Legalisation

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What is legalisation?

Legalisation is the official validation that a signature, seal or stamp appearing on a document is authentic.

 

Why do documents need to be legalised?

British documents that are going to be used overseas for either business or personal reasons need to be legalised in order to accepted abroad.

 

Where and how are the documents legalised?

The Foreign and Commonwealth office and the London Chamber of Commerce are the departments that legalise documents that are to be used overseas. They usually check the seal, signature or stamp on the document and then attach an apostille or stamp to show that the document is genuine. Countries that are affiliated with the Hague Convention need an apostille only. Those that are not will need to take their documents to the appropriate countries for further legalistion.

 

Onestep Legalisation Services:

We provide legalisation services for documents, which require legalisation at:

• Foreign & Commonwealth Office
• London Chambers Of Commerce
• Arab Chambers of Commerce
• Legalisations at all foreign embassies located in the UK

 

Documents that the Foreign & Commonwealth Office can Legalise.

 

UK birth, Death, Marriage and Civil Partnership Certificates.

Original certificates issued by the General Registry Office can be legalised. Death certificates issued by a UK coroner can also be legalised. Photocopies of these documents can also be legalised provided that are certified by a UK solicitor or notary public.

 

UK Certificate of No Impediment.

Original and certified copies by a UK solicitor or notary public can legalised.

 

Religious Documents.

The following documents can be legalised if the have been certified by a UK solicitor or notary public and if the documents have been originated in the United Kingdom. The solicitor or notary public should declare original documents as being true and authentic, and clearly state photocopies as being a duplicate of the original:

• Baptismal Certificates of any denomination.
• Islamic Marriage and Divorce Certificates issued by UK mosques.
• Jewish Divorce Certificates issued by a Jewish Court.

 

Certificates of Incorporation and other Documents issued by Companies House.

Original documents can only be legalised if they bear the signature of an official of Companies houses. If the originals bear no official signature, they can still be legalised if they are signed by a UK solicitor or notary public clearly citing that they are true and authentic documents. Photocopies may also be legalised have been certified by a UK solicitor of notary public clearly stating that they are duplicates of the original.

 

Export Certificates

These can be legalised if they have been signed by an official of the relevant UK government department. Photocopies can also be legalised if they have signed by a UK solicitor or notary public confirming that the documents are a true copy of the originals.

 

Documents from British Overseas Territories

These documents can be legalised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as long as they have already been legalised by an official of the Government in the Territory concerned. The British Overseas Territories are:

Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antartic Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena and Dependencies, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands.

 

Academic Certificates

Please note that only academic certificates accredited by UK institutions can be legalised. These certificates should also be signed by a UK solicitor or notary public. Photocopies with appropriate signatures will also be accepted.

 

Contact Us:

If there are documents that you wish to legalise but cannot find them listed here, please call our Legalisation Consultants 020 8866 2001 for further details.