apostille service: what is actually possible

What an apostille is

An apostille is an official certificate, stamped onto the papers, which the Legalisation Office of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) adds to UK public documents. Before adding it, the office compares the document’s signature or seal against the records it holds; if they match, the certificate is issued.

Which documents can be legalised

Legalisation applies where a UK public official either issued the document or certified it — for instance, a notary or solicitor in the UK. Gov.uk gives examples: a contract, a power of attorney, or a qualification certificate copy that has been certified.

Two types, both applied for online

Gov.uk describes two kinds, and an application for either is made online:

• e-Apostille — a PDF that a notary or solicitor in the UK has signed electronically.
• Paper-based apostille — the document travels by post, or is handed over in person by a registered business.

Before choosing the electronic route, ask the authority that will receive the document: gov.uk notes that some want paper even though an e-Apostille exists.

What an e-Apostille cannot cover

An e-Apostille is not available for:

• ACRO police certificates (England and Wales);
• DBS certificates (England and Wales);
• fingerprint certificates;
• disclosure certificates (Scotland and Northern Ireland);
• birth, death, marriage or civil partnership certificates, plus adoption certificates, and anything else issued by the General Register Office.

For anything on this list, only the paper-based route remains.

What each service costs

Courier charges apply to the paper-based route, and no refund follows if a document turns out to be impossible to legalise.

How long each service takes