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What is an apostille, and when do you need one?

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An apostille is a certificate that verifies a public document for use in another country that's party to the 1961 Hague Convention. Without one, a UK-issued document - a birth certificate, a degree, a company document - usually won't be accepted by an overseas authority.

The short version

Get the document notarised or certified if it needs it, send it to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (or an authorised agent) for the apostille stamp, then it's recognised abroad. See Apostille only if you already have a certified document ready to go, or document sets for legalising several at once.

Common questions

Covered in more depth on the FAQ page - turnaround times, which documents qualify, and what solicitor certification actually adds.

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