Government issued document apostille – UK legalisation service

Fast, secure apostille service for your government issued document

We provide fast apostille and legalisation services for UK government issued documents, including priority FCDO apostille UK processing and secure tracked delivery. This service is commonly required for immigration, overseas legal procedures and international official use.

What is a government issued document?

A government issued document is an official document produced by a UK government department, agency or public authority. These documents may include certificates, letters, licences, official records and other government-certified documents.

Why you may need an apostille

You may require an apostille for:

  • Immigration and visa applications
  • Overseas legal or administrative procedures
  • Residency or citizenship applications
  • International business or compliance matters
  • Official recognition of UK documents abroad

An apostille ensures your government issued document is legally recognised in Hague Apostille Convention countries.

Can I legalise a government issued document?

Yes — UK government issued documents can be legalised for international use, provided they meet the required format and certification standards.

Apostille requirements
  • Original document required
  • Documents must be issued or certified by a UK government authority
  • Certain documents may require solicitor or notary certification before apostille
Acceptable formats for legalisation

✔ Original government issued documents
✔ Official certified copies issued by the relevant authority
✔ Documents certified by a UK solicitor or Notary Public where required
❌ Uncertified photocopies, scans or unofficial printouts are not accepted

Embassy attestation (if required)

If your destination country is not part of the Hague Convention, additional embassy attestation may be required after the FCDO apostille UK process.

We can arrange:

  • Embassy attestation
  • Certified translations
  • PDF scanning
Our apostille service includes
  • Pre-submission document checks
  • Priority FCDO apostille UK submission
  • Secure tracked return delivery
  • Optional services: embassy attestation, translation and scanning
Processing time

Priority service:
Next working day submission to the FCDO if documents are received before 12:30 pm at our Milton Keynes office.

Most clients receive their apostilled documents within 1–2 working days after FCDO processing.