The UK e-Apostille provides a fully digital alternative to the traditional paper apostille for many UK documents.

Instead of sending a physical document to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), an eligible document can be prepared electronically, digitally certified by a UK solicitor and submitted to the Legalisation Office. The completed apostille is then issued electronically as a secure digital document.

For many applications, this can make obtaining an apostille considerably more convenient. However, an e-Apostille is not suitable for every document or every overseas application.

This guide explains what an e-Apostille is, how it differs from a paper apostille, which documents can commonly be legalised electronically and when a traditional paper apostille should be used instead.

What is an e-Apostille?

An e-Apostille is an electronic version of the apostille certificate issued by the UK Legalisation Office.

An apostille is used to authenticate the origin of a UK document for use overseas. It confirms the authenticity of the signature, seal or certification associated with the document.

With a traditional paper apostille, the FCDO attaches a physical apostille certificate to the document being legalised.

With an e-Apostille, the process takes place digitally.

The document is submitted electronically and the completed legalised document is supplied as a digitally signed PDF. The FCDO’s electronic system preserves the electronic signatures associated with the document and adds the electronic apostille certificate.

The UK introduced its e-Apostille service following an initial pilot, with the service being expanded by the FCDO in 2022.

Does a document need to be digitally signed before it can receive an e-Apostille?

Yes.

For an e-Apostille application, the document submitted to the FCDO must be a PDF that has been electronically signed by a UK solicitor or notary using an electronic signature acceptable to the Legalisation Office.

This is different from simply adding an image of a signature to a PDF. The electronic signature needs to allow the FCDO to authenticate the solicitor or notary who has certified the document.

We include the required digital solicitor certification

When you order our e-Apostille service, the necessary digital solicitor certification is included in the service.

We prepare the document for legalisation and arrange for it to be electronically certified using a solicitor whose electronic signature is registered with and recognised by the FCDO Legalisation Office.

You therefore do not need to arrange your own solicitor certification before sending an eligible document to us.

Some documents may require additional verification before they can be certified. For example, an academic qualification may need to be verified with the university, college or awarding body before the solicitor can certify it.

How does an e-Apostille work?

For a typical document, the process is:

1. You send us the document electronically.
   In many cases this can simply be uploaded as a PDF.
2. We check whether the document is suitable for an e-Apostille.
   We also consider whether any additional verification or certification is required.
3. The document is digitally certified by our solicitor.
   The solicitor applies the appropriate electronic certification and digital signature.
4. The digitally signed document is submitted to the FCDO Legalisation Office.
5. The FCDO issues the e-Apostille electronically.
6. The completed document is supplied digitally.
   It can then be forwarded to the organisation or authority requesting it.

There is no need for the completed e-Apostille to be returned through the post.

What does an e-Apostille look like?

An e-Apostille is not simply a scanned copy of a paper apostille.

It is an electronically issued document containing the apostille certificate together with the document to which it relates.

The FCDO digitally signs the electronic file so that its authenticity and integrity can be checked.

The completed file should therefore be kept in its original electronic format. How to view the e-apostille.

Both an e-Apostille and a paper apostille are issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

Their purpose is essentially the same: to authenticate a UK document for use overseas.

The main difference is the format in which the legalisation takes place.

Paper apostille

A paper apostille:

• is attached to a physical document;
• requires the original or certified document to be submitted physically;
• is returned as a physical document;
• can be presented as part of a paper application;
• may be required where the overseas authority wants to inspect the original document; and
• is available for document types that cannot receive an e-Apostille.

e-Apostille

An e-Apostille:

• is issued electronically;
• is supplied as a digitally signed file;
• can usually be sent to us electronically;
• does not require physical return delivery;
• is particularly useful for online and electronic applications; and
• is only available for eligible documents.

Neither format should automatically be considered “better”. The correct option depends upon the document and what the receiving authority requires.

Can I print an e-Apostille?

You can physically print the pages of an e-Apostille for reference, but this does not convert it into a paper apostille.

The important authentication information is contained within the electronic document and its digital signatures.

A printed copy cannot reproduce the functioning digital signatures contained within the original PDF.

For this reason, if an authority requires you to submit an original document with a physical apostille attached, you should order a paper apostille instead.

This is one of the most important differences between the two services.

Why is an e-Apostille not always suitable?

There are two separate questions to consider:

Can the document receive an e-Apostille?

and

Will the organisation receiving the document accept an e-Apostille?

These are not necessarily the same thing.

A document may be technically eligible for electronic legalisation but still need a paper apostille because of the requirements of the organisation requesting it.

Paper applications

If you are making an application by post or must physically hand over your original documents, an e-Apostille may not be appropriate.

Printing the e-Apostille does not create an original paper apostille.

Authorities that request a paper apostille

Some government departments, consulates, universities, employers and other organisations may specifically request a physical apostille.

If they have asked for a paper apostille, you should normally provide one.

Original-document requirements

An overseas authority may require both the original document and the apostille to be presented physically.

An electronic version will not necessarily satisfy that requirement.

Further embassy legalisation

Documents being used in a country where additional embassy or consular legalisation is required will commonly need to follow the paper legalisation process.

The receiving embassy or authority determines its own requirements.

Certain documents are excluded

The FCDO does not currently permit e-Apostilles to be issued for certain types of documents. These must use the paper apostille service instead.

If you are uncertain, we recommend checking with the organisation requesting your documents before choosing between an e-Apostille and a paper apostille.

Which documents commonly receive an e-Apostille?

A wide range of UK documents can potentially receive an e-Apostille once they have been appropriately digitally certified.

