Attesting UK Documents (FAQs)

Yes - the United Kingdom is a member of the Apostille Convention.

UK documents can be legalized for use abroad with an Apostille Stamp when destined for other signatory countries without additional certification by the destination country.

When UK documents are required for non-apostille countries, such as United Arab Emirates - Taiwan - Malaysia - Thailand - Zambia - Qatar they need additional authentication by the embassy of the destination country.

For further information see:
UK Apostille Services

Public documents that can be legalized in the United Kingdom with Apostille stamps include:

• UK birth, death and marriage certificates
• UK Criminal Record Certificates
• UK Divorce Decrees
• UK Corporate Documents
• UK Probate documents
• UK Change of Name Deeds
• UK Academic Certificates

It is also possible to obtain apostilles for documents that have been certified by a UK notary or solicitor, medical certificates issued by a UK-registered doctor and other documents issued by UK courts, HMRC, the Home Office and other public authorities.

To confirm whether your document is eligible for legalization in the United Kingdom, contact us and we’ll check your document free of charge.

For further information, see:
UK Apostille Services

Birth, Marriage, Death, Civil Partnership and Adoption Certificates issued in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can be authenticated by obtaining an Apostille stamp from the UK Foreign Office (Legalization Office). Certificates can be authenticated directly, by presenting an original ‘certified copy of an entry’ issued by the Register Office. Prior certification by a solicitor or notary is not required.

Authorities in some countries will require authentication of a recent original copy (e.g. an original certificate that was issued within the last 6 months).

If presenting to a country that is not a member of the Apostille Convention, certificates will need to be authenticated by the embassy of the destination country (e.g. United Arab Emirates - Taiwan - Malaysia - Thailand - Zambia - Qatar).

When certificates are needed for presentation in a country that does not have English as an official language, Certified Translation may be required.

Isarey can obtain all types of UK Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates for clients requiring apostille and attestation services.

For information about obtaining certified copies of UK Birth, Marriage, Death, Civil Partnership and Adoption Certificates, see:

• FAQ: How can I obtain a copy of a UK birth, marriage or death certificate?

For further information about apostilles for Birth, Marriage, Death, Civil Partnership and Adoption Certificates in the UK, see:
UK Apostille service

If applying for residency abroad or certain types of visas, you may be asked to present a legalized certificate showing that you have a clean criminal record. Criminal record certificates can be authenticated for use abroad by obtaining an Apostille stamp from the UK Foreign Office (Legalization Office). ACRO Police Certificates can be certified directly (the original certificate is required), while other certificates must be certified by a solicitor or notary, or specially stamped and signed by the issuer (e.g. Disclosure Scotland or AccessNI.

Most authorities and embassies require a recently issued criminal record (often issued within the last 3 or 6 months). Some countries specifically require an ACRO Police Certificate

For information about obtaining your criminal record certificate in the UK, see:

• FAQ: How can I obtain my UK Criminal Record Certificate to use abroad?
• FAQ: Will past convictions always be listed on a criminal record?

For further information about obtaining apostilles on UK police and criminal record certificates, see:
UK Criminal Record Certificates

There are essentially two types of criminal record certificate in the UK. The first is a Police Certificate from the ACRO Criminal Records Office, meant for people who wish to emigrate or who require a visa to live and work abroad. The second is a Basic Disclosure Certificate, valid for any purpose but not always accepted abroad. An ACRO certificate is required by Australia, Belgium, South Africa, the United States and some other countries. You should contact the destination country’s embassy, consulate or High Commission and ask them to confirm what they accept as a criminal record check.

ACRO Police certificates
Police certificates are available to anyone who has lived or worked in the UK. The certificate details whether or not you have a criminal record in the United Kingdom (including impending prosecutions and offences that are under investigation) and may also include foreign criminal history information where it has been disclosed to the UK. ACRO certificates can be issued within four working days, but can take up to 30 working days to process. They are delivered by post or international courier. Each application costs £55.

