UK Apostille services — fast, reliable, official
Get your documents legalised quickly, securely, and with complete peace of mind.
At The Apostille, we specialise in UK Apostille certification, document legalisation, embassy attestation, and certified translation services — all recognised and accepted worldwide.
Our mission is to make the complex process of document authentication simple, transparent, and stress-free for individuals, law firms, and businesses. Whether you need to legalise personal, academic, or corporate documents, our UK-based specialists ensure every step is handled with care, accuracy, and full compliance.
We work directly with FCDO-registered providers and international embassies to make sure your documents meet every legal and procedural requirement for official use abroad.
With years of experience and thousands of documents processed, we understand the importance of speed, precision, and reliability. That’s why we offer both standard and express Apostille services, tailored to your timeline. From birth, marriage, and degree certificates to company records and notarised legal papers, every document is verified, certified, and securely returned — ready for international recognition.
At The Apostille, we combine expertise, efficiency, and trust to ensure your documents are accepted worldwide — without delays, errors, or uncertainty.
What is an Apostille certificate and why it’s important for your documents
An Apostille certificate is an official document issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) confirming that a document is genuine and can be legally recognised in countries that are members of the Hague Convention of 1961.
It verifies the authenticity of the signature, the authority of the person signing, and the seal or stamp on the document — ensuring it’s valid for official use abroad.
Common documents that require an Apostille include:
- Birth, marriage, and death certificates
- Academic diplomas and transcripts
- Criminal record checks (ACRO Police Certificates)
- Company incorporation documents
- Power of attorney and legal declarations
At The Apostille, we handle the entire process quickly and securely. Your documents are professionally verified, apostilled, and returned ready for international use — saving you time, effort, and stress.
We provide fast and reliable apostille and legalisation services
The Apostille provides two official FCDO-certified legalisation services — available for both urgent and express processing times — ensuring flexibility and full compliance with UK Apostille regulations.
Premium Apostille service — 24 hours
When time matters most, our Premium Apostille Service ensures your documents are legalised within just 1 working day, plus courier or postage time.
Handled by our priority team, this express service guarantees same-day submission to the FCDO and secure next-day delivery back to you.
- Priority same-day processing
- Fast-track FCDO submission
- Secure courier collection and return
- Accepted and recognised worldwide
Perfect for urgent cases where speed and accuracy are essential, this service offers complete peace of mind — your documents are verified, legalised, and ready for international use in record time.
Express Apostille service — 5 working days
Our Express Service provides a reliable and affordable option for standard document legalisation.
Your documents are checked, processed through the FCDO, and securely returned within 5 working days, plus courier or postage time.
- Average turnaround of 4 to 5 working days
- Secure document tracking and delivery
- Professional document verification
- Cost-effective solution
Perfect for personal, academic, or business documents, our Express Apostille Service offers trusted legalisation at an affordable rate — ensuring your paperwork is processed accurately and ready for use abroad.
Everything you need to know about Apostilles
How long it takes
The processing time for your UK apostille depends on the service you choose. Premium Apostille (Paper-Based): next working day, usually within 24–30 hours, plus courier or postage time.
Check your documents can be apostilled
You can get your UK document apostilled and legalised if it has the signature, stamp, or seal of an authorised UK public official, such as a notary, solicitor, or government officer.
Fees for Apostille and Legalisation
You’ll need to pay a handling fee starting from £20 + VAT for each document that requires an apostille certificate, plus the UK government legalisation fee of £40 (FCDO disbursement).
Get your paper-based Apostille in 3 steps
Our three-step apostille process ensures your UK documents are verified, apostilled, and legalised to the highest standard. Every step is designed to deliver precision, reliability, and exceptional service.
Place your order online 24/7
Select the documents you need legalised or apostilled, add them to your cart, and pay securely online.
Provide your shipping address, and you’ll receive a confirmation email with your unique order number after placing the order.
Send us your documents
Send your documents via tracked post, by courier, or drop them off in person.
Make sure to include your order number (e.g. TA-1234) inside or on the envelope so we can identify your apostille or legalisation request quickly.
Get your apostilled documents (with paper Apostilles)
We submit your documents to the FCDO, obtain the apostille certificate, and send your legalised documents (with paper Apostilles) back to your specifed address.
Get your digital e-Apostille in 3 steps
Our three-step e-Apostille process ensures your UK documents are verified, digitally apostilled, and fully legalised to the highest standard. Each step is designed to deliver accuracy, reliability, and exceptional service.
Place your order online 24/7
Choose the e-Apostille and e-Certification service, add it to your cart, and complete secure payment online.
Simply upload your UK documents for e-Apostille legalisation, and we’ll send a confirmation email with your order reference and step-by-step e-Apostille instructions.
e-Certification
As part of the e-Certification process, our UK solicitor digitally certifies your document using a QES – Qualified Electronic Signature, ensuring it is fully valid for e-Apostille and online legalisation.
Get your legalised documents (with e-Apostilles)
We’ll notify you when your e-Apostille has been issued, and your legalised documents with e-Apostilles will be sent to you by email immediately once ready.