Common examples include:

Degree certificates and academic qualifications

University degrees, college qualifications, professional certificates and other academic documents are frequently suitable for e-Apostille legalisation.

Before certification, we need to verify the qualification directly with the university, college or awarding organisation.

Academic transcripts

Academic transcripts can also commonly be processed electronically, subject to satisfactory verification of the document.

Companies House documents

Many documents that can be independently verified against Companies House records can be prepared for electronic legalisation.

These may include:

• certificates of incorporation;
• Companies House company documents;
• certain company accounts or filings; and
• other publicly verifiable company information.

The precise certification required depends on the document.

Private and commercial documents

Many privately issued documents can receive an e-Apostille after being appropriately certified by a solicitor or notary.

Examples may include:

• contracts;
• agreements;
• letters;
• company documents;
• declarations.

The documents need to be verified with the issuing organisation first. Documents that require a person’s signature to be witnessed must first be executed correctly. Electronic legalisation does not remove any underlying witnessing or execution requirements.

Other digitally issued documents

Many documents that are already supplied electronically can be particularly well suited to the e-Apostille process, provided their authenticity can be established and they can be appropriately certified.

Eligibility should always be checked before proceeding.

The FCDO currently states that an e-Apostille cannot be issued for the following:

• birth certificates;
• marriage certificates;
• death certificates;
• civil partnership certificates;
• adoption certificates;
• other documents issued by the General Register Office (GRO);
• certificate of no impediment
• ACRO police certificates for England and Wales;
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates for England and Wales;
• disclosure certificates for Scotland and Northern Ireland;
• fingerprint certificates.

These documents need to be processed using the paper apostille service.

The FCDO may amend its eligibility rules, so we check the current requirements when processing an application.

Can a birth certificate have an e-Apostille?

No. UK birth certificates issued through the General Register Office are specifically excluded from the FCDO e-Apostille service.

A birth certificate requiring legalisation must receive a traditional paper apostille.

The same applies to marriage certificates, death certificates, civil partnership certificates and adoption certificates issued through the GRO.

Can a DBS certificate have an e-Apostille?

No. DBS certificates for England and Wales are specifically excluded from electronic legalisation by the FCDO and require a paper apostille.

Can an ACRO police certificate have an e-Apostille?

No. ACRO police certificates for England and Wales currently require a paper apostille.

This is particularly important for customers obtaining police certificates for overseas visa, residency or immigration applications, where physical documentation is also commonly required.

Is an e-Apostille accepted in every country?

The apostille system operates under the Hague Apostille Convention, but that does not mean every organisation processes electronic documents in the same way.

Different authorities can have different administrative requirements.

An overseas authority may:

• accept e-Apostilles electronically;
• specifically request a paper apostille;
• require the original document;
• operate a paper-only application system; or
• have its own requirements concerning certification or document format.

For this reason, you should check the requirements of the organisation that will actually receive the document.

The receiving authority has the final say over what it will accept.

Is an e-Apostille secure?

Yes. The e-Apostille system was specifically designed as a secure electronic legalisation process.

The FCDO uses digital signatures to protect the integrity of the electronic apostille and the documents associated with it.

The original electronic file is therefore important.

Rather than relying solely upon the visual appearance of a certificate, electronic signatures allow the digital document to be authenticated.

UK apostilles can also be checked using the FCDO’s apostille verification service.

What are the advantages of an e-Apostille?

Where an e-Apostille is suitable, there are several advantages.

No documents in the post

Eligible documents can be handled electronically without sending paperwork backwards and forwards.

Faster electronic delivery

Once completed, the document can be delivered digitally rather than waiting for postal or courier delivery.

Easy international distribution

The finished file can be emailed to a recipient anywhere in the world within seconds.

Particularly suitable for online applications

If the receiving authority operates an electronic application system, an e-Apostille can be a natural fit.

No risk of the apostilled document being lost in transit

Because the final document is supplied electronically, there is no physical apostilled document to lose in the post.

What are the disadvantages of an e-Apostille?

The principal disadvantage is that electronic legalisation is not suitable for every application.

An e-Apostille should not be chosen simply because it is more convenient.

If the recipient ultimately needs a physical document, choosing an e-Apostille first could mean having to obtain a separate paper apostille afterwards.

You should therefore establish the recipient’s requirements before proceeding wherever possible.

Should I choose an e-Apostille or a paper apostille?

An e-Apostille may be suitable if:

• your document is eligible;
• you have the document electronically;
• the recipient accepts electronic apostilles;
• the application itself is being made electronically; and
• there is no requirement to present a physically apostilled original.

A paper apostille may be more appropriate if:

• the document is not eligible for an e-Apostille;
• you need to submit documents physically;
• the recipient specifically requests a paper apostille;
• an original document must be presented;
• you are unsure whether an electronic apostille will be accepted; or
• further physical legalisation is required.

If in doubt, ask the organisation requesting the document whether they accept a UK e-Apostille rather than simply asking whether they accept an “apostille”.

Ordering an e-Apostille

Our e-Apostille service includes the digital solicitor certification required for eligible documents.

Simply send us your document electronically and we can check whether it is suitable for an e-Apostille and whether any additional verification is required.

Where an e-Apostille is not appropriate, we can instead advise on obtaining a traditional paper apostille.

This means you do not need to determine the technical legalisation requirements yourself before placing an order.

Need an e-Apostille?

If you have a UK document that needs to be used overseas, send us a copy and tell us which country it will be used in and what it is being used for.

We can confirm whether the document can usually be processed using an e-Apostille or whether a traditional paper apostille is likely to be more appropriate.

Where the receiving organisation has specified its requirements, you should always follow those instructions.