• Police Certificates Online Application (ACRO)
• FAQs - ACRO Police Certificates

Basic Disclosure Certificates
DBS checks contain details of UK convictions and conditional cautions considered to be ‘unspent’. These certificates are not always accepted by authorities abroad requiring a UK criminal record check and do not include a photograph of the applicant. Most basic checks will be processed within 14 days. DBS certificates must be certified by a solicitor or notary before they can be authenticated with an Apostille Stamp.

If required for use abroad, you should apply according to where you live:

• Request a basic DBS check (England and Wales)
• AccessNI - Apply online for a basic check (Northern Ireland)
• Apply for basic disclosure (Scotland)

International Child Protection Certificate
If you require a certificate to work with children overseas, you can apply for an International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC)

• ICPC Online Application

Criminal Records Certificates for use Overseas
Most authorities and embassies require a recently issued criminal record (often issued within the last 3 months). You many need to obtain separate criminal record certificates from other countries that you have lived in. For further information, please contact us.

Embassy Legalization and Apostille Certification
Once you have obtained your certificate, it needs to be attested so that it is valid for use abroad. Police checks and Disclosure Certificates can be authenticated at the UK Foreign Office by obtaining an apostille stamp; in some cases, additional certification is needed by the embassy representing the destination country. Embassy legalization is required to attest criminal record certificates for use in countries such as United Arab Emirates - Taiwan - Malaysia - Thailand - Zambia - Qatar

UK apostilles are not valid for certificates obtained in the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar. These need to be apostilled locally – for further information please contact us.

Isarey can assist in authenticating for UK Criminal Records for use abroad. We arrange Apostille stamps, embassy attestation and internationally accepted certified translations.

For further information and assistance, please see:
UK Apostille service

To obtain Apostille Stamps on UK Certificates of Incorporation, Certificates of Good Standing and other corporate documents, certified documents should be ordered from Companies House. These documents can then be authenticated for presentation abroad by Apostille or legalized by the Foreign Office.

Signed certificate of incorporation - can include key details about the company and a statement of good standing

For further information about authenticating and translating company documents issued by Companies House for presentation abroad, see:
UK Corporate Documents

Apostilles on UK documents are normally obtained in around one week (The Foreign Office no longer provides same-day Apostilles). Where additional attestation is required at the embassy or consulate of the recipient country (for example documents required for the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Taiwan or Vietnam), processing times vary depending on the embassy.

For further information about UK authenticating documents, please see:
UK Apostille Services

Degree certificates issued by UK universities can be certified by Apostille at the Foreign Office. University degree certificates and transcripts issued in the UK can be authenticated with an Apostille Stamp as long as they have been awarded by a recognised body

Before being submitted to the Apostille Office, diplomas and course transcripts need to be certified by a notary or solicitor. If you don't need to have the Apostille affixed to your original certificate, we can obtain a notarized true copy from a good quality scan which will then be certified by Apostille.

Additional procedures apply when certifying UK higher education documents for presentation in Qatar.

For further information, see:
UK Academic Certificates

To apostille UK primary and secondary school records and certificates, including GSCE and A-level certificates, notarized copies must be submitted to the Legalisation Office. Notarized copies may sometimes be obtained from good quality scans or original documents may be required.

If you have lost your original exam certificates and need replacement copies, see:

• Get a replacement exam certificate

For assistance obtaining apostille stamps, see:
UK Academic Certificates

To obtain an Apostille on a Power of Attorney or Affidavit executed in the United Kingdom, the person signing must have their signature witnessed by a UK notary public or solicitor. The Legalisation Office will then certify the notary's signature with an Apostille. If using a solicitor to witness a signature, check that the solicitor's signature is registered with the Foreign Office to avoid confirmation delays.

To find a notary or solicitor to witness your signature, see:

• Find a Solicitor - England and Wales
• Find a solicitor - Scotland
• Find a Notary Public - England and Wales
• Find a Notary Public - Scotland
• College of Notaries - Northern Ireland

For further information, see:
UK notary and apostille services

ACRO operates a step-down model, where certain offences are stepped down after a number of years and then not listed on an ACRO police certificate. However, while a clean criminal history will return "NO TRACE", a record with stepped-down convictions will return "NO LIVE TRACE". For further information, see:
ACRO Step-down Model (PDF)

Documents not signed by a UK public official generally require certification by a notary or solicitor before they can be authenticated by a UK Apostille. Documents requiring solicitor or notary certification include Academic certificates, DBS checks, bank statements, certificates of naturalisation and Certified Translations.

