued with the correct information is critical because the UK government charges for changing documentation and granting duplicate certificates.
Who can apply for a certificate of naturalisation?
Anyone who meets the required qualification criteria can apply for a certificate of naturalisation. In addition, according to the British Nationality Act of 1981 [3], anybody who is not a UK citizen can apply for British citizenship.
Once you are issued the certificate, you can live in the UK with the same rights as anyone born a British national. You can also apply for a British passport.
Applying for a certificate of naturalisation UK – requirements:
The main requirements for applying for a certificate of naturalisation are: [4]
Those are the most general requirements. In addition to that, the applicants must also meet the following:
