Registry records
- Birth certificates
- Marriage certificates
- Death certificates
- Eligible Companies House records
UK document legalisation
UK Apostille Service for Documents Used Abroad
Get help identifying the correct apostille route for a UK-issued document before it is submitted for overseas use. First Elite Global can review the document type, destination and receiving authority, identify whether prior solicitor or notary certification may be required, and coordinate the appropriate legalisation route.
The apostille itself is issued by the UK Legalisation Office.
First Elite Global provides document-route and processing support rather than acting as the issuing authority.
Start with the document, destination country and receiving organisation.
Personal
Birth, marriage, identity and other eligible records
Educational
Qualifications and academic documents where eligible
Business
Companies House, contracts and corporate documents
What an apostille does
Legalisation confirms the official signature, stamp or seal
A UK apostille is an official legalisation certificate.
The Legalisation Office checks whether relevant signatures, stamps or seals on an eligible UK document match its records. If they do, it legalises the document by attaching an apostille.
It authenticates the document for the required legalisation route
This can allow a UK-issued document to be presented abroad where the receiving authority has asked for legalisation.
It does not confirm every statement inside the document
The apostille relates to the relevant official signature, seal or stamp rather than independently verifying every fact stated in the document.
It does not guarantee acceptance for every application
The organisation receiving your document controls its own requirements, including whether it needs an original, certified copy, paper apostille, translation or additional attestation.
The destination should be checked before submission
Tell us where the document was issued, where it will be used and which organisation requested it so the route can be assessed before originals are sent.
Document eligibility
Which UK documents can be apostilled?
Certain official records can be eligible for legalisation in their existing form, while other documents need certification by an appropriate UK public official before the Legalisation Office can consider them.
Government & court
- Eligible government documents
- Court documents with the required seal
- Police or disclosure records where eligible
Education
- Degree certificates
- Qualification documents
- Other educational records where properly certified
Private & business
- Powers of attorney
- Contracts
- Certified passport copies
- Other documents certified by an appropriate UK public official
Not every document follows the same route.
A power of attorney, contract, qualification or copy document may need certification by a UK notary, solicitor or another appropriate public official before legalisation. Check the receiving organisation's instructions first.
Choose the correct format
Paper apostille or e-Apostille?
The UK Legalisation Office offers both paper and electronic apostilles, but the correct format depends on the document itself and what the receiving organisation is willing to accept.
Paper-based apostille
Used where a physical apostille is requested or where the document is not eligible for the electronic route.
- Physical documents are submitted through the permitted route
- The completed legalised document is returned physically
- Needed for several document categories that cannot use e-Apostille
e-Apostille
A digital apostille route available for eligible PDF documents that meet the Legalisation Office requirements.
- Eligible documents are submitted electronically
- The completed legalised document is supplied digitally
- Recipient acceptance of the electronic format should be checked first
Some documents cannot currently receive a UK e-Apostille. GOV.UK lists General Register Office birth, death, marriage, civil partnership and adoption certificates among the exclusions, together with ACRO certificates, DBS certificates and certain other records.
If you are unsure which format applies, send the document type and receiving-country instructions for review before choosing a route.
A clearer route
How the UK apostille process works
The exact sequence changes with the document and destination, but the first decision should always be what the receiving authority actually requires.
01
Tell us what the document is for
Identify the document, issuing country, destination country, receiving organisation and any written instructions you have received.
02
Check whether certification comes first
We can identify whether the route appears to require an original, certified copy, solicitor certification or notarisation before legalisation.
03
Confirm paper or electronic legalisation
Document eligibility and the receiving authority's requirements determine whether paper apostille or e-Apostille is appropriate.
04
Coordinate the apostille application
The eligible document is prepared for the appropriate UK Legalisation Office route. The apostille is issued by that government office, not by First Elite Global.
05
Complete any further destination steps
Where an apostille is not the final requirement, embassy, consular, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, translation or other destination-specific stages may follow.
Current official options
How long does a UK apostille take?
