e-Apostille Service

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An e-Apostille is a digital version of the UK Apostille, issued electronically by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). It allows certain documents to be legalised online, without the need for a physical paper Apostille.

This service is suitable for eligible documents that are accepted electronically by overseas authorities, making it a faster and more convenient option for international use.

Our e-Apostille service helps reduce processing times and delivery delays, while ensuring your documents remain officially authenticated and legally recognised abroad. Where applicable, we guide you through the eligibility requirements and manage the full process on your behalf.

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How the e-apostille process works

Submit Your Documents Digitally
Send your documents to us in PDF format. Where required, we arrange electronic solicitor certification using a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) that complies with FCDO standards.
FCDO Submission
Once the documents are correctly certified, we submit them electronically to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for e-Apostille legalisation.
Receive Your e-Apostilled Documents
Your documents are returned in digital format, ready to download securely as soon as the process is complete.
Use and Share Worldwide
Digitally legalised documents can be emailed or securely shared with overseas authorities, employers, or institutions without delay.
Fast Processing Times
Most UK e-Apostille applications are completed within approximately two working days, subject to FCDO processing times and demand.

*Processing times are subject to FCDO capacity and may vary at busy times.

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Before applying for an e-apostille

Check whether your documents are eligible

Confirm the recipient accepts an e-apostille

Ensure documents are correctly prepared

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Before applying for an e-apostille

We guide you through a few key checks to help ensure that your digital documents:

are eligible for the UK e-Apostille service
will be accepted by the overseas recipient
are correctly prepared and electronically signed by a UK solicitor or notary

Please note that once a document has been legalised, refunds cannot be issued if the intended recipient later rejects it.

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Check whether your documents are eligible

The e-Apostille service is not available for certain document types. The following documents must be legalised using the paper-based Apostille service instead:

Documents not eligible for e-Apostille include:

General Register Office (GRO) documents, including birth, death, marriage, civil partnership, and adoption certificates
ACRO police certificates (England and Wales)
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates (England and Wales)
Disclosure certificates (Scotland or Northern Ireland)
Fingerprint certificates
ACCA membership certificates

Why these documents are excluded
Some issuing authorities do not permit electronic versions of their documents to be legalised. In many cases, physical security features mean the original document must be reviewed in its paper format.

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Confirm the recipient accepts an e-apostille

Before proceeding, you should contact the overseas organisation or authority and confirm that they:

accept digitally issued documents with an e-Apostille
require a separate e-Apostille for each document
accept documents electronically signed by a UK solicitor or notary, or require a notary specifically

It is important that the recipient understands that e-Apostilles exist only in digital form and include unique electronic signatures.

Why this matters

Although countries that are parties to the Apostille Convention should recognise e-Apostilles, acceptance can still vary depending on local practices or the document type.

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Ensure documents are correctly prepared

To use the e-Apostille service, documents must be:

prepared as PDF files
certified and electronically signed by a UK solicitor or notary using an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) or Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)

If submitting multiple documents:

Each document requiring its own e-Apostille must be provided as a separate PDF file
If multiple documents are included in a single PDF, only one e-Apostille will be issued and must be shared together with all documents in that file
A separate fee applies to each e-Apostille issued

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Need assistance? Speak with a UK apostille specialist

If you need fast apostille, FCDO apostille UK, certification or legalisation services, our expert team is here to help.

Trust us to handle your documents with accuracy, discretion and a fast, reliable service.

Why choose Oracle

Specialist expertise

Proven experience in UK apostille, certification and document legalisation procedures.
End-to-end support

From document review to final delivery — we manage the full process on your behalf.
Accuracy & compliance

All documents are handled in line with UK regulations and international standards.
Time-efficient service

Streamlined procedures to minimise delays wherever possible.
Trusted since 2009

Established consultancy with a strong reputation for professionalism and discretion.
Individual & corporate clients

Supporting private individuals, companies and international organisations.