Document Legalisation

The legalisation of documents is required under The Hague Convention when the documents are to be used between contracting parties. Documents to be legalised with an apostille can be put into two categories:

A. The documents that do not require further certification, i.e. if they’ve been certified by a UK legal professional regulated by different legal bodies, such as a Solicitor, Notary Public or a Chartered Legal Executive. This category of documents may include UK Birth Certificates, UK Marriage Certificates, UK Death Certificates, or ACRO certificates.

B. The documents do require certification by a UK legal professional. These may include a DBS check, some Company House documents, DVLA documents, etc.

Please check below and choose the types of the documents that you would like to be legalised.

Documents can be processed without further legalisation:

• UK Birth Certificate
• UK Marriage Certificate
• Certificate of No Impediment
• UK Civil Partnership Certificate
• UK Death Certificate
• Decree Absolute (with court stamp)
• Court Conditional Order (with court stamp)
• Decree Nisi (with court stamp)
• ACRO Certificate

Documents that require further certification:

• Affidavit
• Bank Statements
• Certificate of Incorporation
• Coroner’s Certificate of the Fact of Death
• Council (Tax) Letter
• Deed Poll of Change Name
• DBS (original required)
• DVLA V5C
• General Power of Attorney
• GCSE / A Level Results
• Identification Documents (Passport, Driving License)
• Lasting Power of Attorney
• Memorandum & Articles of Association
• Other Company Register Files
• Resolutions of the Board of Director(s)
• School / University Reference Letter
• Statutory Declaration
• University Degree & Transcripts (may require further verification)
• Utility Bills
• Wills

What Is An Apostille?

To use a document lawfully in another country, it requires an apostille. An apostille is a certificate that verifies the official signature, stamp, or seal on a public document. It is issued by the competent authority of the country where the document originated. In the UK, this authority is the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Do ACM Issue Apostilles?

No, we lodge applications on behalf of our clients. In the UK, the only competent authority is the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). You may arrange your apostille application with the FCDO directly, however, if you arrange this through us, we will ensure that your document meets the legal requirements for an apostille. We also have access to the FCDO business counter, which means your application will be dealt with as quickly as possible.

How Can I Get An Apostille?

That depends on the type of document you require an apostille for. For some documents, you can get them legalised if they have been issued in the following ways:

• Court and sealed with a wet ink court seal
• Public registry, such as a birth, marriage or death certificate, or a company certificate issued by Companies House
• Government department and signed by an official, such as a letter of confirmation of tax registration
• Registered doctor, such as a medical certificate signed by a doctor

Other documents certified by a UK solicitor or notary can also be legalised. Our team of legal professionals is fully qualified to carry out the certification if your documents fall into this category.   

If you are not sure whether your document needs to be certified before legalisation, please Contact Us.

Can I Apostille Multiple Documents?

If you need multiple documents legalised at the same time, we can create a secure document bundle for you. This standard practice ensures you avoid paying multiple apostille fees. This solution is perfect for university applications, corporate setup, and more.

However, some foreign authorities, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), do not recognise this practice and instead ask that multiple documents be legalised separately.

We strongly suggest checking directly with the requesting authority to confirm the exact requirements for your documents.  

Does My Document Require Embassy Attestation/Legalisation?

Apostille certificates are recognised by contracting parties of the Hague Convention (CCH 1961 Apostille Convention). If your document is to be used in a country which is not a member state, a further legalisation/attestation at the relevant embassy is required. 

Can I Order An Apostille Online?

Yes. You may find it easier to place your order on our website.

Can I Apostille My Passport?

Yes. Before sending the documents to us for an apostille, please ensure the passport holder has signed the relevant page.

Can ACM Legal Verify My University Degree?

Yes. For a small fee, our “Verify Student Qualifications” service handles the verification and certification of your documents before they are put forward for an apostille. This service is designed for employers or other organisations that need to verify the qualifications of students and alumni from UK universities or colleges. To ensure the fastest possible processing time, please make sure your qualification details are entered correctly.  

How Can I Send My Documents To ACM Legal?

In some cases, we will require the original documents, such as Birth Certificates or Marriage Certificates that were issued in the UK. For other documents, we can process them electronically.

Our delivery address is ACM Legal, 25 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1LW, and our email address is office@acmlegal.co.uk.

Do Electronic Document Submissions Get A Different Apostille Certificate To Physical Documents?

Once the electronic submissions have been processed, you will receive the exact same official apostille certificate as you would with a physical document. The only difference is that the certification wording will include the phrase ‘seen by me electronically’. 

How Long Will It Take To Get An Apostille?

Typically 3-5 working days. However, we offer a same day or next day service (depending on when your document(s) are delivered to us) if necessary.

For our Standard Service, we use a daily Milton Keynes Drop-Off System, which provides a faster service at a lower rate. For our Same Day Service, we are proud to be one of the select registered companies with exclusive access to the Urgent Service.

For our Same Day Service, you must provide a detailed explanation for why you require this service. The document must be delivered to us before 10.00am on a weekday, and the collection time is around 3:30pm on the same day.

Do ACM Legal Provide A Certified Translation Following The Legalisation Service?

Yes, a Certified Translation is available upon request. You will need to tell us that a translation is required when ordering. We will contact you to arrange this service while your order(s) are processing. The Certified Translation service is available in most major languages.

How Do I Receive My Legalised Documents?

For UK addresses, we deliver the legalised documents using Royal Mail. For addresses abroad, we use DHL Express. You can select either option when you order online.

What Is An E-Apostille?

An electronic apostille (or e-Apostille) is an FCDO service used when a document has been digitally signed by an authorised person (e.g., a public signatory, solicitor, or notary public) to confirm its authenticity.

What Type Of Electronic Signature Is Required For An E-Apostille?

Documents must be digitally signed using an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) or a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES). Our team is fully equipped with the certified technology required to complete this process.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Getting An E-Apostille? 

An e-Apostille provides enhanced document security and tamper-evidence. If the document has been modified in any way after an e-Apostille is issued, a warning is immediately triggered to alert the recipient.

Our e-Apostille documents are delivered electronically via email, which offers greater accessibility. Zero postage costs, and no delivery delays.

Which Documents Cannot Be Legalised With An E-Apostille?

These documents include:

• UK Birth Certificate
• UK Marriage Certifcate
• Any other documents issued by GRO
• ACRO police certificates for England and Wales
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificates for England and Wales
• Disclosure certificates for Scotland or Northern Ireland

Which Documents Can Be Legalised With An E-Apostille?

Any documents not included in the list above are generally eligible for the e-Apostille service. However, it is your responsibility to check that e-Apostilles will be accepted by the relevant overseas authorities.

If you need assistance checking your document’s eligibility, please Contact Us.

How Can I Receive My Legalised Document With An E-Apostille?

You will receive an email containing a PDF attachment containing your legalised documents and e-Apostilles.

How Can I View My Legalised Document With E-Apostille?

You will need to open the file in Adobe Reader, then double-click the Paperclip icon (only visible in Adobe) for the relevant file.

• Document the Apostille certificate reference: (public_document.pdf)
• e-Apostille certificate, reference: (apostille.pdf)

You can also select the Paperclip icon in the menu bar to view the attachments.

Can I Verify A Legalised Document With An E-Apostille? 

Yes. An apostille can be verified at: www.verifyapostille.service.gov.uk.

Please call us (9.30am to 5.30pm Monday-Friday) or send an e-mail.