Apostille Guide for UK
If a foreign authority abroad requires you to provide a legalized UK public document, it means you need the confirmation of the UK government expressed through signature, seal or stamp on the specific document attesting the document is genuine. This is sometimes referred to as apostille.
How to get an apostille
If your document can be legalized, you can pay online for the apostille service. You need the legalization form filled in with your information, the documents you need legalized, a blank A4-sized envelope and the fee payment confirmation, all of which you need to send to the indicated address which differs depending on how you send the documents and where you are sending them from. If you want to avoid receiving your legalized documents by courier you should also include an A4-sized pre-paid envelope.
The legalization fee is £30 per document. The postage cost to return your documents by courier, if you don’t include a pre-paid envelope is:
- £5.50 in the UK (including British Forces Post Office)
- £14.50 per 500g in Europe (not including Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Liechtenstein, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine)
- £25 per 500g in every other country
How long it takes
You will usually receive your legalized document in 48 hours plus courier or postage time. If there is a delay from the normal response time, you will receive an email announcing the delay. Businesses in need of legalized documents have the option to register for the legalization premium service.
Where to send your application
For documents sent from UK by post:
Legalization Office – Foreign and Commonwealth Office
PO Box 6255
Milton Keynes
MK10 1XX
For documents sent from UK by courier or documents sent from abroad:
Legalisation Office – Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hanslope Park, Hanslope
Milton Keynes
MK19 7BH
Payment methods
Payment options such as UK postal order, banker’s draft or business cheque are no longer available. Payment is made online. If you’re having difficulty paying online, send an email to epaymentenquiries@fco.gov.uk
Legalization Office – Contact information
Website: legalisationenquiries@fco.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 03700 00 22 44
Schedule: Monday to Friday, midday to 4pm
Find out more details about call charges
More information about apostille in the U.K. on local website: