Apostille on Company Documents FAQs
Frequently asked questions on getting an apostille for company documents.
Company documents often need an apostille when they are being used in another country. We look at some of the most frequently asked questions about legalising commercial or company papers.
FAQs
A Certificate of Good Standing (COGS) is a document that is issued by Companies House and confirms the company has been in continuous existence since its incorporation date. This will also show that no action is currently being taken against the company for it to be struck off and taken removed from the register.
In order for a COGS to be issued by Companies House, the accounts and confirmation statement must be filed and up to date. If these documents are overdue then the good standing statement cannot be included. Additional details can be added to the Certificate confirming the registered office, directors and secretaries, and shares issued.
You can obtain this document from Companies House directly, alternatively we can obtain this on your behalf. If this is something you would be interested in please contact a member of the team to confirm the latest prices. You can also order online.
If you do not have access to your original company incorporation documents, you can obtain copies of these from Companies House. If you go onto Companies House and search for your company there is a section where you can download your incorporation documents. These are free to access. Alternatively, your company formation service provider should hold these documents on their systems where you will be able to access them.
If you need our assistance we would be pleased to access Companies House and order replacement documents for you. Please ask one of the team for help.
When looking to obtain information on a company you can order this directly from Companies House. You start by searching for the Company Name or Number on the Companies House website. Once you have found the relevant company page you can select the option ‘Filing History’ or select ‘More’ and see a company snapshot. You will be able to see a full list of the filing history of the company and download the documents which you need. These documents are free to access.
We regularly assist customers who need to order or download documents or certificates from Companies House. Let us take care of this for you to save you time and money.
If we are processing multiple company documents for the same company we are able to process the documents together under one apostille. This would see our solicitor create and sign a cover sheet listing the documents that are included in the set. These documents are bound together as one and one apostille is placed on the cover sheet legalising all documents in the set.
This method of processing company documents is usually acceptable for use overseas although if you are unsure please contact the people requesting your documents.
Most company documents will require solicitor certification as they are not signed by a recognised official. If you are providing us with photocopies or scans of the documents, these will need to be solicitor certified. Also, if you have obtained unsigned copies from Companies House these will also require certification.
If you are to sending us your original company documents that have been signed by an officer at Companies House, the apostille can be issued without solicitor certification. If replacement documents have been ordered from Companies House, and you paid the extra to have them certified by an officer, these will also not require any certification by a solicitor.
A Company Tax HMRC residency certificate is similar to a Personal HMRC Confirmation of Residency. These are created to show that the company is paying taxes in the UK. A Company will be classed as a UK Resident provided that it is incorporated in the UK. If the company was formed outside of the UK, but members of the board who control the running of the business are UK based, the company may still pay tax here in the UK.
HMRC certificates of residency can only be ordered from HMRC by a company director. Contact your company’s HMRC Tax Office.
If you need to obtain a Company Tax Residency Certificate then you will be able to obtain this from HMRC. If you either contact your corporation tax office or visit their website you should be able to find information on how to fill out a basic application form. In this form you will need to provide details of your company and then send this on to HMRC. They will then issue you with your Tax Certificate of Residency document relating to the company.
Simple to Order
Order and pay online, then simply post your documents to us.
Complete Service
One stop service solicitor certification, UK apostille and embassy attestation.
Apostille Service
FCDO apostille included in the service, saving your weeks in processing.
Experienced Team
With over 20 years experience we have a team of trained legalisation experts.
Solicitor Certification
Using our recognised FCDO solicitor we can certify your documents to save you time and money.
International Delivery
On completion we can ship the documents anywhere in the world.
Need advice?
Contact our legalisation team for expert advice.
Legalising company documents can be a time consuming and confusing process. Researching the subject alone can take hours before you even begin stumbling through the various steps required and getting documents certified correctly.
Help is on hand. With over 20 years legalising company documents, we are the people to assist with the apostille service.