Some of the documents require both notarisation as well as the execution of an apostille to complete the legalisation process. Generally, if the document was executed or certified here in the UK, for example a birth certificate, then no notarisation is necessary. You would have to send the original document to our offices and we could have the document Apostilled for you. Please click here for a list of documents for which we need originals.

However, if it is a document in which your signature must be verified or sworn to, then the process would consist of two steps. First, your signature would have to be notorised or certified. Thereafter, the document would be submitted to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the apostille. This two step process can be completed for a fee as low as 90 plus vat.

Price:
Notarisation (by Notary Public): 30.
Notarisation/Certification (by Solicitor): 40.00
Apostille with Notarisation: 170.00 (expedited service within 2-3 business days)
Apostille with Notarisation: 90.00 (regular service within 5 - 7 business days)

Please note we have different prices for the various products we legalise. Please CLICK HERE additional prices and list of documents which require original documents. Please CLICK HERE for a complete list of prices for documents for which we do not need the original.

Please be advised that if the country in which the documents will be used is not a signatory to the Hague Convention, then that country may require that the Consulate or the Chamber of Commerce for the country where the documents are to be used certify the authenticity of the Apostille issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. This service will result in additional fees. Please contact our offices at 08009171200 to discuss your particular needs regarding this type of service. List of countries who are signatories to the Hague Convention

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WHAT IS THE LEGALISATION PROCESS?

Today with the global economy, companies are doing business in different countries all over the world. In order to do business in different countries, new businesses must be able to provide documents that are deemed valid and legal in every country where they transact business. The method by which documents are legally verified is called Legalisation and involves several steps.

The first step involves having the document legally verified upon execution in the country in which it was created or executed. This verification process is called Notarisation. Generally, the execution of a document is notorised when the signatories executing the document are witnessed by a notary. Alternatively, the documents can be deemed certified when the executing signatories are witnessed by a licensed solicitor in England. Notarisation is a formality required for documents which are to be used overseas.

Step two involves verification of the authority of the notary or the solicitor by the country in which the signature was notarized. This second step is when the document is Apostilled. Many countries require the apostille before they will accept foreign documents as legal. In the United Kingdom, the apostille is executed by the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Upon execution, the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office will attach an apostille or a legalisation certificate to the document. If the foreign country is a party to the Hague Convention, then the country will generally accept the document as legalized and valid for use in that country. However, if not, then the document will have to legalized in the Consulate of the country in which it will be used (text of the Hague Convention agreement is set forth in Schedule A below).

Why do company documents have to be legalized?

Many limited companies, even very small limited companies are engaged in business transactions all over the world. As a result, in order to open bank accounts, to register to do business in a country, or just to complete a deal or transaction, they must provide documentation from the country of their origin confirming their existence and that they are in good standing. The documents proving such status must be properly verified and legalized. Please click here for a complete list of documents.

1. Having formation documents legalized

Upon proper filing of the memorandum and articles of association of a limited company, in most countries, a certificate of incorporation is issued. This document acts as proof that the limited company has been filed. Upon applying to engage in business in another country or in order to prove the existence of a limited company, many countries require that a certified copy of the certificate of incorporation be produced with an attached apostle. This guarantees that the certificate of incorporation is authentic. Additionally, the country or another business may be interested in the original founding documents of the company, the memorandum and articles of association and will require a certified copy of both along with the proper apostille. We can obtain the certified copy of founding documents for 35 per document with our regular service and 80 for our expedited service. We can obtain the certified certificate and also obtain the apostille for a fee of 90 with our regular service or 170 with our expedited service. Please note this fee is per document and does not include vat.

2. Proving that the company is current with all required documents filed.

An additional requirement of many foreign countries or foreign financial institutions is that proof be provided that the company is up-to-date with all regulatory requirements and is properly set forth on the official register. Such proof is also extremely useful when selling a company or proving status to potential buyers or investors. The document that is produced to show this is called the certificate of good standing. We can obtain a certified copy of this document for you and have it Apostilled as well. The fee for the certificate alone is 35 regular service and 80 for expedited. The fee for the certificate and the apostille together is 90 for our regular service and 170 for our expedited service. Please note that this fee is per documents and does not include vat.

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!!MORE INFORMATION REGARDING LEGALISATION!!

What is an apostille?

The apostille is the international verification that a document has been certified in the country of origin between signors and participants in the Hague Convention (click here for text of the agreement set forth as schedule A). The completed apostille form certifies the authenticity of the document's signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted, and identifies the seal/stamp which the document bears. The apostille uses numerical codes to verify that the documents have been properly executed.

Note: The "apostille" attests to the validity of the signature of the notary public, county official, but not of the underlying signature nor of the contents of the document.

The Hague Convention applies "to public documents which have been executed in the territory of one Contracting State and which have to be produced in the territory of another Contracting State." The Convention does not apply to domestic filing of documents. "Apostilles" will not be issued for documents intended for use within the United Kingdom.

Countries which are Not a Member of the Hague Convention

Countries that are not members of the Hague Convention require full legislation of documents which involves one extra step: after an apostille has been issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office all documents have to be sent to the consul of the relevant foreign embassy. The consul then adds their own certificate.

Convention Apostille Certificate:

If you have a document which you want legalized for use in another Convention country, the Convention certification called an apostille must be affixed to the document by a competent authority. The apostille is a pre-printed form prescribed by the Convention.

Procedure: these vary from country to country. In the United Kingdom legalisation is carried out by the Legalisation department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Legalisation Steps:

1. Notarisation - this is the attestation by a Notary Public that the signature appearing on the document is true and genuine. In the legalisation process, this is usually completed in the country where the document originates. This may also be in the form of a certification which is made by a solicitor as to the signatures made on a document.

2. Apostille - a Government Official in the country of origin has to declare the signature of the Notary Public or the Solicitor as true and genuine.

3. Authentication - the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has to declare the Apostille as true and genuine prior to Legalisation.

4. Legalisation - the Embassy of the country where the document is to be presented can now declare and accept the signature, seal or stamp appearing on the document as genuine.

How does Notarisation Work?

A Notary is a public officer who has the authority to witness and attest to certain documents. Upon an document being witnessed and attested to by a notary, the document is now official and legal in most countries in the world. A notary adds his signature and official seal which makes documents recognized internationally.

All countries require documents to be notarized and most of the documents going to other countries must have an Apostille obtained from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Certain countries also require a legalisation from the Consulate ("Embassy Legalisation").

Can you use a solicitor to obtain an apostille?

A solicitor can attest to and witness a signature. The signature certification of a solicitor can be Apostilled by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. However, in a particular transaction the foreign country where the documents is to be used may require that the documents be notarized by a notary rather than a solicitor. It is extremely important that this requirement be confirmed before you proceed with the legalisation process.

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