We pride ourselves on customer service and honesty in processing times. Here we provide a clear guide to how long we take to issue apostilles.

The Apostille: Processing Times

1Apostille exists to expedite the processing of your important documents, ensuring they are ready for international use as quickly as possible. Every effort is made to complete all orders in the shortest time possible. Processing times are a guide, based on expected turnaround. We cannot guarantee the time it takes to legalise a document.

1. Submission Timing: To achieve 1-2 day processing, your documents must arrive by 10am on a working day. We will endeavour to complete the order then next working day or the following day. This is not guaranteed, but we aim to meet this target.
2. Processing Information: Once received, the documents are reviewed for any issues. These can include, missing dates, no certification, unverified signatures, incorrect documents, which could delay the process.
3. Completion and Delivery: Assuming no problems, the documents will be processed and dispatched withing 1 to 2 days. In peak periods, processing might take 2-3 working days.
4. Comparison with FCDO: Our service is significantly faster than direct submissions to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which can take 4-6 weeks in the busiest periods.
5. Service Transparency: The company strives to be transparent about potential delays, ensuring clients are aware of the process and any issues that may arise.
6. Single Service Speed: Unlike other services that may offer different speeds, 1Apostille focuses on providing next-day delivery wherever possible, ensuring consistency and reliability. We do not delay your order or prioritise other orders. Every order is important to us.

Let’s look at an example of processing times

Your document arrives at our office before 10.00am on a Monday. We aim to complete this in just 1-2 working days.

• Arrives Monday + 1 day = Tuesday completion for dispatch from our office.
• Arrives Monday + 2 days = Wednesday completion for dispatch from our office.

Clarity on our apostille service.

We must stress, all processing times are a guide. Not a promise or guaranteed time-frame. We have to submit the documents to the FCDO, work with solicitors, government offices and independent couriers.

No Same Day Apostille Service

In the UK there is NO same day apostille service. If you are searching for a faster apostille service, you can save yourself some time and stop searching for a same day service. It does not exist.

What Can Delay the Apostille Service?

We work hard to keep to our 1-2 day processing times. Unfortunately, some factors can delay the apostille being issued on a UK document:

• Incorrect or Incomplete Documents: If the documents submitted are incorrect, incomplete, or not properly certified, it can lead to delays.
• High Demand: Periods of high demand for apostilles can lead to processing backlogs. This may add 1 or 2 days to completion times. We always try to minimise delays in the peak periods. June to September is typically the busiest time of year.
• Document Verification: Some documents may require additional verification, checks or certification before an apostille can be issued. This can be employment documents, academic certificates, company documents etc.
• Administrative Errors: Mistakes made during the application process, either by the applicant or the FCDO Legalisation Office, can cause delays.
• Postal Delays: If the documents are sent by post, delays in the postal service can affect the overall processing time. Couriers are faster and safer, but occasionally they may delay the delivery of your document.
• Payment Issues: Any issues with the payment of fees, such as incorrect amounts or failed transactions, can delay the process.
• Document Specificity: Certain types of documents may require more time to process due to their nature or the level of authentication required.
• Delivering documents to the FCDO: We have to take all documents to the FCDO to obtain the apostille. If there are problems on route to the FCDO (e.g. road closures), we may not be able to submit documents.