E-Apostille/Digital Apostille
In the UK, a digital apostille, or e-Apostille, is a digital certificate issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) that authenticates documents for international use, replacing the traditional paper apostille.
A digital certificate in PDF format attached to another digital document is called an e-apostille. Only documents electronically signed by a notary public or a certified solicitor are currently eligible to have the apostille added. Numerous public or official records do not allow e-apostilles.
Electronic apostille
An electronic apostille, or e-apostille, is a digital certificate attached to an electronic document. It is a digital version of the traditional apostille certificate, which is used to authenticate public documents for use in foreign countries.
The digital certificate contains a secure electronic signature from the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) UK and a date and reference number that can be verified at the official online apostille registry. The issuance of the e-Apostille is predicated on a PDF document being correctly certified by a UK solicitor or notary public.
Documents that cannot have an Electronic Apostille
The following documents require a printed apostille certificate to be attached to the original document and, therefore, cannot be apostilled electronically.
- Apostille Birth certificates
- Apostille Marriage and civil ceremony certificates
- Apostille Death certificates
- DBS, NPCC, and ACRO Certifications
- Police checks and disclosures
- Health care notes signed by doctors
- Fit to Work records with a physician’s signature
- Fingerprint records
- Signed solicitor papers in ink
- Notarised documents
- Court records stamped with ink
- Other certificates issued by the Government
E-Apostille services
An e-apostille serves the same purpose as a traditional apostille. The only difference is it is applied to electronic documents instead of physical paper documents. The electronic format allows faster processing, reduced costs, and greater convenience for those seeking international certificate authentication.
Legalisation Office UK
You can get certain official UK documents ‘legalized’ by submitting them to the UK’s Legalisation Office of the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO). You might need to do this if an official in another country asks you to provide a UK document, and they’ve said it must be legalized.
The FCO Legalisation Office in the UK will check the document and see if any signatures, stamps, or seals match their records. They’ll legalize the document if they match by attaching an ‘apostille’ (stamped official certificate).
You cannot legalize documents issued outside the UK.
Apply for legalization
Apply online for a paper-based apostille or an e-Apostille.
To apply, you’ll need:
- the documents you want to legalize
- a credit or debit card to pay the fees
If you applied for an e-Apostille
- You’ll be emailed as soon as your legalized documents are ready.
- You can download them multiple times and share them digitally, such as by email, memory stick, or in person by showing them on your screen.
Benefits of e-apostille documents
- E-apostilles offer speed and efficiency, reducing the need for physical document handling and postal delays. They are also more secure and environmentally friendly.
- The e-apostille process significantly reduces the time required to authenticate and legalize documents.
- The entire process, from application to verification, can be done online, eliminating the need for physical paperwork and in-person visits to government offices.
- The e-apostille process eliminates physical documents, postage, and courier services costs.
- Digital processes often lead to lower administrative costs.
- E-apostilles utilize advanced security features like digital signatures and encryption to prevent tampering and ensure document integrity.
- E-apostilled documents can be easily downloaded and shared digitally, making them accessible to multiple authorities simultaneously.
- You don’t have to send original documents, saving time and effort.
- The e-apostille process reduces the need for paper, contributing to a more sustainable approach to document legalization.
How can Helpline Group in the UK help?
Backed by a strong and experienced team, Helpline Group brings over 25 years of expertise in company formation, embassy attestation services, and apostille services, offering clients a seamless, hassle-free experience.
We undertake the necessary apostille services in the United Kingdom for those documents that permit an e-apostille that must be accepted in countries party to the Hague Apostille Convention.
With a global presence and a tailored approach, we ensure that your attestation services in the UK are handled with precision and professionalism, making us your reliable ally.