Why is an Apostille Required?

Posted on 7th July 2025

An apostille is required to ensure that documents that are issued in the UK or that start in the UK – such as birth/marriage certificates, affidavits, ID1 forms, Power of Attorneys, or ACRO certificates – are officially recognised in other countries. Without an apostille, foreign authorities may not accept your documents as genuine. The apostille verifies the authenticity of the signature, stamp, and seal, streamlining international legal, business, and personal processes. This legalisation is particularly important for individuals or businesses that need to undertake legal matters in countries outside the UK e.g. buying a property, going to court, getting married, incorporating businesses.

You can check which countries are party to the Apostille convention below.

Consular Legalisation Requirements

If you require an Apostille or notarisation and would like more information regarding the processes and requirements, head over to our Contact page where you can find our Central London Office address as well as our contact details! Our phonelines are open 7 days a week for enquiries and for more information.