APOSTILLE FAQs
The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Apostilles.
What is an apostille? How do I get an apostille?
Need more information about apostilles and document legalisation? You are in the right place! Here we answer some of the most frequently asked questions. If you cannot find the answer you need, please contact us for free apostille advice.
The apostille is added to a document to ‘legalise’ the document for use in another country.
If you have a UK document that you need to use outside of the UK, you may have been asked to get the apostille. Adding an apostille to a document enables the overseas authority to check that the signature or seal on your document has been checked by the UK government (the FCDO Legalisation Office).
The Legalisation Office keep a register of signatures and seals commonly added to documents. When they have checked a documents seal or signature, they add the apostille certificate to the back of the document. Anyone overseas can then use the FCDO website to verify the apostille number on the document.
You can order your apostille online.
- Choose the apostille service you need for your document
- Apostille only for government documents and pre-certified documents
- Solicitor AND apostille for documents that need to be signed by our solicitor
- Order and pay online
- We issue an order number
- Send your document to us with the order number
For more information visit our how to order page.
Some documents can be emailed to us. We can arrange to verify many academic documents with universities, for an additional charge. UK company documents we can verify or download from Companies House can also be emailed to us. If you need advice please contact us to discuss your documents.
The short answer
We guarantee to provide an apostille on any genuine UK document that is correctly prepared and suitable for legalisation. If your document has not been signed, stamped or certified correctly we will contact you to discuss how to resolve the matter or the best way to obtain a different document. We will work with you and provide assistance or advice to ensure we can legalise the document. If, for any reason, we cannot provide the apostille we will immediately explain why and refund the payment for the apostille. No apostille = no payment!
The longer answer
Is obtaining an Apostille always guaranteed?
No, obtaining an Apostille is not always guaranteed as it does depend on the document you send us. If you send a document we cannot process, we will refund and explain why it cannot be processed in the UK. If we cannot process your document, no UK apostille service will be able to.
What factors could affect the issuance of an Apostille?
Factors that could affect the issuance include the document’s origin, type, and purpose; whether the document has been properly notarised, certified or stamped.
Are there any documents that cannot receive an Apostille?
Yes, certain documents cannot receive an Apostille. These typically include documents executed by diplomatic or consular agents, administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations, and documents that have not been certified or notarised properly. We cannot add the apostille to most non-UK documents. We issue the UK apostille on UK documents.
What should I do if my document is not eligible for an Apostille?
If your document is not eligible for an Apostille, we will explain why. You may need to seek alternative methods of authentication, such as consulate legalisation or legalisation in the country where the document was issued.
How can I ensure my document will be accepted for an Apostille?
To enhance the likelihood of acceptance, ensure your document is properly notarised, certified or stamped (if necessary), check that it falls within the types of documents eligible for an Apostille, and always contact us for free advice on your document.
Can the Apostille be rejected in the country where I intend to use it?
Whilst it is most unlikely, yes, it’s possible. Even if an Apostille is correctly issued, the authority in the destination country may reject it if it does not meet their specific legal requirements or if there are doubts about its authenticity, or you have submitted the wrong document.
What are the common reasons for an Apostille to be rejected?
Common reasons include discrepancies in the document, lack of necessary stamps or signatures, or the document not being recognised under the law of the country where it is presented.
Where can I get more information or assistance about Apostilles?
For more information or assistance, contact us for FREE advice.
In short, there is no expiry date on the apostille! Most apostilles are accepted for many years after it has been issued to your document. The apostille has an issue date, but it does not have an expiry date.
However, you may find that an organisation or government in another country ask that the apostille is only 3 or 6 months old.
This is common when the document in question is time sensitive. For example, documents confirming you are single, criminal record background checks and other documents that are factually correct at the time they are issued may only be accepted within certain time frames.
The short answer
The main reason to use our apostille service is speed! The government legalisation office take several weeks to issue the apostille. We complete most orders in just a few days.
The long answer
- Convenience and Ease of Use: The Apostille service provides a more user-friendly experience. We guide you through the complexities of the legalisation process, which can be particularly helpful if you are not familiar with the procedures or legal requirements.
- Time-Saving: The process of obtaining an apostille through the FCDO can be time-consuming, especially for those who are not well-versed in the procedure. Our apostille service streamlines this process, hand processing your document to save you weeks in the legalisation process.
- Expertise and Experience: We specialise in document legalisation and are well-versed in the latest requirements and procedures. We have experienced staff who can foresee and resolve potential issues that might arise during the legalisation process.
- Additional Services: We offer additional services such as document translation, solicitor certification, and courier services. This can be extremely helpful if you require a full suite of services to prepare your documents for international use.
- Handling of Complex Cases: If your documents are unusual or the requirements for legalisation are complex, our apostille service can provide the necessary expertise to handle such cases effectively.
- Reduced Risk of Rejection: We help reduce the risk of your documents being rejected due to errors or non-compliance with specific legalisation requirements.
- Convenient for Overseas Applicants: If you are not currently residing in the UK, dealing directly with the FCDO can be challenging. Our apostille services can act as a bridge, handling the process on your behalf.
