Apostille & Legalisation

Edward can arrange at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) an apostille of your documents and, if required, arrange legalisation of your document or documents at the relevant consulate or embassy of the country for which the documents are required.

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APOSTILLE

More often than not, documents which have been notarised will also need to be apostilled. This means the document is legalised by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) either in Milton Keynes or London.

By affixing the apostille, the FCDO verify the authenticity of the notary public and his office and signature and that the notary public is qualified to notarise such documents.

Effectively, an apostille in the form prescribed by The Hague Convention of the 5 October 1961 conclusively establishes that the signature of the notary public is genuine and that the notary public (in this case Edward) holds the office of notary public.

The FCDO also directly apostille documents issued by certain Registrars. These could include a certified copy birth or death certificate or a marriage certificate. Again, Edward can arrange for official copies of these documents and then arrange for an apostille of the same.

​For countries signed up to the Hague Convention, usually the apostille on a document is all that is required.

​The costs of an apostille are £30 per document for a standard service. A faster same day business service is available at the cost of £75 per document. Occasionally documents can be bundled and bound together (and sealed) to save on having to obtain several apostilles. In addition to the cost of the apostille, there are agent, postage or courier costs.

Please speak to Edward about getting a breakdown of the costs for your particular document. Edward also works with an agency in London who can obtain the apostille and consular legalisation and deal with all the necessary paperwork for you. This is normally the preferred service.

CONSULAR OR EMBASSY LEGALISATION

For countries not signed up to the Hague Convention, legalisation at the consular or embassy is also required.

When a document needs consular legalisation, the document, having had an apostille, is then sent to the consular or embassy offices of the country that the document is required for who then verify the authenticity of the apostille and notarisation.

The cost and timescales for consular legalisation depends entirely on the consulate / embassy used and the document itself. Again, please speak to Edward about getting a breakdown of costs and disbursements for your particular document.

COURIER

Edward, via his agent in London, will organise the courier of the document (usually by DHL) to the recipient. This services includes tracking details and a scan of the document prior to being couriered.

Advice on the type of courier and timescales will be given during the process.

Edward also offers courier services from his offices by DHL.

Personal Notarial Services

  • Powers of attorney

  • Certifying and verifying ID documentation

  • Confirmation of status to marry

  • Notarising Wills

  • Consent for travel

  • Notarising translations

  • Change of name

Commercial Notarial Services

  • Company powers of attorney

  • Company contract work

  • Certificates of Good Standing

  • Declarations by Directors

  • Authentication of facts

  • MHRA notarisation

  • Certificates of Free Sale

Apostille + Legalisation

  • Apostille

  • Consular legalisation

  • Embassy legalisation

  • Agent instruction

  • Courier of legal documents to foreign jurisdictions

  • Translations

Being a full time notary public, Edward sees clients from all over Wales including Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Cardiganshire, Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Bridgend, Cardiff and Newport and throughout the valleys into Mid Wales (including Aberystwyth, Newtown and beyond).

Tel: 01558 678 009   |   edward@carreglaw.co.uk  |  2 King Street, Llandeilo SA19 6AA

 

Edward Friend | Notary Public | A full service notarial practice