1. What is legalisation and what is an Apostille?

Some countries are content to accept that 'notarised' documents (ie. showing the Notary's signature and seal) have been sufficiently authenticated for them to rely on.

Others, however, wish to be sure that the Notary is properly authorised to act as a Notary and require a further procedure, known as 'legalisation'.

For this process, many countries rely on a certificate issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, confirming the authenticity of the Notary's signature and seal - known as an 'Apostille'.

A few countries require not only that a Notary's signature and seal are supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's certificate but that the document is in addition presented to their embassy or consulate in London for them to issue a certificate confirming that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s legalisation is authentic.

2. Legalisation Services

I can arrange for legalisation - either with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or both with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the appropriate embassy or consulate as required.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office normally completes applications and returns documents to me within two or three days.

For further information about the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and legalisation services, please click on the image below.

Where legalisation by an embassy or consulate is required, procedures and fees vary considerably. Some will not accept postal applications and I need then to arrange for an agent to make a personal application. Embassy fees vary considerably - from £5 to hundreds of pounds in some cases. I check the embassy or consulate's exact requirement and fees as necessary.