Some documents need to be signed or certified by a Notary Public or Solicitor before they can receive an apostille. This is called notarisation or solicitor certification. For many documents you MUST get them certified – the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will reject uncertified documents if certification is required. You can view a list of documents here.

In most cases, solicitor certification is acceptable for apostille purposes. It’s quicker, cheaper, and usually just as valid. For most documents we can arrange the solicitor certification for you.

When solicitor certification is acceptable

Solicitor certification works for a wide range of personal and company documents, including:

• Companies House Documents
• Employment letters
• Degrees, Masters, PhDs
• DBS checks
• Academic qualifications and certificates
• Statutory declarations and affidavits
• Court Documents

The solicitor will check the document, confirm it’s genuine or that the copy matches the original, and sign it. That’s enough for the apostille in most cases.

When you need notarisation

Some documents must be signed in front of a Notary Public. This is a more formal process and usually costs more. You might need notarisation if:

• The country you’re sending the document to demands it (e.g. Some USA organisations prefer notaries)
• The document is a power of attorney clearly stating witnessed by a notary
• The document needs to be ‘sworn’ in front of a notary, not just a solicitor

If in doubt, check with the requesting organisation or person. If they specifically ask for notarisation, solicitor certification may not be accepted.