Tax certificates and Companies House documents that have not been signed by an official also require notarization or certification by a solicitor before being submitted for authentication by an Apostille.

Powers of Attorney, Declarations, Deed Polls and Contracts and other private signed documents should be signed in the presence of a solicitor or notary who will witness the signatures.

Other documents can be authenticated as true certified copies, these include official documents such as passports and driving licences, and private documents such as employer letters, school reports, attendance letters.

Degree certificates and professional qualifications must be issued by a recognised body, otherwise they may be rejected, despite being certified by a solicitor.

Birth, death and marriage certificates, ACRO police certificates, certificates signed by registered doctors, and stamped or sealed court documents do not require prior certification and can be submitted directly.

For further information, see:
UK Apostille Services

If the Apostille is for a Power of Attorney, Declaration, contract, change of name deed poll or other document that needs to be signed, a notary or solicitor will need to personally witness the signature, confirming the signer’s identity and the authenticity of their signature. Depending on the requirements of the recipient authority, a solicitor’s certification may not be sufficient; in this case, the document should be notarised.

Other documents can usually be certified remotely. Depending on the document, the notary may agree to certify a copy based on a scan or may require the original. Please contact us. We will confirm the best way to proceed, depending on the documents you need to apostille and arrange a secure courier to collect your documents if needed.

Documents must be properly certified to ensure eligibility for an apostille, and the notary or solicitor signing the document must have a valid practising certificate. The certifying notary or solicitor must:

• State the action they have taken (e.g. that they have witnessed a signature on the document, certified a copy as a true copy of an original and/or authentic document, confirmed a document as an authentic).
• Sign using their personal signature. The signature of the solicitor or notary on the document being submitted for an apostille must be an original “wet” signature.
• Add their name and address, and give the date of certification.

Documents certified by solicitors or notaries outside the UK are not eligible for a UK Apostille. Documents notarized by British Embassies and Consulates abroad can be authenticated in the UK, but embassies offer limited notarial services and will tend not to offer services where these can be provided by local notaries. We work with notaries and authentication agents in many countries. If you need to notarize documents outside the UK, please contact us.

For further information, see:
UK notary and apostille services

It is usually possible to make certified copies in the UK of documents issued abroad and then obtain UK Apostilles, but many authorities require an apostille to be issued in the country where the document was issued. In particular, official documents such as criminal record certificates, birth certificates and Academic qualifications should be authenticated in the country of issue.
Please contact us for assistance. We offer notary and apostille services for documents issued in:

• United States
• India
• Hong Kong
• France
• Germany
• Australia

In the majority of cases, documents can be notarized for an Apostille without the document holder needing to appear in person before a notary. A visit to a notary or solicitor is generally only required when your signature needs to be witnessed and your identity confirmed (for example on a Power of Attorney or Change of Name Deed Poll).

Certified copies can usually be made from a digital scan, including Academic certificates.

If documents need to be notarized for use abroad, it may be possible to notarize them directly a notary in the recipient country:
UK notary and apostille services

UK divorce decrees requiring an Apostille stamp or authentication for use abroad should be stamped, sealed or signed by a court or an official of the court. Otherwise, documents should be certified by a UK notary or solicitor. Certified copies of UK divorce judgements can be obtained from the court:

• Get a copy of a decree absolute or final order

For further information about obtaining apostilles on UK divorce certificates, please see:
UK divorce decrees

Medical certificates and letters can be authenticated in the UK with an Apostille stamp when they have been signed by a doctor registered with the General Medical Council. Ensure that the doctor's signature is the original "wet" ink signature and that the doctor has included their contact details.

A last will and testament can be legalized or authenticated in the UK with an Apostille stamp. It must either be a copy, deposited with the relevant court and containing an original court signature or seal, or the original witnessed in the UK by a solicitor or notary.

