Frequently asked Questions
Do I need to get my documents attested if i'm moving to the UAE?
Yes,
If you are planning to start a new life in the UAE, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will require you to have your public and/or personal documents attested. This is primarily for your residence or employment visa. It also supports you in opening a bank account in the Emirates. If you have any children, it will support your residence visa for family members and allow your children to be admitted to any school in the UAE.
Will my attested document expire?
No,
An attested document will not expire. Both the embassy stamp and FCO apostille do not hold expiry dates and are valid indefinitely.
How do I know if a document has been certified?
Your UK document must be certified by either:
- A Solicitor or Notary Public in the UK
- An official of the British Council
When a Solicitor or Notary Public signs a document, it must include the following:
- Sign the document in the UK
- State the action taken e.g. witnessed, certified a copy, confirmed as original
- Use their personal signature, not a company signature
- Include the date of certification
- Include their name and company address
Can I get documents attested myself?
Absolutely!
This process can be undertaken by yourself, however, you may incur additional fees such as Solicitor certification and the travel or postage to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Milton Keynes. The premium service (one day service) is only available for registered businesses. Once your document has arrived back from the FCO you can present your document to the consulate during submission hours and return back on the same day for collection. We save our clients time and money as we have a dedicated team travelling to the FCO and embassy on a daily basis.
What countries are in the Hague Convention?
The countries in the Hague Convention as follows:
Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Servia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Zimbabwe
What is the purpose of the Hague Convention?
The Apostille Convention facilitates the circulation of public documents executed in one Contracting Party to the Convention and to be produced in another. With this, it replaces the formalities of a full legalisation process between the parties in the convention.
How can I verify an apostille?
To verify your apostille, you will need to visit the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/verify-apostille
You’ll need:
The date the Apostille was issued
The Apostille number
What is document legalisation?
A document issued with a signature, seal or stamp would require legalisation in order for it to be classified as genuine in a foreign country. Depending on the nature of the document, the first step will be to certify the document, before proceeding with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office for an apostille.
Legalisation can be processed on most documents including: Birth, Marriage, Degree, Certificate of Good Standing and many more
