If you need to use a UK document abroad, you may need to get it legalised by the UK Legalisation Office, which is part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Legalisation is a process of verifying the authenticity of a document issued by a UK public authority, such as a birth certificate, a marriage certificate, a degree certificate, or a power of attorney. Legalisation is done by attaching an apostille to the document, which is a stamped official certificate that confirms the document is genuine and valid https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised.
But did you know that there are two types of apostille that you can choose from? Depending on the type of document and the preference of the person who needs it, you can get either a paper-based apostille or an electronic apostille, also known as an e-Apostille. In this blog post, we will explain the difference between these two types of apostille and how to apply for them.
Paper-based apostille
A paper-based apostille is a physical certificate that is attached to the document. It is required by some countries that want a paper-based apostille or by some types of documents that are not eligible for an electronic apostille, such as birth, death, marriage, civil partnership and adoption certificates, or any other document from the General Register Office. A paper-based apostille is also required for ACRO police certificates for England and Wales, Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificates for England and Wales, and disclosure certificates for Scotland and Northern Ireland https://blog.vitalconsular.com/uk-apostille-everything-you-need-to-know-about-uk-legalisation/.
To apply for a paper-based apostille, you need to send your documents by post to the Legalisation Office, or submit them in person if you are a registered business. You can use the online service provided by the Legalisation Office to fill in the application form and pay for the service. You can choose to receive your documents back by email or post, depending on your choice.
Electronic apostille
An electronic apostille, or an e-Apostille, is a digital certificate that is attached to a PDF file that contains the document. It is only available for documents that have been electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor. For example, documents such as a power of attorney, a contract, or a qualification certificate can be legalised with an e-Apostille, as long as they have been certified by a UK public official.
To apply for an electronic apostille, you need to upload your documents as PDF files that have been electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor to the online service provided by the Legalisation Office. You can also fill in the application form and pay for the service online. You will receive your documents back by email with the e-Apostille attached.
Both types of apostille contain the same information, such as the country of origin, the name and signature of the authority that issued the document, the date and place of issue, and the seal or stamp of the authority. However, they may look slightly different depending on the country that issued them. The apostille will always be in the official language of the issuing country.
We hope this blog post has helped you understand the different types of apostille and how to apply for them. If you need any help with your document legalisation needs, you can contact us for professional and experienced apostille services. We can help you get your documents legalised quickly and easily, and we can also help you with other services, such as solicitor certification, translation, and embassy attestation.
Different types of apostille
If you need to use a UK document abroad, you may need to get it legalised by the UK Legalisation Office, which is part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Legalisation is a process of verifying the authenticity of a document issued by a UK public authority, such as a birth certificate, a marriage certificate, a degree certificate, or a power of attorney. Legalisation is done by attaching an apostille to the document, which is a stamped official certificate that confirms the document is genuine and valid https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised.
But did you know that there are two types of apostille that you can choose from? Depending on the type of document and the preference of the person who needs it, you can get either a paper-based apostille or an electronic apostille, also known as an e-Apostille. In this blog post, we will explain the difference between these two types of apostille and how to apply for them.
Paper-based apostille
A paper-based apostille is a physical certificate that is attached to the document. It is required by some countries that want a paper-based apostille or by some types of documents that are not eligible for an electronic apostille, such as birth, death, marriage, civil partnership and adoption certificates, or any other document from the General Register Office. A paper-based apostille is also required for ACRO police certificates for England and Wales, Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificates for England and Wales, and disclosure certificates for Scotland and Northern Ireland https://blog.vitalconsular.com/uk-apostille-everything-you-need-to-know-about-uk-legalisation/.
To apply for a paper-based apostille, you need to send your documents by post to the Legalisation Office, or submit them in person if you are a registered business. You can use the online service provided by the Legalisation Office to fill in the application form and pay for the service. You can choose to receive your documents back by email or post, depending on your choice.
Electronic apostille
An electronic apostille, or an e-Apostille, is a digital certificate that is attached to a PDF file that contains the document. It is only available for documents that have been electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor. For example, documents such as a power of attorney, a contract, or a qualification certificate can be legalised with an e-Apostille, as long as they have been certified by a UK public official.
To apply for an electronic apostille, you need to upload your documents as PDF files that have been electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor to the online service provided by the Legalisation Office. You can also fill in the application form and pay for the service online. You will receive your documents back by email with the e-Apostille attached.
Both types of apostille contain the same information, such as the country of origin, the name and signature of the authority that issued the document, the date and place of issue, and the seal or stamp of the authority. However, they may look slightly different depending on the country that issued them. The apostille will always be in the official language of the issuing country.
We hope this blog post has helped you understand the different types of apostille and how to apply for them. If you need any help with your document legalisation needs, you can contact us for professional and experienced apostille services. We can help you get your documents legalised quickly and easily, and we can also help you with other services, such as solicitor certification, translation, and embassy attestation.
Recent Post
Categories