- Customer Support: We provide dedicated customer support to answer questions and provide updates on the status of your document legalisation.
- Reliability: Reputable apostille services, like 1Apostille are reliable and ensure that your documents are processed correctly and returned safely.
Yes, you can order more than one apostille for several documents at the same time. You can also place one order for more than one person. You simply order the correct number of apostilles. During the checkout process you can provide us with details of what the documents are and who they are for.
When ordering we need the contact details for the person placing the order. It does not have to be anyone named on the documents. Anyone can place an order to process someone else’s documents. This makes ordering simple and saves you postal costs sending documents to us in one ordder.
In the UK there is NO same day apostille service. The UK government closed the same day counter in January 2024. We complete most apostille orders in around 2 days. Hand delivering documents to the FCDO Legalisation Office to legalise documents as quickly as possible. There is no faster way of getting an apostille.
No, not all documents need to be notarised or certified before the apostille can be added. There are a lot of public documents that have the apostille issued without any additional notarisation or solicitor certification. When a document contains a recognised official signature, stamp or seal, further notarisation/certification is not required and should not be added.
Common documents that DO NOT need notarising/certifying include –
Birth Certificate
Marriage Certificate
Death certificates
Adoption Certificates
Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage
Decree Absolute or Decree Nisi with ‘wet ink’ court stamps
Court documents & Probates with ‘wet ink’ court stamps
Certificates of Good Standing
Companies House Registrar signed documents
HM Revenue and Customs letters signed by HMRC officer
Certificate of Residence documents signed by HMRC officer
ACPO, ACRO, NPCC, Police letters
This list is not exhaustive!
For free advice do not hesitate to contact us.
In 2022, the UK government finally introduced the e-apostille for UK documents. This is often referred to as an electronic apostille.
The e-apostille is a digital apostille certificate that is added to a digital document that contains a recognised digital signature. The entire process can be completed online with the FCDO Legalisation Office, but your PDF document must have a secure digital signature of a solicitor.
- Definition: An e-Apostille is a digital version of a traditional paper Apostille. It is an electronic certificate that is attached to a document, or a digital version of a public document, to authenticate its origin. This is particularly useful for electronic documents.
- Format and Security: The e-Apostille comes in a PDF format and is secured with electronic certification techniques. These techniques include digital signatures and electronic seals, ensuring the authenticity and integrity of the Apostille.
- Convenience and Efficiency: One of the primary advantages of an e-Apostille is its convenience. It can be issued and transmitted electronically, speeding up the process significantly compared to traditional paper-based Apostilles. This is especially beneficial for international transactions where time is of the essence.
- Legality and Acceptance: e-Apostilles are recognized under the Hague Apostille Convention by countries that have agreed to accept electronic Apostilles. However, it’s important to verify whether the specific country in which you intend to use the document accepts e-Apostilles.
- Access and Verification: e-Apostilles often come with enhanced features for verification. They can be easily verified online by the authorities or entities in the country where the document will be used. This assists in preventing fraud and ensures the document’s authenticity.
- Eco-Friendly: As an electronic document, the e-Apostille is more environmentally friendly, reducing the need for paper and physical mailing.
- Integration with e-Registers: Many issuing authorities maintain electronic registers (e-Registers) where issued e-Apostilles are logged. This allows for easy tracking and verification.
- Use Cases: e-Apostilles are commonly used for documents that have been digitally signed by a UK solicitor.
- Issuance: The issuance of an e-Apostille is done by the same authority that issue traditional Apostilles, the FCDO.
- Global Adoption: The adoption of e-Apostilles is gradually increasing around the world as countries modernise their legalisation processes to accommodate digital documents and streamline international document verification.
Example
To explain the process further, let us use a Companies House certificate as an example-
- Customer provides a PDF downloaded from Companies House – the UK company registrar
- A solicitor will check a digital document to make sure it is correct
- The solicitor will then upload the document to a digital certification platform to add their advanced digital signature
- An application is then made to the FCDO for an e-apostille. The digitally signed document is uploaded securely to the FCDO for checking and issue of a digital e-apostille.
- The document then has additional files attached with the digital authentication and e-apostille.
- This is then emailed to the customer on completion for use outside of the UK.
Not all documents can have an e-apostille. Please see our e-apostille pages for full details.
Sending Your Documents to The Apostille Service
We recommend that customers use a signed delivery service that is guaranteed, insured and quick when sending documents to for the apostille. In the UK, the Post Office offer a next working day special delivery service. Other UK courier firms will offer a next day or ‘signed for’ delivery option but your should check if this is insured and guaranteed. If sending a document to us by normal post, you do so at your own risk. Normal most is not insured, signed for and can take several days to arrive.
Returning your legalised documents to you
You can choose from several delivery options when you order the apostille service.
UK Customers
- UK First Class Post – Royal Mail should deliver your documents within 2-3 working days. This may not be suitable for urgent orders and there is no tracking available with this option.
- UK Courier – Items sent via our UK courier service will be delivered the next working day after dispatch.
