Apostille & Legalisation Service
When you need an apostille in the UK, you usually need it yesterday – and you also need to be absolutely sure your documents will be accepted abroad. Certified Visa Translation helps you get your UK documents certified, translated and apostilled correctly the first time, so you don’t lose time, money, or visa appointments.
Whether you’re applying for a UK visa, moving abroad, getting married overseas, or dealing with foreign authorities, we combine professional certified translation and UK apostille legalisation into one streamlined, stress-free service.
Key benefits at a glance
Apostille UK service for personal, legal, academic and corporate documents
Integrated certified translations for passports, certificates and contracts
Accepted by embassies, consulates, courts and immigration authorities
Clear timelines, competitive fixed fees, and proactive updates
UK-based support team specialising in visa and immigration paperwork
What Is an Apostille in the UK?
An apostille is an official certificate issued under the Hague Apostille Convention that confirms a UK public document is genuine, so it can be recognised abroad without further legalisation. In the UK, the apostille is issued by the Legalisation Office of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
In practical terms, “apostille” meaning is simply: a stamp or attached certificate that confirms the signature, seal or stamp on your document matches official records. Once your British document is apostilled, authorities in other Hague Convention countries no longer need to re-legalise it.
Quick definitions (for clarity)
Definition of apostille (UK):
An official certificate attached by the FCDO to a UK public document to confirm it is authentic for use abroad under the Hague Convention Apostille UK system.What does apostille mean on a document?
It means the document has passed a government check and is now recognised as valid for use in another country that recognises the apostille.What is an apostille stamp / certificate?
A separate sheet or stamp added to your document, listing the country, signatory, date, and unique reference number, signed by the Legalisation Office.
If you see wording like “apostille documents UK”, “British apostille”, “apostille England” or “apostille Great Britain”, all of these usually refer to the same thing: the official apostille issued by the UK Legalisation Office.
Which UK Documents Need an Apostille?
You may need to legalise documents in the UK (get them apostilled) if a foreign authority, university, employer, or registry office asks for “apostilled documents” or “legalisation”. Common examples include:
Birth, marriage and death certificates
Apostille wedding certificate UK / apostille marriage certificate
Apostille for marriage certificate UK for weddings abroad
Civil partnership and adoption certificates
Certificates of No Impediment (CNI) for marriage abroad
Divorce decrees and court orders
Passports and ID copies (usually certified by a solicitor or notary first)
Police clearance / criminal record checks (ACRO, DBS, NPCC)
Residence permits, immigration letters and visa-related documents
Here, apostille and passport translation for UK visas often go hand-in-hand. Many clients need their passports and civil status documents translated and certified as well as apostilled for use with embassies or visa centres.
Degree certificates, diplomas, transcripts
Professional licences and registrations
Training certificates, CPD and membership certificates
Certificates of Incorporation, Good Standing, Companies House documents
Board resolutions, powers of attorney, shareholder agreements
Contracts, agency agreements, commercial invoices
If you’re unsure whether your document needs to be certified and apostilled, our team can review a scan and confirm the correct route before you post anything.
Apostille UK vs Legalisation – What’s the Difference?
In everyday language, people use “apostille” and “legalisation” interchangeably, which can be confusing.
In the UK, “getting a document legalised” means sending it to the FCDO Legalisation Office so they can check the signature/seal and attach an apostille certificate.
For countries that have signed the Hague Apostille Convention, that single apostille is enough. This is the standard apostille service.
For non-Hague countries, you often need embassy or consulate legalisation after the apostille (for example, UAE, Qatar or China).
So, when people search for “legalisation documents” or “apostille service UK”, they usually mean:
FCDO apostille; and
Sometimes additional embassy stamping, depending on the destination country.
Certified Visa Translation can handle everything: translation, notary/solicitor certification, apostille, and where needed, embassy legalisation.
How Our Apostille Service UK Works
We’ve designed our UK apostille service to be as simple and transparent as possible, whether you’re in London, elsewhere in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland – or overseas needing a British apostille.
Free document review
Upload a clear scan or photo of your documents. We confirm whether they can be apostilled, and whether they first need notary/solicitor certification or certified translation.Clear quote & turnaround
You receive a written quote outlining:Our service fee
Official FCDO apostille fee(s)
Any notary/solicitor or embassy costs
Estimated timeframe (standard vs priority, where available)
Send us your originals or notarised copies
For paper apostilles: you post documents to our UK processing office.
For eligible e-Apostille cases, we can often work from digitally signed PDFs via secure upload.
We certify, legalise and track
Our team arranges any required notary certification or solicitor certification, then submits your documents to the FCDO Legalisation Office under the appropriate service option.Apostilled & translated documents returned
Once your apostille documents are ready, we:Add certified translations where requested
Check everything matches the requirements of the destination country or visa authority
Return by tracked courier or secure post, worldwide
Why Choose Certified Visa Translation for Apostille UK?
There are many apostille agencies in the market. Certified Visa Translation is built specifically around visa, immigration and official document compliance, which means we go beyond simple document forwarding.
