How it works
STEP 1 – Upload your documents
Send us your documents in PDF format. Our team will review them to ensure they are eligible for e-Apostille and arrange solicitor e-certification using a qualified electronic signature (QES), in line with FCDO requirements.
What you’ll need:
- The documents you wish to legalise
- A credit or debit card for secure online payment
How to apply:
- Select the documents you need to legalise
- Upload them through our secure online portal
- Complete your payment
- Receive a confirmation email with your unique order number (e.g., 12A-1234)
STEP 2 – We submit to the FCDO
Once your documents have been solicitor e-certified, we securely submit them to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for official e-Apostille legalisation.
What Happens Next:
- The FCDO verifies the electronic signature and applies the digital seal
- Your documents are officially legalised for international use
- Printed copies are not valid — only the digital version is legally recognised
Fast, secure, reliable:
12 Apostilles handles the entire submission process, ensuring your documents meet all FCDO requirements.
STEP 3 – Receive your e-Apostilled documents
Once legalisation is complete, you will receive your e-Apostille in PDF format.
What you can do with it:
- Store it digitally for your records
- Share it securely with overseas authorities or recipients
- Use it for official purposes worldwide
Important:
Each e-Apostille has a unique electronic signature and digital seal, making it fully verifiable and legally recognised internationally.
FAQ — e-Apostille services
Everything you need to know about e-apostille certificates, processing times, and document requirements.
Important: e-Apostilles are digital only
It is important for overseas recipients to understand that an e-Apostille is valid only in its electronic form. Each e-Apostille is issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) with a unique digital signature and electronic seal. Printed copies are not valid and cannot be verified — the e-Apostille must be viewed, stored, and shared digitally (PDF format). If the recipient cannot accept electronic documents, a traditional paper apostille must be obtained instead.
Before you apply for an e-Apostille
We'll guide you through a few quick checks to confirm that your digital documents:
- Are eligible for the e-Apostille service
- Will be accepted by the overseas authority or recipient
- Have been correctly prepared and electronically signed by a UK solicitor or notary public using a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)
If your documents do not meet these requirements, they may need to be processed through the paper-based apostille service instead.
Check your documents are eligible for an e-Apostille
Before applying, please ensure your documents are eligible for the UK e-Apostille service.
The e-Apostille can only be issued for documents that meet specific electronic certification standards. Some document types cannot be legalised electronically and must instead be submitted for a paper-based apostille.
Excluded documents (not eligible for e-Apostille):
- All General Register Office (GRO) documents, including birth, death, marriage, civil partnership, and adoption certificates
- ACRO police certificates for England and Wales
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates for England and Wales
- Disclosure certificates for Scotland or Northern Ireland
- Fingerprint certificates
- Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) membership certificates
If your document appears on this list, please use our paper-based apostille service instead.
Need help determining which service is right for your document?
Check the intended overseas recipient accepts e-Apostilles
Contact the intended overseas recipient and ask whether they will:
- Accept digital documents with e-Apostille certificates
- Require a separate e-Apostille for each document (if you are legalising more than one)
- Accept documents electronically signed by a UK solicitor or notary public, or only by a notary
Make sure they understand e-Apostilles are only valid in digital form as they contain unique electronic signatures. You can not print e-Apostilles, ONLY digital (electrnic e-Apostille).
Are your PDFs electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor?
To use the e-Apostille service, your documents must be:
- Prepared as PDF files
- Certified and electronically signed by a UK solicitor or notary public using an Advanced or Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)
12 Apostilles will arrange solicitor e-certification for you before submission to the FCDO as part of our service - including a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) applied by a registered UK solicitor.
Get in touch with 12 Apostilles
Have a question about Apostille, embassy attestation, or document legalisation? Our expert team is ready to assist with clear, fast, and professional support.
We make the process simple and reliable — whether you’re an individual, business, or legal professional. From quick document checks to full guidance on UK FCDO and embassy requirements, we’re here to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Reach out today and let 12 Apostilles handle your document legalisation with speed, care, and precision.
Recently viewed products
-
Fast turnaround
-
Official & secure
-
Global recognition
-
All-in-one service
-
Expert support
-
Transparent pricing