Getting an apostille for a sworn affidavit.

We can also get an apostille if your affidavit has already been certified.

To get an apostille for an affidavit, you have two options.

Option one: You use our service to take care of the entire process. No matter what you need, we will take care of it for you. The process usually takes 2-3 days.

Option two: You try to get the apostille via the FCDO website directly. You need to ensure your affidavit is certified or notarised correctly. Getting the apostille can take up to 20 days, assuming there are no issues with your document.

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

How to order:  

Step one:

Check that your affidavit has been signed by a ‘Commissioner for Oaths,’ usually a solicitor or notary. The solicitor’s or notary’s signature must be registered with the FCDO to be accepted.

If you are unsure, send a copy of your affidavit, and we will check it.

We can also certify or notarise your affidavit.

Step two:

Contact us to place an order.

When emailing, please provide the following information:

• What country will the affidavit be used in?
• Do you need a translation?
• How soon do you need the apostille?
• How will you deliver your document? (in person, by mail?)
• How will documents be returned? (in person, by mail?)

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

If you accept the quotation, we will send an invoice to be paid, and the process of getting an apostille for your documents starts.

We will take care of the entire legalisation process for you.

Step three:

Regardless of what return delivery method is chosen (in person, self-addressed envelope, DHL etc.), we will inform you immediately as soon as the documents are ready to be collected or they are on their way back to you.

How much does it cost?

A standard FCDO apostille certificate for an affidavit starts from £79 if your affidavit is already certified.

If you need solicitor certification, the cost starts at £110. This includes the certification and apostille certificate.

There could be additional costs, depending on another service you choose and how many UK documents you wish to apostille.

Additional cost examples:

• Same day or express service (+ £123)
• Return delivery costs (+ £20)
• Notarisation by notary public (+ £90)
• Embassy attestation/legalisation (from £75)

Standard processing times for getting an apostille is 2-3 working days.

Here is an explanation of the difference between the 2 to 3 day service times:

• If your documents arrive by 10 am, it will take 2 days to process your documents + next-day return delivery.
• If your documents arrive after 10 am, then it would take 3 days to apostille your documents + next day return delivery.

We also offer a same-day apostille service.

• Documents must arrive before 10 am for the same-day service.
• Documents can be collected around 4 pm the same day.

Same-day service assumes you can drop off and collect your documents on the same day.

The same-day becomes a 24-hour service if a courier service is used.

Read the full same-day apostille service explanation.

Legalisation with an apostille is requested by overseas authorities to confirm that your affidavit is genuine so that it can be legally used in the country that demands it.

If the requesting country is part of the Hague convention, then the apostille is sufficient proof. However, legalisation via an embassy or consulate will be required if the government is not part of the apostille convention.

Translating an affidavit or the apostilled affidavit will depend on the requesting authority and country. From experience, the requesting authority will let you know if you must translate your affidavit.

We can assist with obtaining translations of documents if required. Find out more about our certified translation services.

If the requesting country is not part of the Hague apostille convention, then you may need to further legalise your apostilled affidavit with an embassy of high consulate in London.

Also, since other documents often accompany an affidavit, all documents must have the apostille certificate or be presented as a ‘bundle’.

However, not all embassies allow for documents to be bundled. Please check with the embassy in London first, or you can review our web page for embassy requirements.