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Apostille Service UK

Apostille Service London | FCDO Same-Day Submission | Legalisation.Services
🏛️ FCDO-registered provider  ·  City of London EC2V  ·  +44 (0)20 3538 2848  ·  Same-day FCDO submission — next-day apostille available
FCDO Apostille Service

UK Apostille Service —
City of London,
Same-Day Submission

FCDO-registered. We submit your documents to the FCDO legalisation office the same day we receive them — next-day apostille available. Fixed prices, no hidden charges, tracked return.

FCDO Registered Provider
Same-Day Submission
Next-Day Apostille Available
125+ Countries Accepted
All UK Documents

Get a Free Quote

Response within 2 hours during business hours

Request Free Quote →

No obligation. Fixed price confirmed before we start.

🏛️ Guildhall, City of London EC2V
⚡ Same-day FCDO submission
🌍 125+ Hague Convention countries
✅ Pre-checked before submission
🔒 ICO registered — data protected
1
Working day — next-day apostille available
125+
Countries accepting Hague apostille
£85
All-inclusive standard apostille — from
0
Hidden charges — fixed price always

The Official UK Certificate for International Documents

An apostille (pronounced a-pos-STEEL) is an official certificate issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) that confirms a UK document is genuine for international use. It authenticates the signature, seal or stamp of the issuing UK authority — confirming to foreign governments that the document is a legitimate UK public record.

The apostille was established by the 1961 Hague Convention, which created a standardised, single-step authentication method recognised by over 125 member countries. For documents destined for Hague Convention member countries, an apostille is all that is required — no embassy or consulate verification is needed on top.

For countries that are not Hague Convention members — such as Vietnam or Taiwan — an apostille is still the first step, but embassy attestation is also required afterwards. We handle both stages as part of our country-specific legalisation services.

The FCDO does not certify the content of the document — only the authenticity of the official signature or seal. The apostille is attached as a certificate to your original document or certified copy.

What the apostille confirms
✍️
Authentic signature
The FCDO confirms the signature on the document belongs to a registered UK public official — a registrar, notary, solicitor, or government officer.
🔏
Genuine seal or stamp
Where a document bears an official seal or stamp, the apostille confirms it matches a registered UK public authority seal.
🌍
Internationally recognised
Once apostilled, foreign authorities in 125+ Hague Convention countries accept the document without further authentication.
📋
Not content verification
The FCDO does not verify or approve the content of the document itself — only the legitimacy of the issuing authority’s signature.

Fixed-Price Apostille Service — All Inclusive

All prices include the FCDO government fee (£50 for non-business applicants), our handling and submission fee, and tracked return. No extras at checkout.

Standard Apostille
For public documents that go direct to FCDO — birth, marriage, death, ACRO
£85
 per document
What’s included
  • FCDO government fee (£50 for non-business applicants) included
  • Same-day FCDO submission
  • Document pre-check before submission
  • Status updates throughout
  • Secure tracked return courier
Get Started →

⏱ Est. 3–5 working days

Apostille + Solicitor
For documents requiring solicitor certification before FCDO submission
From £105
 per document
What’s included
  • Solicitor certification of document
  • FCDO government fee (£50 for non-business applicants) included
  • Same-day FCDO submission
  • Document pre-check before each stage
  • Status updates throughout
  • Secure tracked return courier
Get Started →

⏱ Est. 4–6 working days

Volume discounts for 5+ documents. Law firm & corporate trade accounts available. Contact us for a bespoke quote.

Four Steps — We Handle Everything

As an FCDO-registered provider, we access the business counter directly — cutting out the public postal queue entirely.

1
Get a Quote
Tell us your document type and destination country. We confirm whether solicitor certification is needed and give a fixed price — usually within 2 hours.
2
Send Documents
Post or hand-deliver originals to our City of London office. We check every document before submission — catching issues before they cause delays.
3
FCDO Submission
We submit same-day to the FCDO business counter. Documents are not sent in the post — we hand-deliver to Hanslope Park daily as a registered provider.
4
Apostilled & Returned
Apostilled documents returned to you by tracked courier. For express orders, back the next working day. For standard orders, 3–5 working days.

