When Is Embassy Legalisation Required?
Finding the correct process to legalise a document from one country for use in another can seem like a daunting process. Fortunately, the Hague Apostille convention has simplified this process considerably for many countries. The Apostille is all that is required when presenting a document in a country that is a member of the Hague Apostille convention.
When presenting a document in a non-member country embassy legalisation will often be required. Embassies in the UK can issue their own attestation stamps to the document once the apostille has been issued.
Which Countries May Require Embassy Legalisation?
The following countries are not currently a member of the Apostille convention:
A
Afghanistan
Algeria
Angola
B
Bangladesh
Benin
Bolivia
Burkina Faso
Burma Myanmar
Burundi
C
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Congo Republic
Congo Democratic
Cuba
E
Egypt
Eritrea
Ethiopia
G
Ghana
Guinea
H
Haiti
I
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ivory Coast
J
Jordan
K
Kenya
Kuwait
L
Laos
Lebanon
Libya
M
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malaysia
Mali
Mauritania
Mozambique
Myanmar
N
Nepal
Niger
Nigeria
P
Palestine
Q
Qatar
R
Rwanda
S
Senega
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Syria
T
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Togo
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
U
UAE (United Arab Emirates)
Uganda
V
Vietnam
Y
Yemen
Z
Zambia
Zimbabwe
If you intend to present your documents in any of the countries listed above then your documents may also need to be attested by the respective embassy.
Certain countries, whilst not formally a member of the Apostille convention, may still recognise documents issued with the apostille. We recommend contacting the authorities in the country you intend to use the document to confirm their exact requirements if you are unsure.
How can we help?
We provide an embassy attestation service for most countries that require this. Not all countries have an active embassy in the UK so, in these cases, it may not be possible for the documents to be legalised by the embassy.
Please contact us if you need embassy attestation services for any of the countries listed above. Our experienced advisors are at hand to confirm the fees and the correct process for the country in question.
