What is an apostille certificate?
An apostille is an official certificate that authenticates a UK document for use in another country. Issued by the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office), it confirms that the signature, seal or stamp on a document is genuine.
Apostilles are recognised by all member countries of the 1961 Hague Convention, making them the internationally accepted standard for document legalisation.
What Does an Apostille Do?
An apostille serves three key functions.
Sample Apostille Certificate
What Does The Apostille Look Like?
The actual certificate is a piece of paper approximately 15cms square. It is permanently glued to another document and then an embossing mechanism, often called the apostille seal or apostille stamp, is used to emboss the document with a government crest. It is often referred to as getting a document ‘apostilled’.
The certificate is normally added to the back of a document. However, when a document has print on both sides, it may be placed in the most suitable position, which may be on the front.
What Does “Apostilled” Mean?
When a document has been “apostilled,” it simply means that an apostille certificate has been attached to it. The document has gone through the official legalisation process and is now certified for international use. You may also see the terms “apostille legalisation” or “apostille certified” – these all refer to the same process.
What is included?
The design and style of the apostille varies by country. Some members of The Hague Convention use a paper certificate like the UK, other countries use an ink stamp and some use an adhesive sticker. While the design may vary, the content should include all of the main 10 points.
A typical UK apostille will contain the following 10 sections, although not all sections will be completed for each document. This example is typical for an apostille attached to a document witnessed by a solicitor-
1. Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2. Has been signed by: J Smith
3. Acting in the capacity of Solicitor
4. Bears the Seal/stamp of (this may be blank if a seal or stamp are not used)
5. At London
6. 5 January 2025
7. By Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
8. Number: APO123456789
9. Stamp (The embossing stamp is applied here)
10. Signature: (The issuing officer’s signature is applied here)
This is just an example apostille and not an extract from a genuine document. Your apostille should contain ten points but not all may be completed depending on who issued the document.
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What is an Apostille Stamp?
Despite the common name, an apostille is not simply a rubber stamp. It is a formal certificate – approximately 15cm square – that is permanently attached to your document.
An embossing mechanism is then used to apply an official government crest, sometimes called the apostille seal. The combination of the paper certificate and the embossed seal is what makes the apostille legally valid.