A lot of our clients are:
Applying for UK visas, British citizenship, or permanent residence
Relocating abroad for work or study
Getting married overseas
Buying property or opening companies abroad
In almost all of these scenarios, you don’t just need apostille UK; you also need accurate certified translations into or from foreign languages.
Our in-house team specialises in passport translation, birth & marriage certificate translation, and supporting documents for UK visas and foreign consulates. So instead of juggling separate translators and legalisation firms, you get a single partner who:
Translates your documents accurately
Ensures they meet UKVI, embassy, and consular formatting requirements
Arranges any notary certification
Manages the full apostille and legalisation chain
If you’re dealing with Portuguese authorities – for example, registering a marriage, buying property or applying for residence – you may need Portuguese translations plus UK apostille on your British certificates. Our dedicated translator for Portuguese service handles sworn-style translations that match Portuguese legal and notarial practice, then integrates them into the apostille and legalisation process.
Visa-focused expertise – built around passport translation UK visa, immigration and consular requirements
Nationwide & international service – not just an apostille London office; we serve clients across the UK and overseas
End-to-end handling – translation, notary, apostille and, where needed, embassy legalisation
Transparent pricing – no surprise “extras” after you’ve posted your documents
Trusted by repeat clients – law firms, relocation companies, HR teams and private clients
Apostille for Common Life Events and Documents
If you’re marrying abroad, you may be asked for: apostille wedding certificate UK, apostille marriage certificate, or your Certificate of No Impediment with apostille. We verify exactly what the foreign registry office or consulate expects, then prepare your marriage-related documents with the right combination of certified translation, notary certification and apostille so they are accepted without delay.
For visas, citizenship, and children’s residence permits, you’ll often need apostilled birth certificates, passport copies and, in some cases, parental consent forms for travel. We arrange:
Certified copies of passports, signed by a solicitor or notary
Certified and apostilled birth certificates and supporting letters
Translations into the destination language, aligned with immigration guidance
This is particularly important when dealing with strict systems where a mistake can mean losing a visa slot or start date.
Universities, professional regulators and foreign employers often ask for apostilled:
Degrees, diplomas and transcripts
Professional licences
Employment letters and reference letters
Corporate documents issued by Companies House
We can bundle related documents where appropriate (for example, several degree documents for the same person) and structure the process to minimise cost while remaining compliant with FCDO rules.
Who Can Apostille a Document in the UK?
A very common question is: “Who can apostille a document UK?” or “Can a notary apostille my document?”
In the United Kingdom, the only body that can issue an official apostille certificate on UK public documents is the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office – Legalisation Office.
Notaries and solicitors cannot issue an apostille themselves. Instead, they certify a copy or signature, which is then presented to the FCDO for apostille.
Private companies (including us) act as professional intermediaries, preparing your documents correctly and submitting them to the Legalisation Office on your behalf.
So when you see terms like “apostille notary”, “apostille near me”, “apostille London”, these normally refer to services that combine:
Notary/solicitor certification (where required), and
Submission to the FCDO for the official apostille United Kingdom certificate.
Using a specialist service like Certified Visa Translation can significantly reduce the risk of rejection and the need to resend documents.
How We Work With Official Sources
We always work in line with the official GOV.UK guidance on getting documents legalised and the Hague Apostille Convention rules.
Where appropriate, we will refer you to:
The official UK guidance on how to apply for legalisation and apostille
Official lists of UK notaries and solicitors if a specific type of certification is required
Destination-country guidance (embassies, consulates or ministries) to ensure your apostilled documents and translations meet local rules
This combination of practical service plus strict adherence to official rules is what keeps our apostilled documents being accepted around the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can get many UK public documents apostilled, including certificates from the General Register Office, court orders, Companies House documents, and documents signed by a registered doctor or public official. Other documents, such as contracts, passports and qualifications, can be apostilled once they have been certified by a UK notary or solicitor.
The FCDO Legalisation Office charges per document, currently £45 for standard paper apostilles, £40 for next-day (for registered business users), and £35 for e-Apostilles, plus any courier or postage costs. On top of this, you may pay notary/solicitor fees, translation fees and service fees for handling the process. Certified Visa Translation will provide a clear, itemised quote before you send your documents.
Officially, standard paper apostilles usually take up to 15 working days, while e-Apostilles are often issued in up to 2 working days from the FCDO receiving your documents. Our service time includes any notary certification and postage; for urgent cases we can often use faster routes where you qualify (for example, priority business channels or combined courier options).
If the destination country does not operate in English, you’ll almost always need a certified translation of your documents alongside the apostille. For example, foreign immigration offices and registries often require translated and apostilled birth, marriage and passport documents. Because we are a translation-led service, we can produce translations and manage apostille and legalisation as a single, coordinated project.
Yes. Many of our clients live abroad but need a British apostille on UK-issued documents. You can send original certificates or arrange replacement copies to be posted directly to us. We then coordinate any translation, notary certification, apostille and embassy legalisation, and return your documents via tracked international courier.
We’re transparent rather than claiming to be the cheapest apostille service UK. Extremely low prices can sometimes hide missing steps such as notary fees, courier charges or embassy costs, which leads to delays or rejection. Our focus is on fair, competitive pricing with full compliance and clear communication, so your documents are accepted the first time.