UK Apostille Certificates and Apostilled Documents Explained

If you need to provide a UK document to an official, business, or other entity in another country, you may need to have it ‘legalised’ so that it will be recognised as legal and genuine. In the UK, you can have a document legalised by ordering a UK ‘apostille’ certificate. As part of the apostille certification process, your UK documents will be checked, and if approved, a stamped official apostille certificate will be attached. Such is the international demand for apostille services, it is estimated that over 5 million apostilles were issued globally in 2024.

What Is an Apostille?

An ‘apostille’ is simply a stamped official certificate that is attached to a UK document to confirm that it is authentic. ‘Authentic’ in this sense means that the document is genuine and was issued by a recognised authority (e.g. HMRC, Companies House and the Home Office). When a document is verified as being genuine by an approved apostle service in the UK, it becomes ‘legalised’. 

An apostille can either be paper-based or electronic (known as an ‘e-Apostille’). The digital method is typically much easier and faster than the paper-based method. The ordering process involves uploading the UK document in the form of a PDF file, which has been electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor (if necessary). 

What is involved in the apostille process?

As part of the apostle process, any signatures, stamps, and seals on the document will be checked for authenticity. If they match, the document will be approved, and an apostle will be attached. Apostilled documents can be provided to entities in other countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Convention.

In some cases, it may be necessary to have a document certified by a notary or Solicitor before completing the apostille process. Please see below for when you may need to have your document certified by a recognised UK public official. 

What type of documents can be legalised?

A wide range of document types can be apostilled in the UK, including the following:

Document Type	Description
UK Court of Law	The document must be sealed with a wet ink seal by the court administrator.
Public Registry	Documents issued by the public register, such as birth, marriage, and death certificates, and company incorporation certificates from Companies House.
Government Departments	Documents signed by an official, such as a letter of confirmation of tax registration.
Registered Doctor	Medical reports and certificates signed by a registered doctor.
UK Company Documents	Includes Certificates of Incorporation, Memorandum and Articles of Association, Annual Returns, and Certificates of Good Standing.
Financial Documents	Includes HMRC letters, tax filings, and official bank letters.
Legal Documents	Includes court orders, sworn affidavits, Powers of Attorney, and trademark registrations.
Contracts and Agreements	Includes business contracts, shareholder agreements, and overseas property purchase documents.

When might a document need to be legalised?

There are many reasons that a legalised UK document may need to be provided to an overseas entity, including:

• To open a foreign business bank account
• To register your company in another jurisdiction
• To present proof of your company’s legitimacy in overseas dealings
• When securing foreign investment or negotiating international partnerships
• When providing information to officials in a Hague Convention member countries
• When providing incorporation certificates, Articles of Association or Certificates of Good Standing to foreign banks, investors or government officials
• A Power of Attorney document may be needed to enable overseas lawyers to handle property transactions on your behalf
• When dealing with estates, wills, or inheritance issues abroad, an apostilled Will or probate document may be required by an overseas lawyer
• If you plan to get married or need to present divorce documents abroad, you may need to provide apostilled documents to ensure legal recognition.
• To verify the authenticity of documents like contracts or commercial agreements for international trade or business operations
• For birth certificates, marriage certificates, or academic transcripts when applying for immigration or visa applications to another country
• When submitting diplomas, degrees, or academic transcripts to universities or educational institutions in other countries
• Documents such as adoption papers may need to be legalised for the adoption process to be recognised internationally
• During legal proceedings in other countries, you may be asked to provide UK court judgments, affidavits, or legal declarations
• If you work internationally, you may be asked to provide an apostilled document to verify your qualifications, work experience, or employment contracts
• To validate a health insurance claim, you may need to have your medical records or certificates legalised, and
• When providing a birth certificate, death certificate, or other personal identification documents to an overseas entity.

It is important to check if the type of UK document you need to send overseas requires certification by a notary or solicitor before it is submitted for legalisation (see below for more details).

Why is it important to have UK documents legalised?

Without an apostille, the overseas entity you are dealing with may reject the documents you have provided simply because they cannot be sure they are genuine and valid. This is why it is always important to check if your UK documents need to be legalised before sending them to avoid the possibility of delay or refusal. This may be the case, for example, for entrepreneurs who wish to set up a business in another country or enter into a commercial contractual agreement in a foreign jurisdiction. In this type of case, any delays in getting the paperwork agreed upon may lead to loss of commercial advantage. Ultimately, when it comes to sending UK documents overseas, it is always recommended to be on the safe side.

Do documents need to be certified by a notary before being legalised?

Some documents can be legalised (typically government-issued documents) without being certified by a notary, including court and sealed documents with a wet ink court seal, public registry documents, government department documents signed by an official and documents issued by registered doctors. No further certification is required in these scenarios because documents such as birth, marriage and death certificates usually come with an official seal and will be accepted as authentic without further checks.

Academic, qualification and other personal or business documents not issued by an official government body may first need to be certified by a UK ‘public official’, such as a UK notary or Solicitor. Such documents may include power of attorney, contracts or qualification certificates. In addition, if you wish to use a copy of a document such as a passport or a driving licence, it will need to be certified by a notary or Solicitor that it is a true copy of the original. 

How can I get an apostille in the UK?

At Uniwide Formations, we offer a complete apostille service, which includes a document review, certification by a Solicitor if necessary, and submission of the documents to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in the UK. Once your document has been processed by the FCDO, we will ensure that it is returned to you as soon as possible. 

Apostilles normally take around 10 days to process. If you require your documents legalised faster, we offer an urgent service, which is typically completed within 3 working days. 

Digital vs paper-based apostilles

Apostilles can be issued electronically or in paper form. The electronic version is called an ‘e-apostille’). Both paper and digital apostille applications can be made online. It is not possible to request an e-apostille for certain types of documents, however, including:

• Birth, death, marriage, civil partnership and adoption certificates, or any other document from the General Register Office
• ACRO police certificates for England and Wales
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificates for England and Wales
• disclosure certificates for Scotland and Northern Ireland
• fingerprint certificates
• membership certificates for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)

Checking the requirements for your UK documents

If you are unsure of the requirements for your documents, we recommend checking with the overseas entity to ask if they require:

1. An original or certified copy
2. A digital or paper version of the document (see below for more information)
3. A single apostille for a group of documents, or a separate apostille for each document, and
4. The document is to be certified by a notary or Solicitor in the UK. 

Alternatively, we offer a complete apostille service, which includes a preliminary check to validate if certification by a Solicitor is necessary.

How much does an apostille cost?

Apostille fees vary, depending on document type and service speed. Paper-based options usually cost more, especially for urgent requests. Delivery fees may apply. Our pricing reflects added service charges to manage the entire process on your behalf. For detailed quotes and guidance, please contact us.

Final words

We hope you found this guide to apostille certificates and apostilled documents useful. As we have discussed, sending important documents from the UK to another country, whether for business, immigration, or other reasons, may necessitate the use of an apostille service. Using a UK apostille service is the best way to ensure that UK documents are seen as genuine and accepted for their intended purpose. In turn, this will ensure that your legal or other important matter is resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible.

You Might Also Like:

• Everything You Must Know about a UK Certificate of Incorporation
• Certificate of Good Standing: Order Form
• What is a Certificate of Good Standing and how do I get one?