Which Documents Need Apostilling?

Most UK public documents can be apostilled. The key question is whether solicitor certification or notarisation is required first.

Document Pre-Certification Apostille Type Typical Use
Birth CertificateNone requiredPaperVisas, residency, marriage abroad, citizenship
Marriage CertificateNone requiredPaperName change abroad, residency, legal proceedings
Death CertificateNone requiredPaperEstate matters, inheritance abroad
ACRO Criminal Record CertificateNone requiredPaperWork visas, teaching, residency, Golden Visa
Decree Absolute / DivorceNone requiredPaperRemarriage abroad, residency applications
Degree / Academic CertificateSolicitor certificationPaper or e-apostilleWork visa, professional recognition, teaching
TEFL / CELTA CertificateSolicitor certificationPaper or e-apostilleTeaching visa applications
Power of AttorneyNotary publicPaperLegal transactions, property, business abroad
Certificate of IncorporationDepends on formatPaperCompany setup, contracts, joint ventures abroad
Certificate of Good StandingDepends on formatPaperBusiness registration, banking, contracts abroad
Medical CertificateSolicitor/GMC doctorPaperVisa applications, immigration, Golden Visa
DBS CertificateNotary Public or Solicitor CertificationPaperEmployment abroad (note: Spain requires ACRO not DBS)

Not sure whether your document needs solicitor certification? Contact us free of charge — we’ll confirm before you send anything.

Apostille Accepted in 125+ Countries

Any country that has signed the 1961 Hague Convention accepts an FCDO apostille as sufficient — no embassy step needed. Some countries require additional steps on top.

Apostille only — no embassy required
For Hague Convention member countries, the FCDO apostille is the final step. Your document is ready to use once apostilled.
🇪🇸 Spain 🇨🇳 China 🇺🇸 USA 🇦🇺 Australia 🇩🇪 Germany 🇫🇷 France 🇮🇹 Italy 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇬🇷 Greece 🇨🇦 Canada 🇳🇿 New Zealand 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 🇿🇦 South Africa 🇯🇵 Japan + 110 more
Apostille required — plus embassy attestation
These countries are not Hague Convention members. An FCDO apostille is the first required step, but documents must also go to the relevant embassy in London. We offer full legalisation services for all of these countries.
🇦🇪 UAE 🇻🇳 Vietnam 🇹🇼 Taiwan 🇰🇼 Kuwait 🇶🇦 Qatar 🇱🇧 Lebanon 🇮🇶 Iraq 🇱🇾 Libya

Apostille Service — All-Inclusive Pricing

All prices include the FCDO government fee (£50 for non-business applicants), our service fee, and tracked return. No extras at checkout.

ServiceWhat’s IncludedPrice (per doc)Turnaround
Standard ApostilleFCDO apostille + tracked return£853–5 working daysStandard
Express ApostilleSame-day FCDO submission (next-day collection) + next-day return£135Next working dayExpress
Apostille + Solicitor CertSolicitor cert + FCDO apostilleFrom £1054–6 working daysStandard
Express + Solicitor CertSolicitor cert + same-day FCDOFrom £1752–3 working daysExpress
Apostille + NotarisationNotary public + FCDO apostillePOA4–7 working daysSpecialist
Volume (5+ docs)Discounted rate for multiple documentsContact usFlexibleVolume

The Legalisation.Services Apostille Difference

We’re not an online form — we’re a City of London practice that physically handles your documents and submits them the same day.

