Apostille Services
An Apostille Stamp is simply a Certificate of Authenticity, sometimes referred to as Legalisation or Legalising a Document.
An Apostille stamp is required if your “UK document” is being used overseas. This ensures your documents are recognised worldwide by all members of the Hague Convention.
If you need to use a UK document overseas, it may need to be legalised with an apostille stamp. This official stamp proves that your document is genuine and can be accepted by authorities abroad.
Apostille Stamp for UK Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Certificates
At UK Document Services we specialise in obtaining birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates and then we reliably arrange for such documents to be Apostilled for use overseas. Whilst abroad, whether you are getting married, buying or selling a property, proving your identity, working or studying, we make the process straightforward from start to finish.
UK Document Services offer an online one stop shop solution. Ordering is quick, simple and secure.
Why do you need an Apostille?
An Apostille may be required when:
- A marriage is taking place outside of the UK
- Buying or selling a property abroad
- Companies carry out business abroad
- Legalising documents for employment abroad
- Non-UK residents need proof of qualifications
- Opening a bank account abroad
- Assets are outside of the UK
- Proving your identity
An Apostille is a certificate attached to an official legal document that confirms the signature on the document is authentic and that the signer is a recognised, authorised representative of the issuing organisation.
Each Apostille is dated, given a unique reference number and officially registered.
Which UK documents can we Apostille?
Ordering an Apostille: Our Process
This is our step-by-step process to obtaining Apostilled Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Certificates.
- Order your document – Enter the details on our Birth, Marriage, Death Certificate or Decree Absolute Order Form.
- Add an Apostille Stamp to the order by a simple tick.
- We obtain the document and legalise it by arranging the Apostille Stamp from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
- Return to you securely: Once ready we will despatch them to you using your chosen postage method.
How long does it take to get an Apostilled Birth, Marriage or Death Certificate?
- Standard Service – dispatch is up to 17 working days.
- Rapid Service – dispatch is up to 12 working days.
- Priority Service – dispatch is up to 8 working days.
Delivery time should be added to the stated estimated despatch date.
How long does it take to get an Apostilled Divorce Certificate / Decree Absolute?
- Standard Service – dispatch is up to 27 working days.
Delivery time should be added to the stated estimated despatch date.
How much does it cost for an Apostilled Birth, Marriage or Death Certificate?
- Standard Service – £118
- Rapid Service – £136
- Priority Service – £152
Your chosen postage method should be added to the above costs.
How much does it cost for an Apostilled Divorce Certificate / Decree Absolute?
- Standard Service – £185
Your chosen postage method should be added to the above costs.
Can you ship my apostilled document directly to countries outside of the UK?
We despatch to clients all over the world. You can select your preferred postage method.
The following postage options are available:
- 1st Class Postage
- Royal Mail Signed For Service
- International Tracked Service
- Worldwide Courier Service
Which countries accept UK apostilles?
All countries that are part of the 1961 Hague Convention will accept UK apostilles.
Here is a list of countries in the Hague Convention, which will accept an Apostille Certificate as full legalisation of a document.
A
- Albania
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
B
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
C
- Canada
- Chile
- China, People’s Republic of
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
D
- Denmark
E
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Estonia
- European Community
F
- Finland
- France
G
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
H
- Hungary
I
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
J
- Japan
- Jordan
K
- Korea, Republic of
L
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
M
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Montenagro
- Morocco
N
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
P
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
R
- Romania
- Russian Federation
S
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
T
- The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- Turkey
U
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- United States of America
- Uruguay
V
- Venezuela
Can I use a photocopy for an apostille?
No, photocopies of birth, marriage, death or divorce certificates cannot be Apostilled.
Do I need my documents translated when used overseas?
How long is an apostille valid?
There is no expiry date on an Apostille Stamp.
Some authorities do request that the UK document has to be dated within the last 3 months. This is something you would need to ask the authority asking for the UK document.
UK Freephone Number – 0800 677 1171 (free to call from within the UK)
We Despatch Globally – We can help customers from the UK, Europe and Worldwide locations
Scan & Send Available – We offer a scan and send service
Amend Your Order – You have the ability to amend and/or cancel your order if it has not already been processed
Payment Options – We accept payments using Visa, Visa Debit, MasterCard, Maestro and JCB Debit and Credit Cards & Paypal