If a document is notarised in the United Kingdom and is intended for use in another country, there may be a further formality of recognition. The procedure is generally described as a legalisation although it is sometimes referred to as “consularisation”.
Countries which have accepted the international convention on legalisation (signed at The Hague in 1961) have abolished the requirement for consular legalisation and it is replaced by a single certification – known as an “apostille”. An apostille is currently issued in the United Kingdom by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Some countries require notarial documents to be legalised by their own authorities, and the document must in these circumstances be presented to the consulate or other diplomatic representation of the country where the document is to be used. We can arrange for legalisation at all such consulates and diplomatic missions in London and occasionally elsewhere.
Use the drop-down menu below to select the country where your document is to be used, this will bring up the relevant legalisation requirements.
Please note that, whilst these pages are constantly updated with the latest information available to us, they should be used for guidance purposes only and please contact any of our notaries if further assistance is required.