What are Apostilles, E-Apostilles and Legalisation?
You have been asked to submit official documents to a foreign authority and the process is quite confusing.
This Article will help to break this down for you.
You have probably been asked to get an Apostille on your document or have it Legalised. This means that they need the UK Legalisation Office, part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to verify the signature on your document and attach a certificate called an Apostille.
Whose Signature?
This is a good question. Some documents bear an official signature already; Birth, Death or Marriage Certificates, ACRO (Police Certificates) and some Court Orders.
If your document does not bear an original, wet ink signature then it will need to be verified and then notarised by a Notary Public. The legalisation Office then verify the signature, seal and stamp of the Notary Public.
Do I need an Apostille or an E-Apostille?
A paper Apostille is the traditional and most commonly accepted form of Apostille. This is a certificate which is attached to your document by the Legalisation Office. You then send the physical, Apostilled document on to the foreign authority.
The e-Apostille is a relatively new service. You will not have a physical paper document but instead, an electronic document is firstly electronically notarised by your Notary Public with their Qualified Electronic Signature, Seal & Stamp who then submits the document to the Legalisation Office by email using a secure Envelope. The legalisation Office then creates an e-Apostille and returns the two separate pdf documents to the Notary Public. These documents cannot be printed and so you will not have a paper version.
Will an E-Apostille be Accepted?
Before you apply for an e-Apostille you are advised to contact the foreign authority and ask the recipient exactly what they need from you and if they will:
- accept digital documents with e-Apostille certificates
- require a separate e-Apostille for each document (if legalising more than one)
- accept documents electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor, or only by a notary
Make sure they understand that the e-Apostilles are only valid in digital form as they contain unique Qualified Electronic Signatures.
Is an E-Apostille the fastest and cheapest option?
You are in a hurry. I understand that. The e-Apostille does mean that you can get your document legalised quickly and the Legalisation office fees are cheaper.
You will need to factor in the fees of your Notary Public, and these will depend on the type and number of documents involved. Also, the complexity of the document and the verification processes required.
It is also worth noting that I can get your paper Apostille using the Next Working Day service. I can also arrange to have your physical Apostilled document couriered to the end destination.
Can all documents be E-Apostilled?
No. Some documents are excluded such as;
- All General Register Office (GRO) documents, including birth, death, marriage, civil partnership and adoption certificates
- ACRO police certificates for England and Wales
- Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificates for England and Wales
- Disclosure certificates for Scotland or Northern Ireland
- Fingerprint certificates
- Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) membership certificates
What about Medical Reports?
Provided the Doctor who has issued the report has wet inked signed, added their GMC number and address and they have registered their signature with the UK Legalisation Office, you can obtain an ordinary paper Apostille directly on your medical report.
If any of the above requirements are missing, then your medical report will need to be verified and notarised by your Notary Public.
Finally and most Importantly…..
Only documents issued in the UK can be legalised directly.
How do I get Started?
Easy, just call me on (+44) 7783 410196 or email on laura@suttonnotary.co.uk so that I can take you through your options and provide you with a fee quote.
Depending on the document and the circumstances, we may need to meet in person or, I may be able to deal with your documents remotely.
More Information?
For more information you can visit the website of the UK Legalisation Office, of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, here;