Apostille Birth Certificate

An apostilled birth certificate is certified with an apostille stamp. The certificate and stamp ensure the document is legally valid and recognised in the Hague Apostille Convention member countries. The apostille guarantees the document’s authenticity for use in international legal matters.

A certified copy of your birth certificate is crucial for various legal and administrative purposes. You may need to apostille a birth certificate if you plan to use it in a foreign country that is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. This makes the document legally recognised in those member countries.

Reasons to Apostille a Birth Certificate:

• Applying for Dual Citizenship
• Marriage Abroad
• Adopting a Child from Another Country
• Registering a Birth in Another Country
• International Work Visas
• Enrolling in Foreign Schools
• Inheritance Claims Overseas
• Immigration Purposes
• International Legal Proceedings
• Transferring Pension Benefits
• Global Business Transactions

In the UK, you can get a birth certificate apostilled through the Legalisation Office or FCDO-authorised service providers, such as Fatchett Legalisation. Our team is experienced in handling such requests, ensuring your document is processed efficiently and correctly.

In the UK, apostilles are issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through its Legalisation Office. When issuing an apostille, the FCDO will affix a certificate to the original documents to show that the document and signatures are genuine. However, authorised service providers like Fatchett Legalisation can facilitate the process on your behalf, making it more convenient and often faster. For further assistance or to initiate the apostille process for your birth certificate, please get in touch with Fatchett Legalisation. Our knowledgeable team is here to guide you through every step of the process.

We can arrange apostille for long-form (extended) and short-form birth certificates. However, confirming that the relevant overseas authority will accept the short-form certificate for your specific purpose is essential. So, contact the relevant overseas authorities or seek professional legal advice to ensure compliance with their particular requirements.

The cost to apostille a birth certificate can vary depending on the service provider and the urgency of the request. At Fatchett Legalisation, we offer competitive rates for apostille services. For detailed pricing, please contact our office or visit our website order form, where we regularly update our fee structure.

The time it takes to apostille a birth certificate can vary. Typically, the process can take from a couple of working days to a couple of weeks, depending on the workload of the Legalisation Office. At Fatchett Legalisation, we offer expedited services to meet urgent requirements.

To obtain an apostille for a birth certificate in the UK, follow these steps:

• Obtain a certified copy of the birth certificate.
• Submit the document to the Legalisation Office or authorised service, such as Fatchett Legalisation.
• Pay the necessary fees.
• Wait for the document to be processed and returned with the apostille.

At Fatchett Legalisation, we can streamline this process, ensuring your documents are handled correctly and efficiently.

An apostille is a certificate attached to your birth certificate. It usually features a stamp or sticker and includes information such as the issuing country’s authentication, the identity of the official who signed the document, and the date of issue. It is designed to be easily recognisable by officials in foreign countries.

The FCDO will not issue an apostille certificate if the signature on your birth certificate is not recognised. Rejection typically occurs when the registrar or other authorised person is not in their official database, as the birth certificate is very new or very old. Currently, there is no way to check the signature before submission.

If the FCDO rejects your certificate for apostille and the birth certificate is very new, contact the local registrar’s office and ask the person who signed the certificate to register their signature with the FCDO.

For very old certificates, order a new official replacement copy from the GRO website or local registry office. A new certificate takes around four working days and costs £11.

Alternatively, one of our solicitors can certify the birth certificate and get the apostille. However, the FCDO will then issue the apostille based on the solicitor’s signature, not the signature on your birth certificate. Some overseas authorities will not accept this. So, you should first contact the relevant overseas authorities to confirm that this would be acceptable for your intended use.