The Legalisation Office publishes different processing periods for its paper and electronic services. These are government processing options, not a guarantee of First Elite Global's total end-to-end turnaround.
| Legalisation Office option | Current official fee | Published processing period | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard paper apostille | £45 per document, plus return costs | Usually up to 25 working days | Paper document route |
| e-Apostille | £35 per document | Up to 2 working days | Only for eligible electronic documents |
| Next-Day paper service | £40 per document | Next working day | Registered businesses only |
| Restricted Urgent paper service | £100 per document | Same day | Registered businesses only and applications must be pre-approved |
Official fees, eligibility and processing periods can change, and some applications take longer where a signature or other detail needs additional verification. Certification, document preparation, courier time, embassy stages and First Elite Global service fees are separate from the Legalisation Office figures above.
When an apostille is not the final step
Using UK documents in the UAE or another destination requiring further legalisation
Some destinations require more than the UK apostille stage. GOV.UK describes a further legalisation sequence for countries outside the Apostille Convention framework: UK Legalisation Office, the destination country's embassy in London, and then the destination country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs where required.
Prepare the UK document
Confirm whether the original or a properly certified document is required.
FCDO / Legalisation Office
Obtain the appropriate UK legalisation before moving to a destination-specific attestation stage.
Embassy or consular stage where required
The destination country's mission may need to attest or legalise the already apostilled document.
Destination-country requirement
Ministry, translation or receiving-authority requirements may still need to be completed.
First Elite Global support
Get the document route clear before you submit
The useful part of an apostille service is not simply sending paperwork. It is identifying the correct document format, certification stage and destination sequence before avoidable submissions are made.
Route review
Start with the issuing country, destination, document type and receiving authority rather than assuming every document needs the same procedure.
Certification check
Identify whether the document appears to need solicitor, notary or other public-official certification before legalisation.
Apostille coordination
Prepare the document for the appropriate Legalisation Office route while keeping the government issuing role clear.
Further attestation where applicable
Where the destination requires additional embassy, Ministry or translation steps, the wider authentication route can be considered alongside the apostille.
Questions before submission
UK apostille FAQs
Check the destination and recipient requirements before sending an original document or paying for a legalisation route.
What is a UK apostille?
A UK apostille is the certificate attached by the Legalisation Office when it can verify the relevant official signature, stamp or seal on an eligible UK document. It is used where a foreign recipient has asked for the document to be legalised.
Who issues an apostille in the UK?
The apostille is issued by the UK Legalisation Office. First Elite Global can assist with reviewing the proposed document route, preparation requirements and coordination, but it does not itself issue the government apostille.
Does my document need to be notarised or certified first?
It depends on the document. Certain registry, government and court documents can be eligible in their existing official form. Other documents, including some qualifications, contracts, powers of attorney and certified copies, may need certification by a UK solicitor, notary or another appropriate public official first.
Can birth and marriage certificates receive an e-Apostille?
General Register Office birth, death, marriage, civil partnership and adoption certificates are currently listed by GOV.UK as ineligible for the e-Apostille route. A paper-based apostille may therefore be required.
How long does a UK apostille take?
Current GOV.UK guidance says the standard paper service usually takes up to 25 working days, while an eligible e-Apostille can take up to 2 working days. Separate next-day and restricted-urgent paper services exist for registered businesses subject to their specific eligibility rules. Additional certification and delivery time may apply.
Does an apostille guarantee that my document will be accepted abroad?
No. An apostille authenticates the relevant official signature, stamp or seal for the legalisation process. The receiving authority still decides whether the document, format, translation and other supporting requirements are acceptable for the particular application.
What happens if the destination requires more than an apostille?
Additional embassy, consular or Ministry of Foreign Affairs legalisation may be required depending on the country and receiving authority. The destination should therefore be identified before the document route is started.
What should I send in my first enquiry?
Tell us the document type, where it was issued, the destination country, who will receive it and any written requirements you have been given. Start with a clear scan or description where possible rather than sending an irreplaceable original before the route has been reviewed.
Start with the destination
Not sure what your UK document needs before it can be used abroad?
Send the document type, destination country and receiving organisation. First Elite Global can review the proposed route and identify the next stage before you commit an original document to the process.
UK: 020 8044 9040 · Email: hello@firsteliteglobal.com
