Getting an apostille for mediation agreements.

Getting an apostille for mediation agreements, or similar documents like settlement schemes, treaties, concession agreements, compromise arrangements, and similar negotiated understandings, must first be certified by a UK solicitor or notary public.

Then the certified mediation agreement can be apostilled.

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?

The full order process: 

If you have any questions, please call 0207 0500 692

Step one:

Ensure that the mediation agreement is not damaged, is valid, and does not miss any pages, dates, or other important information.

The original and the copy must be certified by a solicitor or notary public. You can arrange this yourself, or we can take of it for you.

Step two:

Contact our office.

When emailing, please provide the following information:

• In which country will your settlement agreement be used?
• How soon do you need the apostille?
• How will the arrangement document be delivered and returned?

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

If you accept the quotation, the process of getting an apostille starts.

Step three:

Once your mediation agreement 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 given by the courier.

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

How much does it cost? 

Getting an apostille for a mediation agreement 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 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)
• Translations (from £60)

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.

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 the documents off in person. However, delivering in person requires that you have an order number. Please make sure you contact our office first.

If you need to sign a document in front of a notary, then you need to make an appointment with a notary and attend in person. We can arrange a notary appointment for you.

In most cases, a mediation agreement reached informally (without the participation of a solicitor or mediator) are eligible for a apostille certificate if certified by a UK solicitor or notary public.

However, informal agreements may not have all the legal requirements, such as terms, conditions, and signatures that are essential that the agreement can be accepted in the country that it is used in.

It’s also worth noting that some foreign countries may not accept informal agreements even if they have been apostilled. It’s always best to check with the foreign court or government agency to determine their specific requirements for apostilled documents.

There are several possible reasons why a foreign authority might reject apostilled agreements:

If an apostilled mediation agreement is rejected, the parties may need legal advice to determine the next steps.

They may have to have the document re-certified by a solicitor or notarised, or they may need to take legal action to enforce the agreement.

Ultimately, the outcome will depend on the specific circumstances of the case and the laws and regulations in the foreign country where the agreement is intended to be enforced.

Here are a few more examples of mediation agreements that can be apostilled in the UK, but it is by no means an exhaustive list.