Where Can I Get an Apostille in Central London?
If you need an apostille in Central London, Staple Inn Notaries arranges the service from our office at Fox Court, Gray's Inn Road, covering Holborn, Chancery Lane, the City of London, Mayfair, Farringdon, Soho, Covent Garden, Marylebone, Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury and Westminster, with same-day and mobile appointments available on request.
What Is an Apostille?
An apostille is a certificate confirming that a UK public document, or the signature and seal of the notary or official who signed it, is genuine. It is recognised automatically by every other country that has signed the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, which removes the need for further legalisation through an embassy or consulate in those jurisdictions.
When Do You Need One?
An apostille is generally required when a UK document — a power of attorney, company document, degree certificate, or a notarised copy of a passport, for example — is being sent to a civil law jurisdiction for official use. Common destinations for apostilled documents include Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Cyprus, Greece, South Africa, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, China and Saudi Arabia.
Not every country needs an apostille. Some jurisdictions, including several common law countries, have their own arrangements for recognising UK documents, so it's worth confirming the requirement for your specific destination before booking an appointment.
How the Apostille Process Works
Notarisation, if required. Many documents need to be notarised, or have a notarial certificate attached, before an apostille can be issued. Sheikh Najam, as a Notary Public for England and Wales, can prepare, witness or certify the document at the same appointment.
Submission for the apostille. The document is then submitted to the Legalisation Office (part of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) for the apostille certificate to be attached.
Return of the document. Once issued, the apostilled document is ready to be sent or used abroad.
Getting Your Apostille in Central London with Staple Inn Notaries
Staple Inn Notaries handles the entire apostille process on your behalf from our Fox Court office on Gray's Inn Road, a short walk from Chancery Lane and Holborn stations and easily reached from across Central London. We offer same-day appointments where the deadline requires it, and can attend you at your home or workplace across Mayfair, the City of London, Farringdon, Soho, Covent Garden, Marylebone, Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury and Westminster if a visit to our office isn't convenient.
Sheikh Najam is a Notary Public for England and Wales, a European Attorney and a STEP-qualified International Private Wealth Lawyer, trained across common law, civil law and international law systems. Notaries are appointed by the Court of Faculties under Royal Authority and regulated through the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, rather than by any private professional body.
Apostille Fees
Our FCDO apostille service costs £95 for the standard service, taking 3 working days, and £125 for an urgent service, taking 1 working day. Both prices include the £45 FCDO fee; VAT is added on top. If your document needs to be notarised before it's eligible for an apostille, that notarial work is quoted and charged separately. We'll confirm the full cost before your appointment so there are no surprises.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an apostille take? Our standard FCDO apostille service (£95, including the £45 FCDO fee) takes 3 working days, and our urgent service (£125) takes 1 working day. We'll confirm which VAT-inclusive total applies when you get in touch.
Can I get an apostille and notarisation done at the same appointment? Yes. Where a document needs to be notarised before it can receive an apostille, Sheikh Najam can complete the notarial work at your appointment in Central London and then arrange for the apostille to be obtained.
Does every country require an apostille? No. Apostilles are only recognised by countries that are party to the 1961 Hague Convention. Documents heading to non-Hague jurisdictions follow a different legalisation route, so it's best to confirm your destination's requirement before booking.
Book Your Apostille Appointment in Central London
To arrange an apostille or notarisation appointment at Staple Inn Notaries, Fox Court, Gray's Inn Road, or to request a mobile appointment elsewhere in Central London, get in touch with Staple Inn Notaries in whichever way suits you best:
Call 020 3488 4195 to speak with us directly
Submit an online enquiry and we'll come back to you
Book an appointment online for a time that suits you
Order your apostille online and we'll take it from there
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