In this brief guide, Fast Legalisation explains the role of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in getting an apostille.
What is the FCDO Apostille service?
In England, the FCDO is the only official body authorised to issue apostilles.
Before going to the FCDO, your document may need to be notarised by a notary public, who will then request an apostille for your document on your behalf.
If you would like a quicker turnaround, you will need to use an Apostille Service through an agent like Fast Legalisation. This is because members of the public are unable to access the premium service directly. We are, however, registered to attend the FCDO in person on your behalf for same-day processing.
What is an apostille?
Each country has its own legalisation requirements, but an apostille is the most widely accepted validation of a document. The apostille is a separate document that is attached to an original document to confirm its legitimacy.
Which countries issue and recognise apostilles?
For countries which are party to the Hague Convention, the process of legalisation is fairly simple. In these cases, an apostille from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is all that is usually required for a document to be recognised abroad. A full list of Hague Convention countries is below:
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Burundi
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Korea
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macao
- Malawi
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niue
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tajikistan
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom (UK)
- Uruguay
- United States of America (USA)
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
What documents might need an apostille?
Any UK-issued documents that are to be used overseas will require an apostille if they are being used for official purposes. Documents that commonly require an apostille include:
- Marriage Certificates
- Birth Certificates
- Leaving Certificates
- Police Clearances
- Registration Certificates
- Powers of Attorney
- Medical Certificates
- Educational Documents
The Process
Once a document has been notarised, it is usually necessary for the notary’s signature and seal to be certified as genuine by the Government. This process is called legalisation. The full process of getting your document legalised is broken down below.
For a full breakdown of the most commonly asked questions about apostilles and how to get them, read our FAQs.