How to apostille a UK armed forces ID card.

To get an apostille for your  ID, we need to receive the original armed forces ID card in our office. You can deliver it in person or post it to our office in Westminster, London.

We can return the legalised armed forces ID card via DHL or Royal Mail (next-day service), or you can collect it in person.

Please note that UK armed forces ID cards do not qualify for an e-Apostille.

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

 The full order process: 

Step one:

Make sure your armed forces ID card can be legalised with an apostille. The official ID card must be valid and undamaged so a clear photocopy can be taken (front and back).

Step two:

Contact our office.

When emailing, please provide the following information:

• Your armed forces ID card will be used in what country?
• How soon do you need the apostille?
• Do you also require embassy legalisation?
• How will the ID card be delivered and returned?

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

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

Step three:

As soon as your Armed Forces ID card 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.

How much does it cost?

The price includes admin, solicitor, FCDO, and VAT. Business documents incur an additional processing fee.

There could be additional costs, depending on your chosen service and how many documents you wish to apostille. Additional cost examples are:

• Translations start from £30
• Notarisation by notary public (+ £96)
• Return delivery costs (+ £12)
• Embassy legalisation (from + £75)

There are 4 options for getting an apostille.

Option one: 10-12 days:

Your documents are “posted” to the FCDO in Milton Keynes and then posted back to our office – or your address. This process usually takes about 10 business days. (currently unavailable)

Option two: 3 to 4 days:

• If documents arrive by 10:30 am, it will take 3 days
• If documents arrive after 10:30 am, then it will take 4 days
• Documents are submitted and collected in person

Option three: 1 day (next business day)

• Documents must arrive before 10:00 am for the next-day service.
• Documents can be collected around 3:30 pm the next day.
• Documents are submitted and collected in person

Option four: e-Apostille 1 to 2 days 

Electronic apostilles are usually completed within 24 hours but can take two working days, depending on the FCDO’s workload.

The only time you must attend in person is if your armed forces ID card must be notarised by a notary public. However, we find that attending our office is preferred by most officers.

We only take a photocopy, which takes 5 minutes, and officers take their ID cards with them and don’t have to leave the ID for the certification.

But, if you are not based in London or can’t travel to London, 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 need to get an apostille when a foreign government, organisation, or individual requests for the legalisation of your ID card.

The apostille authenticates your armed forces ID and makes your armed forces card acceptable by all Hague member countries as an official ID.

Any overseas person, business, government etc, can request an apostille for your armed forces ID card. In most cases, we see requests for an apostille from overseas recruitment agencies and government bodies.

To get an apostille for an armed forces ID card, a copy of the card must first be made. A solicitor must certify the copy. In some instances (see below), a notary public must notarise the copy.

The certified copy is then submitted to the UK government’s Legalisation Office for the apostille.

The process of certification by a solicitor or notary public can be lengthy. We can ensure that all the necessary procedures are followed and can get your armed forces ID card apostilled for you in 1-3 days.

Armed forces ID cards must be kept intact, undamaged and unaltered. Damaged or altered ID cards are no longer valid [3].

In order to legalise a document, the FCDO must attach an apostille certificate to it. Affixing the apostille certificate to an original armed forces ID card would alter the card and would render it invalid.

For these reasons, the FCDO will only legalise a copy of the original card.

The requirements of different countries vary. Countries which are party to the Hague Convention 1961 accept certification by a solicitor.

Countries not a party to the Hague convention may require notarisation of the copy by a notary public.

Certification by a solicitor confirms only that the ID card and its copy have been seen.

Notarisation by a notary public verifies that the ID card is genuine and that the copy is a true copy. The notary must check the card with the authority that issued it.

The apostilles validity is the same as your ID card’s validity.

The apostille only expires when your ID card expires.

The need for a translation is determined by the country which requests the apostille. A certified translation should be provided if the requesting country asks for it [2].

We offer translation for all official ID and warrant cards. Translation takes 2-3 days and usually costs £75 per warrant card, but we offer a discount for all UK enforcement agencies’ warrants and only charge £50 per ID.