What is Apostille/ Legalisation?
An Apostille in the United Kingdom is a certificate issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) which verifies the signature and/or seal of a public officer, e.g. a Notary Public, on a document and the capacity in which he or she has acted and has the same effect as legalisation.
Our Notary is very well experienced in producing these certificates. Having an apostille is very beneficial; as it will speed up any situation where you are told that you have to prove your identity. A seal of approval from our Notary will be recognised by any organisation all over the world.
Many countries have ratified the Hague Convention of 5th October 1961 on the legalisation of public documents. Documents for use in such countries only require legalisation by “Apostille” at the FCO.
Apostilles are required for a number of different countries around the world. This includes USA, UAE, Australia, Argentina, Canada (to name a few). The list of countries are many so please call us and book an appointment at our East London office so we can identify the correct procedure for the country you are concerned with.
We offer a two-tier service for obtaining an Apostille:
1) PREMIUM SERVICE – obtained from the Legalisation Office in Central London.
The FCO offers this “same day” service to which we have access as registered users. This means documents ready to be lodged by our internal courier by early afternoon on any working day should be returned to us before close of business on the same day. The FCO currently charge £75 for each Apostille issued in Central London and there will be an additional charge for the same day courier.
If you are able to get your documents to us by 12pm, we can get this legalised by the (FCO) and back to you later in the day (usually by 4:30pm);
2) STANDARD SERVICE – obtained from the Legalisation Office in Milton Keynes.
We can arrange legalisation by Apostille through the Milton Keynes Office within 3-5 working days. The FCO currently charge £30 for each Apostille issued in Milton Keynes Office and we charge a minimal administration fee per Apostille.
Embassy/Consular Legalisation
For countries which have not ratified the Hague Convention of 5th October 1961, documents must be legalised at the Consulate of the country in question. For some countries it will still be necessary to first obtain an Apostille. If the notarised document needs Consular legalisation more time is needed. Particularly in connection with some countries where the legalisation process requires two visits. Such countries include Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Tunisia, Taiwan, Vietnam, China and Uruguay (to name a few).
We are highly experienced in the process of Consular legalisation; we understand the various requirements and know the likely time scales involved. Our Notary Public will advise you of any country specific Embassy/Consular legalisation requirements. Our Notary Public can also assist in obtaining the Embassy/Consular legalisation if this is requested by you.
White Horse Solicitors & Notary Public
96 White Horse Lane
London E1 4LR
Parking
Private Car Park Bays for clients at the rear of our Office
Bus
The 25, 309 and 205 buses run closest to our Office
Nearest Tube Station:
Stepney Green Underground tube station – (District Line) – (1 minute walk to our Office)
Mile End and Whitechapel Underground Tube Station – (Central Line) – (7 – 10 minutes walk to our Office)
OUR REVIEWS
White Horse Notary Public London
96 White Horse Lane, London
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Very friendly and professional. Now COVID rules are relaxed it’s nice to see beyond the reception area. Mohammed was engaging and it was nice to have a chat while he was completing the task. I arranged an appointment the day before and they … More accommodated me the next day. Very reasonable in terms of cost.
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I have been using Whitehorse law since 2016 for conveyancing. I found them to be very thorough for protecting me as a client on either side of conveyancing.
Their prices have been competitive and my loyalty has been rewarded, which is appreciated. … More
I would recommend Whitehorse with Misthahul and Karim and the team.
I will be using them going forward even though they are 30+ miles away from where I live. -
Extremely happy customer here! Had a child travel consent to notarize today. I got a super fast and clear response to my email, very convenient appointment time and location, very flexible, accommodating, quick and efficient, but also so, … More so friendly and nice! All for a super reasonable price. I am truly amazed, I really don't know if it's even possible to do better. A very big thank you for an excellent service. I will be coming back!
Muhammad Karim
Notary Public
Muhammad Karim is both a qualified Solicitor & Notary Public. Muhammad Karim qualified as a Solicitor in 2012 & was awarded the post graduate Diploma in Notarial Practice from the University College London (UCL) & qualified as a Notary Public in 2015.
