An apostille is an official certificate issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) confirming that a document is genuine. It verifies the signature, stamp, or seal of a UK public official, making the document valid for use in countries that are members of the Hague Convention of 1961.

In other words, an apostille certificate acts like a passport for your UK document — allowing it to be legally recognised outside the UK.

Just 3 simple steps:

1. Place your order through our secure online portal.
2. Choose your documents for legalisation.
3. Complete payment securely online.

We’ll take care of everything else — from processing to delivery.

Need help? Call us on +44 (0) 204 630 6700.

Pricing starts from £64 for our express apostille-only service and £79 for the premium apostille-only service. The final cost may vary depending on the type of document and any additional services you require.

For a detailed quotation tailored to your needs, please visit our service pages or contact us at support@theapostille.co.uk.

Documents need to be legalised with an apostille when they are being used outside the UK for official or legal purposes — such as for immigration, employment, study, or business registration.

Common documents that require legalisation include:

• Birth, marriage, and death certificates
• Academic diplomas, transcripts, and letters
• ACRO Police Certificates and DBS checks
• Powers of attorney and affidavits
• Company incorporation documents and certificates of good standing
• HMRC, solicitors’, or notary-signed documents
  

If your document isn’t listed, don’t worry — email a scan or photo to
support@theapostille.co.uk.

We offer a premium next-day apostille service for most UK documents, with processing typically completed within 24 hours (excluding postage time).

For standard applications, legalisation usually takes 3–5 working days, depending on document type and FCDO processing times.

An apostille is used to authenticate UK documents for use in countries that are members of the Hague Convention of 1961. Once a document has an apostille certificate from the FCDO, it is automatically recognised in all Hague member countries — no further steps are needed.

Embassy legalisation, on the other hand, is required for non-Hague Convention countries. After receiving an apostille, the document must also be certified by the relevant embassy or consulate of the destination country.

In short:

• Apostille = for Hague Convention countries
  
• Apostille+Embassy legalisation = for non-Hague Convention countries

Yes — we offer complete legalisation services, including solicitor certification and the official UK apostille, all handled in one seamless process.

This ensures your documents are properly verified, certified, and ready for international use without any extra steps from your side.

We don’t provide notary certification directly, but we can share contact details of UK notaries if needed. You can also find a qualified notary in your area through The Notaries Society website

Many notaries offer remote electronic or remote ink notarisation for added convenience.
Call us now on +44 (0) 204 630 6700203 873 8800 — our team will advise you on the best option for your document.

Absolutely! We accept documents from all parts of the UK and offer nationwide postal services with secure tracking for complete peace of mind.

Whether you’re in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, our team ensures your documents are processed quickly and returned safely.

Yes — we can legalise UK-issued documents even if you’re currently living or based abroad. Simply send your documents to our UK office by post or courier, and our team will handle the entire legalisation and apostille process for you.

Once completed, we’ll return your legalised documents internationally using secure, tracked delivery.

Yes — we can send your legalised documents anywhere in the world using secure, tracked international delivery.

We deliver to most countries except Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Palestine, and Iraq.

Wherever you are — in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, or beyond — your documents will be handled safely and delivered promptly to your chosen address.

If we receive your documents after 12:30 pm and you’ve ordered our premium apostille service, we may not have enough time to process them the same day.

To ensure your documents are ready for same-day submission, please email a scan or photo of your documents to
support@theapostille.co.uk after placing your order. Our experts will pre-check your documents and confirm that everything is in the correct format before processing.

Our experts pre-check all documents to minimise the risk of rejection. If any issues arise, we’ll contact you immediately with solutions and next steps.

If the FCDO rejects your document because they cannot verify a signature, the government fee of £40 will be refunded by the FCDO. However, our service fees (e.g. £20 + VAT) are non-refundable.

Common reasons for rejection include:

• The notary or solicitor forgot to date or sign the document
• A copy of your passport is missing your signature
• Your solicitor, doctor or professional is not registered or recognised by the FCDO

To avoid these issues, please ensure your documents are in the correct format before sending them. For guidance, visit our Check Document Legalisation