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Apostille for Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates in the UK

  • Posted: June 1st, 2025

Obtaining an apostille for birth, marriage, and death certificates in the UK is an essential step when these documents are required for official use abroad. Whether for immigration, marriage overseas, inheritance, or dual citizenship, legalising vital records ensures their recognition in foreign jurisdictions. At Prime Apostille, we offer a streamlined, professional, and rapid service to get your documents apostilled correctly the first time.

What Is an Apostille and Why Is It Needed?

An apostille is a certificate issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) verifying the authenticity of a public document, such as a birth, marriage, or death certificate. It confirms that the signature, seal, or stamp on the document is genuine, enabling the document to be accepted in any Hague Convention member country.

If you’re using UK-issued vital records abroad—for instance, registering a marriage, applying for citizenship, or settling an estate—you will almost always need these documents to be apostilled before submission to foreign authorities.

Which Certificates Require an Apostille?

Birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates are the most frequently legalised civil documents. These documents must be:

  • Official long-form certificates issued by the General Register Office (GRO) or local register office

  • Originals, or certified copies issued by the GRO

  • Unaltered and undamaged

Short-form birth certificates (which exclude parental details) are generally not accepted for apostille processing. Foreign authorities often require the long-form version, showing full details for legal clarity.

Step-by-Step Process of Getting an Apostille for Vital Records

1. Obtain a Suitable Certificate

Ensure your certificate is:

  • The original or an official certified copy

  • In good condition with no tears or alterations

  • Issued by an authorized registry

You can order certified copies from the General Register Office (GRO) or local registrars.

2. Verification and Review

Before submission, we verify that the document meets the criteria for apostille and confirm that no prior legalisation has been done that would affect the new application.

3. Apostille Issuance by FCDO

Once your document passes verification, we submit it to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. The FCDO issues the apostille certificate, which is attached to your document. This confirms:

  • The authenticity of the document

  • The capacity of the signatory

  • The genuineness of any official seal or stamp

4. Return Delivery

We securely return the apostilled certificate via tracked courier or postal service. We also offer international delivery where necessary.

How Long Does It Take to Get an Apostille in the UK?

We offer multiple processing options to suit your needs:

  • Standard Service: 5–7 business days

  • Express Service: 1–2 business days

  • Same-Day Service (subject to availability): Available for urgent matters with in-person assistance

Delays may occur if documents are incorrectly prepared, so working with professionals ensures speed and accuracy.

How Much Does an Apostille Cost?

The standard FCDO fee for an apostille is £45 per document (as of 2025). Additional fees apply for:

  • Courier return service

  • Document verification or certification

  • Same-day or express processing

At Prime Apostille, we offer fixed-price apostille packages, including handling, tracking, and delivery, with no hidden charges.

Countries That Accept Apostille Legalisation

Documents apostilled in the UK are valid in all Hague Apostille Convention countries. Some of the most common include:

  • USA

  • Canada

  • Australia

  • Spain

  • France

  • Germany

  • Italy

  • South Africa

  • India

  • Brazil

If the destination country is not a Hague Convention signatory, your certificate will likely require further embassy or consular legalisation after the apostille. We also offer embassy legalisation services for such cases.

When Do You Need Additional Legalisation Beyond the Apostille?

If your certificate is intended for use in a non-Hague country (e.g. UAE, China, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt), additional legalisation from the relevant embassy or consulate is typically required. This includes:

  • Submitting the document after apostille

  • Obtaining a final stamp or certificate from the destination country’s consulate

We handle the entire end-to-end process, ensuring your document meets all international standards.

Can Scanned or Photocopied Certificates Be Apostilled?

No. The FCDO only accepts original documents or certified true copies signed by a UK solicitor or notary public. We can assist in certifying copies where originals are unavailable.

Why Choose Prime Apostille?

  • Fast-track options to suit your timeline

  • End-to-end support, from verification to delivery

  • Competitive fixed pricing

  • Multi-document discounts

  • Secure international shipping

Our expert team specialises in the legalisation of UK birth, marriage, and death certificates for use across the globe. We eliminate the guesswork and reduce your stress, ensuring a fast and compliant process.

Common Use Cases for Apostilled Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates

  • Applying for dual nationality

  • Marriage abroad

  • Overseas inheritance claims

  • Immigration and visa processes

  • School and university enrolments

  • Estate administration abroad

No matter your reason, we ensure your documents are legally recognised and properly processed for international use.

Conclusion

Securing an apostille for UK birth, marriage, and death certificates is a vital step for international document recognition. At Prime Apostille, we ensure fast, reliable, and legally sound processing of all vital records, tailored to meet the requirements of your destination country.

We invite you to experience hassle-free legalisation, with total peace of mind.

For assistance or to get started, contact us today at:

📞 +44 (0) 207 183 8043
📧 info@primeapostille.com
🌐 www.primeapostille.com

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IMPORTANT NOTICE

Please note that the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is currently experiencing severe delays with issuing apostilles. It is currently taking around 20 - 25 working days to apostille a document through the FCDO and, as a result, our standard processing times are taking longer than usual.

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If your documents have not been certified by a Solicitor or Notary Public, please ensure that the documents you send to us are originals. Our in-house solicitors will create certified copies for you free of charge. Your original documents will subsequently be returned to you together with your legalised/attested documents.

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The Qualifications Office of the Consulate General of Italy in London only issues "Dichiarazioni di Valore" (Declarations of Value, DV) of British qualifications - issued by recognised educational institutions (schools, colleges and universities) or professional bodies - that fall under the British education/university system.

Scotland and Northern Ireland fall within the jurisdiction of the Consulate General in Edinburgh.

The "DV" is neither an equivalent of an Italian qualification nor a comparability certificate. It will be up to the relevant Italian institutions (Ministry of Education, Uffici Scolastici Provinciali, Universities, etc.) to subsequently declare if a foreign qualification has a similar Italian equivalent: this is called "equipollenza" (equivalence/certificate of comparability). Please note that the "Declaration of Value" can only be requested for already-completed study cycles (e.g., A-level, Bachelor, Master, etc.).

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Before your documents can be attested by an embassy they often require to obtain a certificate by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) verifying the authenticity of that document.

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When a document is required in an official capacity, it is often required to obtain a certificate by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) verifying the authenticity of that document.

If your documents needs this certificate, we can obtain this for your selected documents using our Apostille service.

Please note, this is set fee per document that will be added to the total cost of our solicitor attestation service.

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