To obtain certified copies of a last will and testament, grant of representation or grant of probate, suitable for a UK Apostille, see:

• Find a will or probate document (England and Wales)

For further information about obtain Apostille Stamps on UK Probate documents, see:
UK Probate documents

UK Diplomas can be legalized or apostilled when awarded by an institution accredited by one of the following bodies: UK Border Agency, Scottish Qualifications Authorit, OfQual, British Accreditation Council, Open and Distance Learning Quality Council, Association of British Language Schools, Sport England. Professional qualification certificates can be authenticated when they have been awarded by a Recognised Body or when the award is a recognised award.

• Higher education providers registered by the OfS (England)
• Recognised and listed bodies (Northern Irealand)
• Recognised bodies (Scotland)
• Recognised bodies (Wales)
• Recognised and listed bodies (Northern Irealand)

Certificates must be certified in the UK by a notary of solicitor before they can be submitted for an Apostille.

Higher Education and Further Education certificates requiring attestation by the embassy of Qatar in London must be accompanied by a cover letter and an academic transcript.

For further information about apostilles for UK Academic and Educational documents, see:
UK Academic Certificates

To obtain an Apostille on a Change of Name Deed issued in the UK, the deed must be certified by a UK notary or solicitor. The certification can often be done remotely via video call, please contact us for information or see:
UK Change of Name Deeds

If you plan to get a marriage or civil partnership abroad, you will need often need to present a Certificate of No Impediment legalized or authenticated with an Apostille stamp. Certificates of No Impediment, suitable for Apostille certification, can be obtained from your local registry office:

• Find a local register office

If you are not resident in the UK, and for further details about the documents required, see Getting married abroad. If you have been asked to provide an Affidavit of single status and you are outside the UK, we may be able to arrange for it to be notarized and apostilled in the UK. Please contact us

For further information about obtaining apostilles for UK Certificates of No Impediment, see:
Certificates of No Impediment

You can see reviews from past clients who have used our attestation and apostille services:

• ISAREY reviews on Trustpilot
• ISAREY reviews on Google

New original copies of Birth, Marriage, Death, Civil Partnership and Adoption Certificates suitable for apostille and authentication for use abroad can be obtained from:

• General Register Office (England and Wales)
• ScotlandsPeople (Scotland)
• NI Direct (Northern Ireland)
• General Register Office (Events registered with UK embassies)
• Details provided on UK certificates (PDF)

Certificates for birth or death registrations that have taken place within the last six months should be obtained directly from the local register office:

• Find a local register office

For information about obtaining Apostille stamps on UK Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates, see:
UK birth, death and marriage certificates

To obtain an Apostille stamp on a certified true copy of a UK passport or driving licence, take the original document to a UK solicitor or notary. The notary will certify a copy of the original. This copy can then be authenticated by the Foreign and Commonwealth with an Apostille Stamp for legal use abroad. If using a solicitor to make the copy, check that the solicitor's signature is registered with the Foreign Office to avoid confirmation delays.

To find a notary or solicitor, see:

• Find a Solicitor - England and Wales
• Find a solicitor - Scotland
• Find a Notary Public - England and Wales
• Find a Notary Public - Scotland
• College of Notaries - Northern Ireland

For further information, see:
UK notary and apostille services

Certificates required for submission to the authorities of Qatar must be attested by the Qatari embassy in London. Before submission to the embassy, degree certificates must be certified by a notary and authenticated with an apostille from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Higher Education and Further Education certificates submitted to the Embassy of Qatar must be supported by a covering letter from the educational provider and an academic transcript. Each document (diploma, transcripts and covering letter) must be individually certified by a notary and authenticated with an apostille.

The Embassy of Qatar will not legalize any educational certificate obtained via distance learning or online learning (except for post-graduate MSC and PhD degrees).

The covering letter from the university must specify:

• the location of studies
• location of examinations
• start and end dates of studies
• the mode of studies – full-time or part-time
• the format of studies – distance learning (E-learning) or face to face (on-site learning)

The Academic transcript must specify:

• all the modules or subjects you studied in each year
• the marks or grades you achieved for each module
• the credit value and level of each module

The academic transcript should be stamped or signed by the registry of your academic institution and be on official letter-headed paper.

