We are a government-registered service provider and can provide an apostille for your power of attorney and other documents for overseas use – often in just one or two days.
Should your POA require translation, we can also arrange for a certified translation guaranteed to be accepted by overseas authorities.
More details:
Here are a few examples of legalising a Power of Attorney (PoA).
If you have a PoA already notarised:
If an FCDO-registered notary already notarises your Power of Attorney, then we can get an apostille the same day or use our standard next-day service.
Standard service: £79
Same-day service: £165
If your PoA needs a notary:
PoA ( Personal ) + notarisation + apostille certificate
PoA ( Business ) + notarisation + apostille certificate
Remote / video notarisations:
PoA ( Personal ) + remote notary + apostille certificate
PoA ( Business ) + video notary + apostille certificate
Electronic notarisations:
The notary public can use electronic signatures to sign PoAs. There are two types of electronic signatures: advanced electronic signatures (AES) and qualified electronic signatures (QES).
Bilingual PoA notarisations:
Your lawyer must draft the bilingual power of attorney in a public form, which is a bilingual document with the secondary language in a parallel column.
Once drafted, you can email it to us for review. Our notary will add their information to the power of attorney and notify you or your lawyer if any changes are needed.
Other considerations:
Other costs will depend on what service you choose (same-day service available) if you need a notary service, embassy fees if required and what return delivery method is required
How can I legalise my power of attorney?
A UK solicitor or notary public must first sign the document to legalise a power of attorney (POA) with the official UK government apostille. We then take the POA to the official legalisation office in London or Milton Keynes to get the apostille certificate.
Can a POA be notarised remotely?
Yes, you can get a power of attorney (POA) notarised remotely in the UK.
In 2020, the UK government introduced a new law allowing remote notarisation. This means you can now have your POA notarised by a notary public without meeting them in person.
To get your POA notarised remotely, you will need to:
- Find a notary public who offers remote notarization services.
- Book an appointment with the notary public.
- Send the notary public a copy of your POA and a copy of your ID.
- Meet with the notary public online at your scheduled appointment.
- Sign the POA in front of the notary public.
- The notary public will then sign and seal the POA.
- The notary public will then send you a copy of the notarised POA.
Why must power of attorney be witnessed?
The signing of a power of attorney must be witnessed to protect against duress and forgery.
Should the POA be disputed, the witness may be required to provide unbiased evidence of the signature’s circumstances. [4]
Can a solicitor witness the POA on my behalf?
No, a solicitor cannot be a witness on your behalf. The solicitor can only be a witness to you signing the POA.
So, for us to legalise your POA, you must first organise to have your POA witnessed and signed (certified). Make sure that the solicitor or notary you use is registered with the UK FCDO office so that they recognise and can confirm their signature too to apply the apostille.
What the solicitor or notary will need from you:
Proper records must be kept for each POA. You need to provide proof of identity and proof of address. The fees will depend on what service type you require, single or multiple documents, if the POA needs translation or courier service and if you need a standard or premium service.
Can the FCDO reject the POA?
The FCDO could reject your POA document if the signing was not witnessed by a practising UK solicitor or notary public. Anyone can witness a personal POA if they are over 18, but if the POA needs to be legalised, it must be witnessed by a UK solicitor or notary.
The POA will also be rejected if you submit a photocopy of your POA. Only the original can be certified with the apostille certificate.
If your POA is laminated, stabled, hole punched or modified in any other way, the document will also be rejected.
Embassy or Consular attestation
The overseas authorities that requested the POA to be legalised may also require the POA to be authenticated with their country’s Embassy or Consulate in London. They would usually inform you of this. If the country is not part of the Hague Convention, you would need embassy legalisation, so it’s worth double checking.
