The rule that settles most confusion here: the country that issued the document is the country that apostilles it. A U.S. birth certificate or FBI check headed for London is apostilled by a U.S. authority. A British document used in the United States is apostilled by the FCDO Legalisation Office, the only body in the UK that can issue one.
Quick facts
Sending a U.S. document to the UK legalisation office, or asking a British consulate in America to authenticate it, produces nothing except a returned envelope.
Fees breakdown
| Item | Cost | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Apostille on a U.S. state document | $3–$25 per document | Secretary of State of that state |
| Apostille on a U.S. federal document | $20 per document | U.S. Department of State |
| Apostille on a UK document, standard postal | £45 per document | FCDO Legalisation Office |
| Same through a registered provider | £40 government fee plus their charge | Next-day submission route |
| Notarisation before apostille | $5–$25 or a UK notary’s fee | Required for private documents |
The electronic apostille is faster but limited: the FCDO excludes birth, death, marriage, civil partnership and adoption certificates, and police certificates, from that route. Those must go on paper.
How to get a document apostilled
- Work out which country issued the document, and send it to that country’s authority.
- Order a certified copy from the issuing office rather than using a photocopy.
- Have private documents notarised first, since the apostille certifies the notary’s signature.
- File with the U.S. Secretary of State, or with the UK legalisation service and its cover sheet.
- Check field three of the returned certificate: if it names a notary, the apostille authenticated the notary and not the underlying record, which is not always what the receiving authority expected.
Required documents
- Original certified copy, unaltered, with signature and seal.
- Completed request form and payment.
- Prepaid return envelope or courier instructions.
- Photo ID for in-person service.
What consulates do instead
British missions in the United States provide emergency travel documents, help in emergencies and limited registration services. Document authentication is not among them.
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Additional notes
Do not unstaple it
The apostille is attached to the document by staple and seal, or by eyelet and ribbon for notarial sets. Removing the fastening to photocopy or scan destroys the authentication.
Age of the document
The legalisation office may verify a registrar’s signature with the issuing office, and for older certificates it can ask for a newly issued copy. Ordering a fresh certificate first is often quicker.
Non-Hague destinations
Where the destination country is outside the Convention, the apostille is only the first step and embassy attestation follows. That does not apply between the U.S. and the UK.
Plan the timing
Twenty-five working days is the published standard for the paper route in the UK. Add courier time in both directions before assuming a deadline is safe.