Legalisation & Apostille

---

Many countries require that notarised documents are also “legalised” by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office ('FCDO') and/or the country’s embassy or consulate. 

The FCDO attaches a note to the document called an “apostille”, which is also sometimes referred to as “the apostille of the Hague”. The apostille isan internationally recognised certification confirming the signature and/or seal of the public official (which includes notaries) who issued or certified the document.

I can deal with all your legalisation requirements, either by dealing directly with the FCDO and/or the appropriate embassy/consulate, or by instructing specialist legalisation agents. Turnaround times and costs vary considerably depending on the service chosen and the country concerned, but even very short deadlines can usually be met.

Note: Not all documents need an apostille

The Difference Between Consular Legalisation and Apostille

The main difference between consular legalisation and apostille services lies in the process of document authentication and the countries for which they are applicable:

Consular Legalisation

• Consular legalisation is a process used for countries that are not part of the Hague Apostille Convention.
• It involves a multi-step authentication process where the document is notarised by a notary public, then certified by the competent government authority, and finally, authenticated by the consulate or embassy of the destination country in the issuing country.
• Consular legalisation adds an extra layer of verification, often requiring the document to be translated into the official language of the destination country.
• This process can be more time-consuming and involves multiple authorities and steps.

Apostille

• Apostille services are used for countries that are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention.
• The Apostille is a standardised certificate that confirms the authenticity of the document and is attached by the competent government authority in the issuing country.
• Apostille services simplify the authentication process by eliminating the need for consular legalisation.
• The process is generally quicker and more straightforward, as it involves a single authentication step and is universally recognised among convention countries.

In summary, consular legalisation is a broader authentication process used for countries both inside and outside the Apostille Convention, while apostille services are a specific method of authentication streamlined for countries within the convention.