If you need to use a UK document — or its translation — in another country, you will often be asked to have it legalised with an apostille. An apostille is an internationally recognised certificate that confirms a document is genuine, so that authorities abroad will accept it. This guide explains what an apostille is, when you need one, how the UK process works, and how it fits together with translation.
An apostille is a certificate that verifies the authenticity of a signature, stamp or seal on a public document. It confirms the document is genuine — it does not validate the content. In the UK, apostilles are issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The process of obtaining one is called legalisation.
The apostille system comes from the 1961 Hague Convention, which abolished the need for lengthy chains of authentication between member countries. If both the issuing and receiving countries are members, a single apostille is enough for the document to be recognised. If the destination country is not a member, a different process — consular legalisation — may be required instead.
The order of steps depends on the destination country's requirements, but two common patterns are:
Getting the sequence right matters, because doing it in the wrong order can mean repeating steps. Confirm the destination country's requirement before you begin.
Some documents must be notarised by a Notary Public before the FCDO will apostille them — typically documents that are not already signed by a recognised public official. Standard certificates issued by a UK registrar can often be apostilled directly, while private or translated documents may need notarisation as a first step.
No. It confirms the signature, stamp or seal is genuine. Accuracy of a translation is a separate matter, covered by certification.
Yes. We can manage the translation, any notarisation, and the FCDO legalisation together, so you receive a ready-to-use document.
You may need consular legalisation instead of, or in addition to, an apostille. We will advise the correct route for your country.
Need an apostille or legalisation? Espresso Translations arranges translation, notarisation and FCDO legalisation together. Contact us at 71–75 Shelton Street, London, WC2H 9JQ, or call +44 203 488 1841.