Same-Day Submission — Every Day
We submit to the FCDO business counter the same day we receive documents. No batching, no delays. The public postal route can take 10–20 working days — we typically have apostilles back in 1–5 days.
🔎
Every Document Pre-Checked
We check every document before submission. Wrong format, missing signatures, unsuitable copies — we flag them before the FCDO rejects them. A rejected document loses the government fee entirely.
🏛️
City of London — Walk-In Available
Based at Guildhall EC2V. You can drop your documents off in person and collect when ready. No queuing at the FCDO — we handle the submission for you.
💷
Fixed Prices — No Surprises
The price you see is the price you pay. FCDO government fees, handling, and tracked return all included. We never add charges at the end of the process.
🌍
Country-Specific Advice Included
We know which countries need only an apostille and which need embassy attestation on top. We advise you free of charge so you don’t order the wrong service and have to start again.
🤝
Trusted by Law Firms & HR Departments
Solicitors, immigration consultants and HR departments rely on us to handle their clients’ apostille requirements consistently. Trade accounts and volume pricing available.

Trusted Across the UK

From individuals needing a single birth certificate apostilled to law firms processing dozens of documents a month.

★★★★★
“Needed my birth certificate apostilled for a Spanish visa application urgently. They submitted same-day and I had the apostilled document back next working day. Exactly what I needed and very professional throughout.”
Sophie K.
Individual Client — Spain Non-Lucrative Visa
★★★★★
“We send apostille work to Legalisation.Services regularly on behalf of our clients. Fast, reliable, and they always flag any document issues before submission. Exactly the kind of service a busy law firm needs.”
Rachel T.
Partner, Immigration Law Firm — City of London
★★★★★
“Very slick process — sent my documents Monday morning and received them back apostilled Tuesday afternoon. The pre-check caught a minor issue with one of my certificates before it was submitted. Highly recommend.”
Michael A.
Individual Client — UAE Work Permit

Apostille Service — Common Questions

An apostille is an official certificate issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) that confirms a UK document is genuine for international use. It authenticates the signature, seal or stamp of the issuing UK authority — for example, a registrar’s signature on a birth certificate, or a notary’s signature on a certified document. The apostille does not certify the content of the document itself — only the authenticity of the official who signed it.
Our standard apostille service starts from £85 per document, all-inclusive — this covers the FCDO government fee (£50 for non-business applicants), our handling and submission fee, and tracked return courier. Express next-day apostille is £135. Documents requiring solicitor certification first start from £105. We confirm your fixed price before you send us anything.
As an FCDO-registered provider, we submit to the FCDO business counter the same day we receive your documents. Express apostilles are returned next working day. Standard apostilles take 3–5 working days. If you apply directly to the FCDO by post, standard processing is 10–20 working days — our registered provider status cuts this dramatically.
It depends on the document type. UK public documents issued by official bodies — such as birth, marriage and death certificates (GRO-issued), and ACRO criminal record certificates — can usually be apostilled directly without solicitor certification. Copies of documents, degree certificates, TEFL certificates, and most private or company documents typically require solicitor certification or notarisation first. We tell you exactly what’s needed when you enquire.
For the 125+ countries that have signed the Hague Convention, an FCDO apostille is sufficient — no embassy step is needed. This includes Spain, France, Germany, the USA, Australia, China (since November 2023), Saudi Arabia, and most of Europe. For countries not in the Hague Convention — including UAE, Vietnam, Taiwan, Kuwait and Qatar — an apostille is required as the first step, but embassy attestation is also needed afterwards. We handle country-specific full legalisation services for all of these.
Yes. Your original documents are returned to you by tracked courier with the apostille certificate attached. We never retain originals. For documents where only a certified copy is required, we can arrange solicitor certification of a copy so your original never needs to leave your possession.
An apostille certificate itself has no expiry date. However, the underlying document it is attached to may have requirements from the receiving authority — for example, some countries require criminal record certificates to be no older than 3–6 months at the time of the application. The apostille is only as current as the document it authenticates.

UK Apostille Service — From £85, Next Day Available

Free no-obligation quote. Fixed price confirmed before we start. Same-day FCDO submission.

Legalisation.Services by Mandarin Management Limited  ·  Blackwell House, Guildhall Yard, London EC2V 5AE  ·  +44 (0)20 3538 2848  ·  info@legalisation.services

Legalisation.Services is not part of the FCDO or any government body. FCDO government fees (£50 for non-business applicants) are included in all our all-inclusive prices. Fees are subject to change — we verify before every submission.