FAQ’S
What is the role and duty of a Notary Public?
Can a Notary Public notarise documents in foreign languages?
Who do you provide your notarial services to?
What is an Apostille & do I need it?
Do you provide same day legalisation services?
What is the role and duty of a Notary Public?
A Notary Public (also referred to as a ‘Public Notary’ or simply as a ‘Notary’ is a public officer & is a specialist lawyer authorised to witness, authenticate or certify documents for use in countries around the world. Solicitors & Barristers in the UK owe a duty of care towards their clients. In contrast a Notary Public owes a duty of care to the document he is notarising.
Can a Notary Public notarise documents in foreign languages?
The short answer is yes. In certain instances it may be necessary to change a lettered translation of the document into English. Our Notary Public can advise you on whether this is required – If this is required the Notary can assist with obtaining a certified translation. If you do require notarisation of a document which is in a foreign language, please do contact our Notary Public & he will be happy to explain any specific requirements.
Who do you provide your notarial services to?
We provide notarial services to both our individual & business clients. We have years of experience in accommodating the needs of both of our individual & corporate institutions. Please visit our pages for ‘Services for Individuals’ & ‘Services for Businesses’ for more details.
What is an Apostille & do I need it?
An Apostille is a certificate issued by the foreign or commonwealth office in the UK & is the authentication of a document for use in another country.
The Apostille certificate confirms the signature, seal & stamp of the Notary Public to be genuine so that it is accepted when presented in another country outside the UK. The Apostille assures that any documents fraudulently ‘notarised’, purporting to be a Notary Public is not recognised & therefore reduces the risk of fraudulent documents being circulated around the world.
If the document being notarised is to be received by a country that is a signatory to the Apostille convention of 1961 – it is likely that you will require an Apostille. The purpose of the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961 is that once the country becomes a member/signatory there should no longer be any requirement for separate consular or embassy legalisation as long as the document has been notarised and apostilled. Our Notary Public will be happy to advise you on whether the recipient of the document will require an Apostille. If an Apostille is required, our Notary Public can advise you on the process of obtaining one, the cost & can arrange this for you.
Do you provide same day legalisation services?
We cater for all your urgent notarial needs & have a robust system in place to cater for your urgent needs. Our in-house courier will ensure that if required with an additional fee, the Apostille is obtained on the same day & country specific consular or embassy legalisation is obtained the next day if this is applicable.
Do I need consular or Embassy legalisation for the country where my document is going to be used?
Do I need to bring identification documents with me when coming to notarise my documents?
How much will it cost me to notarise my documents?
Do you provide home visits/ visits to my office/ weekend/ evening appointments?
Do I need consular or Embassy legalisation for the country where my document is going to be used?
Although many countries have become members/signatures to The Hague Apostille convention of 1961 – there still remains many countries around the world that are not signatures/members of the convention. This means that if your document is being received in a country who is not a signature/member is it likely that further legalisation of the document will be required by the consular or embassy of the receiving country.
Our Notary Public has comprehensive knowledge of the legalisation requirements for all the countries around the world & will be happy to advise you accordingly in relation to your specific requirements.
Do I need to bring identification documents with me when coming to notarise my documents?
To comply with money laundering regulations, a Notary Public must confirm your identity. Our Notary Public would expect you to bring with you your current unexpired passport or your full photo card driver’s license as a proof of identification. You will also be expected to produce proof of residency which is no more than 3 months old – this can be by way of bank statement or utility bill issued to you.
For more information on specific identification requirements please check our ‘Identification’ page
How much will it cost me to notarise my documents?
The cost will depend on the number of documents you require notarising. Our charge for notarising one document is £50. We do not charge VAT & there are no hidden charges. If you require an Apostille, consular or Embassy legalisation, the cost will depend on the number of documents & how quickly you require the documents to be apostilled &/or legalised.
Do you provide home visits/ visits to my office/ weekend/ evening appointments?
Our Notary Public offers home or office visits & out of hours service (including weekends) by prior appointment. This service will incur on additional charge. Please do let us know if you require our out of hours/office service.