Apostilles in Britain
Apostilles in the UK provide legalisation to public documents. This legalisation of documents is done confirming that the signature, seal or stamp on the document is indeed an original from that public office. Once that document is legalised, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) attaches an Apostille certificate to the document confirming that it is original.
Process to get Documents Legalised with Apostille in the UK:
- You can go in person, or send your documents by post/mail or courier:
Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
King Charles Street,
London.
SW1A 2AH - Cost:
- £30 per document
- Include an additional £6 for return postage (if applying from outside of the UK, please see the FCO website for additional return postage details).
- Do not send cash. You can pay by credit/debit, postal order or company cheque both payable to the "Foreign and Commonwealth Office."
- Things to send:
- Completed "Legalisation Application Form," available on the FCO website.
- A self-addressed return envelope.
- Time frame:
- If your application is straightforward the FCO aims to complete and dispatch it to you by the end of the next working day.
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For more information, visit the FCO website.
UK Educational Document Requirements:
1) Accreditation:
All degree certificates submitted for legalisation must be awarded by an institution recognised by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)
All other UK educational certificates must be accredited by one of the following:
- UK Border Agency
- Scottish Qualifications Authority
- OfQual
- British Accreditation Council
- Open and Distance Learning Quality Council
- Association of British Language Schools
2) Appropriate certification:
The FCO can legalise photocopies of certificates of UK academic qualifications if:
- They have been certified as a true copy of the original in the UK by a practising UK solicitor or notary public
UK Criminal Background Check Document Requirements:
The FCO can only legalise your original document if:
- It bears the original signature of an official from the issuing authority
Or
- The original document has been signed and certified in the UK by a solicitor or notary public with a current practising certificate
They cannot legalise certified photocopies of these documents under any circumstances. They cannot legalise any document that has been attached to a photocopy of one of these documents.
For more information about having documents certified by a solicitor or notary public, please visit the FCO's FAQ page.
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