Set of Documents with One Apostille

by Apostille Service

Preparing a set of documents with one apostille

Documents being used in another country are legalised with the apostille. In most cases, each document has its own apostille attached.

There are some instances when several documents are combined into one ‘set’ and legalised with one apostille. This is occasionally done with academic documents, employment letters or company documents.

How are sets of documents prepared?

To explain how a set of documents are legalised with one apostille, we will use the example of a degree and transcript.

Our solicitor will check and certify documents into one set under one apostille.

Steps Involved

Step 1 – Document checks

Our solicitor will check the documents. If presented with an original degree and transcript they will check the certificate and transcript have the expected features, quality, and security marks. If a customer provides copy documents by email, verification checks will need to be made with the university.

Step 2 – Preparation of the set

A cover sheet is prepared by the solicitor that is placed at the front of the set of documents. They will detail who the documents belong to and what documents are being included in the set. They will state whether original documents are included in the set, or if they are copies of documents. The solicitor then signs and dates the cover sheet.

Step 3 – ‘Binding’ the documents as a set

To reduce the risk of the document set being tampered with, or changed, the solicitor will add legal fasteners/bindings to the set. This will require documents being hole punched so they can add the fasteners to the documents. They may also add legal tape and seals. This can vary by solicitor and the documents in question.

Step 4 – Apostille is added

The set of documents is then submitted to the FCDO for the apostille. The FCDO will check the solicitor has correctly certified the cover sheet and check their signature matches the government records.

The apostille is added to the cover sheet. It is important to note, the apostille is not added to the attached documents.

Points to Consider

Preparing a set of documents with an apostille can save you money when you have many documents in one person’s name.

Not all countries accept bound sets. This is for you, the customer, to check if a set of documents will be accepted for your circumstances. We cannot say what every organisation in every country requires.

Some embassies do not accept sets of documents. For example, the UAE and Qatari embassies do not allow you to submit sets of documents. They request individual documents have apostilles.

You can only include documents for one person or one company in a set.

Documents will be ‘bound’ into a set. If you choose to legalise original documents, they will be hole punched and attached to our solicitor’s cover sheet.

Many documents cannot be included in a set. This is normally government issued documents. The following list is just a sample of documents that do not get legalised in a set and must have their own apostille –