For further information about legalizing academic and professional qualifications issued in the UK, please see:
UK Academic Certificates

UK degree certificates needed for submission to the authorities of the United Arab Emirates must be attested by the UAE embassy in London. Before submission to the embassy, diplomas and transcripts must be certified by a UK notary or solicitor and then authenticated with an Apostille stamp from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The embassy will attest original degrees or true copies certified by a notary. Diplomas and transcripts (if required) should be authenticated by the Foreign Office separately and not bundled together.

Isarey can assist with the notarization and authentication of UK academic documents at the Foreign Office and UAE embassy. True copies, valid for legalization, can be made from a good quality scan of the degree certificate, so there is no need to send in the original copy.

For further information about legalizing academic and professional qualifications issued in the UK, please see:
UK Academic Certificates

UK degree certificates needed for submission to the authorities of Vietnam must be attested by the Vietnamese embassy in London. Before submission to the embassy, diplomas and transcripts must be certified by a UK notary or solicitor and then authenticated with an Apostille stamp from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The embassy will attest original degrees or true copies certified by a notary. Diplomas and transcripts (if required) should be authenticated by the Foreign Office separately and not bundled together.

Isarey can assist with the notarization and authentication of UK academic documents at the Foreign Office and Vietnamese embassy. True copies, valid for legalization, can be made from a good quality scan of the degree certificate, so there is no need to send in the original copy.

For further information about legalizing academic and professional qualifications issued in the UK, please see:
UK Academic Certificates

UK degree certificates needed for submission to the authorities of Taiwan (Republic of China) must be attested by the Taiwan Representative Office in Edinburgh (Universities from Durham, Cumbria, Scotland and the Isle of Man) or London (Universities in the rest of England, Wales and Northern Ireland).

Before submission to the embassy, diplomas and transcripts must be certified by a UK notary or solicitor and then authenticated with an Apostille stamp from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The embassy will attest original degrees or true copies certified by a notary. Diplomas and transcripts (if required) should be authenticated by the Foreign Office separately and not bundled together.

Isarey can assist with the notarization and authentication of UK academic documents at the Foreign Office and Taiwan Representative Office.

For further information about legalizing academic and professional qualifications issued in the UK, please see:
UK Academic Certificates

UK degree certificates needed for submission to the authorities of Kuwait must be attested by the Kuwaiti embassy in London. Before submission to the embassy, diplomas and transcripts must be certified by a UK notary or solicitor and then authenticated with an Apostille stamp from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Isarey can assist with the notarization and authentication of UK academic documents at the Foreign Office and Kuwaiti embassy. True copies, valid for legalization, can be made from a good quality scan of the degree certificate, so there is no need to send in the original copy.

For further information about legalizing academic and professional qualifications issued in the UK, please see:
UK Academic Certificates

Since Saudi Arabia joined the Apostille Convention, UK degree certificates required for submission to Saudi Authorities do not require attestation by the Saudi Arabian embassy or Cultural Bureau. Diplomas and transcripts must be certified by a UK notary or solicitor and then authenticated with an Apostille stamp from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Apostille stamp should be recognised directly by Saudi authorities as confirming authenticity.

True copies, valid for legalization, can be made from a good quality scan of the degree certificate, so there is no need to send in the original copy.

For further information about legalizing academic and professional qualifications issued in the UK, please see:
UK Academic Certificates

Since China joined the Apostille Convention, UK degree certificates required for submission to Chinese Authorities (or Hong Kong Authorities) do not require attestation by the Chinese embassy. Diplomas and transcripts must be certified by a UK notary or solicitor and then authenticated with an Apostille stamp from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Apostille stamp should be recognised directly by Chinese authorities as confirming authenticity. Note that apostilles are not valid for submission to the authorities of Taiwan.

True copies, valid for legalization, can be made from a good quality scan of the degree certificate, so there is no need to send in the original copy.

For further information about legalizing academic and professional qualifications issued in the UK, please see:
UK Academic Certificates

There is no set time that the ACRO Police Certificate is valid, but you should check with the authority that requested the certificate that they do not require a recent issue.

Translations certified in the UK that are required for use abroad can be authenticated with an Apostille stamp following certification by a UK notary.