Non-UK Customers
- Airmail – International airmail takes typically 1-2 weeks across Europe and around 2-4 weeks outside of Europe. This is not ra fast service, has no insurance and is limited to the service of the countries national post service.
- DHL – This international courier is the quickest and most secure delivery option offered for international return delivery of documents. Typically delivered in just 1-3 working days to most locations.
*The delivery times quoted are estimates based on expected delivery times. We do not guarantee return delivery times as these are subject to third parties.
We aim to complete all orders in around 1 to 2 working days. When solicitor certification is required it may be 2-3 days.
Occasionally some documents may tale a little longer. This is normally because the document has not been correctly prepared. It may not be signed correctly, pages my be missing, certification statements are not included, or the signatory is unknown to the FCDO. Every effort is made to process all orders in 2 days, but this is not a guarantee due to problems with some documents and the FCDO processing times.
In the event of a delay a member of the team will contact you to confirm this, and will advise how to proceed. Processing times will depend on when the documents arrive at our office and whether the document has been prepared correctly.
As an apostille service we work hard to complete your order in the shortest time possible. However, time is not the essence of the service as we work with third parties that can delay the service beyond our control.
Whether an Apostille is placed on an original document or a copy depends on the type of document and the specific requirements of the authority issuing the Apostille. Here are some general guidelines:
- Original Documents: Typically, Apostilles are affixed to original documents. These include birth certificates, marriage certificates, court orders, criminal record checks, and other official records. The authority providing the Apostille will verify the authenticity of the original document’s signature, seal, or stamp before issuing the Apostille.
- Notarised/Certified Copies: In some cases, an Apostille can be affixed to a solicitor certified copy of a document. This is common for documents where the original should not be altered or is impractical to submit, such as a passport, driver’s license, or certain business documents. A notary public or solicitor will make a photocopy of the original document and certify that the copy is true and accurate. The Apostille is then placed on the certified copy.
- Educational Documents: For academic documents like diplomas or transcripts, the process can vary. Some authorities require the original document to be apostilled, while others accept a certified copy.
- Documents Requiring Certification: Certain documents may need to be certified before an Apostille can be issued. For example, corporate documents might need a certificate from Companies House or a similar authority, certifying the authenticity of the document or the authority of the signatory.
- Country-Specific Requirements: The requirement for an original or a copy can also depend on the destination country’s regulations. Some countries might specifically require an Apostille on the original document, while others accept an Apostille on a certified copy.
- Legal Documents: Legal documents, such as powers of attorney, affidavits, and statutory declarations, typically require an Apostille on the original document signed in the presence of a notary.
- Consulting with Authorities: It is always advisable to check with the authority issuing the Apostille in your country, as well as the authority or entity in the destination country that will be receiving the document. They can provide specific guidance on whether an original or a copy is necessary in your case.
In summary, whether an Apostille is placed on an original document or a certified/notarised copy depends on the nature of the document, the requirements of the issuing authority, and the legal requirements of the country where the document will be used.
Yes, the Apostille is an official certification provided by a competent authority in a country that is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. In the UK this is the FCDO Legalisation Office. The primary purpose of an Apostille is to certify the authenticity of the signature on the document, the capacity in which the person signing the document acted, and, where applicable, the identity of the seal or stamp which the document bears.
Here are some key points about the official nature of an Apostille:
- Hague Apostille Convention: The Apostille is a product of the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, also known as the Apostille Convention. This international treaty simplifies the process of legalising documents so they are recognized in other member countries.
- International Recognition: An Apostille is recognized by all member countries of the Hague Convention. As of my last update in April 2023, there were over 100 member countries.
- Standard Format: The Apostille has a standard format prescribed by the convention. It is a square-shaped, stamped certificate, usually attached to the back of the document or as a separate attachment.
- Competent Authorities: Apostilles are issued by designated authorities in each member country. These authorities vary by country but are typically government offices or departments, such as the Foreign Office, State Department, Ministry of External Affairs, or other designated authorities. In the UK this is the FCDO Legalisation Office.
- Legitimacy and Legal Use: An Apostille legitimises a document for use in another country. It verifies that the document is genuine and that the signatures and seals on it are authentic.
- Purpose and Limitations: While an Apostille certifies the authenticity of the document, it does not validate the content of the document itself. The Apostille does not grant any sort of approval or endorsement of the content by the issuing authority.
- Public Documents: Apostilles are typically used for public documents, such as birth certificates, court orders, marriage certificates, and educational documents, among others.
- No Need for Further Legalization: Once a document has been apostilled, it does not need any further legalization by the embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used, as long as that country is a member of the Hague Convention.
The official nature of an Apostille makes it a critical tool in international document verification, facilitating smoother legal and business transactions across borders.
You can apply directly to the FCDO and wait around 4 weeks for the apostille. Alternatively, you can use an apostille service, like us, for a faster service with free advice and customer support through the application.
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What does the apostille look like?
The apostille has 10 section
It is signed by an officer at the FCDO Legalisation Office
It is stamped with an embossing seal with a government crest
The apostille is typically added to the back of a document
It is glued along one edge to the document