Our Apostille services
Other documents not listed
Can’t Find Your Document? Don’t worry — we can still help. At The Apostille, we handle the legalisation and apostille of a wide range of UK documents, including those not commonly listed online.
Whether your paperwork is personal, corporate, academic, or completely unique, our specialists will review it and advise you on the exact steps for authentication.
This list is not exhaustive. If your document isn’t shown, please email a scan or photo to apostille@theapostille.co.uk and our team will confirm if it can be legalised, provide a clear quotation, and guide you through the process quickly and securely.
If your document was issued in a former UK-controlled territory, a UK Overseas Territory, or a UK Crown Dependency, it must be legalised by the local authority in that jurisdiction.
Your document may not be listed — but it’s never overlooked.
After placing your order
If you applied for a paper-based apostille
You’ll receive instructions on how to send your documents to us after placing your order. If you post your documents, your apostilled and legalised papers will be returned to you by post to your specified address. After your documents have been apostilled, you can forward them to the requested recipient by post, courier, or in person.
If you ordered an e-Apostille (Digital)
You’ll receive instructions by email regarding your e-Apostille. There’s no need to post original papers — your UK documents will be digitally certified using a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) and apostilled by the FCDO. Once your documents have been e-Apostilled, we’ll email the legalised copies directly to you. You can then forward them to the requested person or organisation electronically for immediate use.
How to verify an Apostille certificate in the UK
If you or your recipient would like to check that an apostille issued by the FCDO is valid, you can verify it by clicking the link “Verify an apostille.”
Important information — preventing delays or rejections
Please read the following carefully to avoid delays or rejection of your apostille or legalisation application.
Only send the documents you need legalised, and ensure they meet the requirements below.
Certified documents
If you are submitting a certified document, please include the contact details of the signatory, including their email address and place of practice. This information is essential if the FCDO needs to verify the signature. If your document is bound under a solicitor or notarial cover sheet, you must ensure that each underlying document meets the legalisation requirements. Please note: the solicitor or notary public who certifies your document must be registered with the FCDO for their signature to be accepted for apostille.
Medical documents
If you are submitting a document signed by a medical practitioner, please include the signatory’s contact details in your application — including their email address and place of practice. This information is essential if the FCDO needs to verify the doctor’s signature. Please note: the doctor or medical practitioner who signs or certifies your document must be registered with the FCDO for their signature to be accepted for apostille.
Education certificates
Please ensure that all education certificates submitted for legalisation are signed, certified, and dated by a UK solicitor, notary public, or an official of the British Council. If certified by the British Council, it must be the original educational qualification certificate. Please check with your local British Council office first, as this service is not available at all locations. Important: The solicitor or notary public who certifies your document must be registered with the FCDO for their signature to be accepted for apostille.
Photocopies
Please note that photocopies cannot be accepted under any circumstances for the following documents: UK birth, death, marriage, civil partnership, or adoption certificates; Police or disclosure certificates issued by ACRO, Disclosure Scotland, Access NI, or DBS. This rule also applies to photocopies attached to other documents or included under a certified cover sheet — only original documents are accepted for legalisation.
Marriage certificates
If you are submitting an original marriage certificate that has been signed by a Minister of Religion or an Authorised Person, please include contact details for either: The signatory, or; The location where the ceremony was held (for example, the church or registry office), including an email address. This information is essential should the FCDO need to verify the signature on the document.
Laminated or hard-backed documents
We are unable to legalise laminated or hard-backed documents, as it is not possible to securely attach the apostille certificate. To proceed with legalisation, you will need to either: Remove the laminate or hard backing, or; Obtain a replacement document without these features from the issuing authority.
Incomplete documents
If your document contains multiple pages, please ensure that all pages are included when submitting it for legalisation. Any pages that are referenced or covered by a certification must also be submitted together as one complete set. Incomplete documents will not be accepted for apostille or legalisation.
Helpful tip
If you’re unsure whether your document meets FCDO standards, email to apostille@theapostille.co.uk before posting it. Our experts will review it and help you avoid rejection or delays.
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Contact our UK Apostille experts
At The Apostille, we understand that document legalisation can feel complex — which is why our mission is to make it simple, transparent, and completely stress-free.
Our UK-based experts guide you through every step — from selecting the right service to ensuring your documents are accurately prepared, legalised, and ready for international use.
Whether you need an apostille, embassy attestation, certified translation, or a replacement certificate, our specialists handle everything with speed, care, and precision.
We’re proud to offer a service that’s responsive, transparent, and professional — trusted by individuals, law firms, and businesses across the UK and worldwide.
Our multilingual team is here to help — we speak Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Pashto, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Urdu, ensuring clear communication and smooth service every step of the way.
Get in touch today and experience a document legalisation service that’s efficient, reliable, and completely hassle-free.
Apostille services — frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Apostille and document legalisation
If you’re new to apostille services, you may have questions about which documents can be legalised, how long it takes, and what the process involves. At The Apostille, we’ve answered the most common queries to help make the process clear, simple, and stress-free.