Government-Issued ID Copy Apostille in Brighton

Government-Issued ID Copy apostille in Brighton is obtained by first securing a certified copy from Brighton & Hove Register Office and then submitting it to the FCDO Legalisation Office for the official fee.

Government-Issued ID Copy Apostille

Hague Member

Document type Government-Issued ID Copy

Competent authority The Legalisation Office (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)

Standard turnaround Up to 25 working days, plus postage

Express turnaround Next working day (registered businesses only)

Information validated 20 August 2026

Complete Guide

Apostille guide for a Government‑Issued ID copy from Brighton

Step‑by‑step instructions for obtaining, certifying and apostilling a government‑issued ID copy in Brighton, with cost and common pitfalls explained.

In this guide

Apostilling a Government‑Issued ID Copy from Brighton
Issuing body & pre‑requisites for a Government‑Issued ID Copy
Cost & turnaround
Common uses abroad
Translation & acceptance notes

Apostilling a Government‑Issued ID Copy from Brighton

To begin the route, you first need a certified copy of the ID. If the original document resides with a public office, you can order a fresh certified copy so the original never leaves the office. For example, a birth, marriage or death record can be ordered from Brighton & Hove Register Office at Town Hall, Bartholomew Square, Brighton BN1 1JA. Once you hold the certified copy, you follow the steps that explain how to apostille a Government-Issued ID Copy. The copy must show the official seal and signature of the issuing body before it can receive the apostille stamp.

Issuing body & pre‑requisites for a Government‑Issued ID Copy

The office that adds the apostille is the Legalisation Office of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, which serves the whole United Kingdom. It works exclusively by post; there is no front‑desk you can walk into. When you send the certified copy, the clerk checks the seal and then affixes the apostille certificate that confirms the copy meets the Hague Convention standards. This step represents the act to apostille a Government-Issued ID Copy in Brighton, and the same procedure applies for any city in the UK because the authority is centralised.

Cost & turnaround

The official levy is published by the Legalisation Office and applies to each document it processes. For the standard postal route the apostille cost for a Government-Issued ID Copy in Brighton is £45 per file, while a next‑day service for registered businesses costs £40 per file. The fee covers the clerk’s work, the paper and the official stamp. Payment is made when you submit the request, and the office issues a receipt that accompanies the returned apostilled copy.

Common uses abroad

Many foreign administrations ask for a UK‑issued ID when you apply for residency, work permits or university enrolment abroad. In those cases they expect you to have apostille a Government-Issued ID Copy in United Kingdom before they will consider the file. The apostille confirms that the signature and seal on the copy are genuine, which removes the need for the foreign authority to conduct its own check. Typical destinations include EU member states, Commonwealth nations and any country that recognises the 1965 Hague Convention.

Translation & acceptance notes

Before you send the apostilled file abroad, verify whether the receiving country requires a translation into its official language. The legalisation of a Government-Issued ID Copy in Brighton does not include a translation; you must arrange a sworn translation separately if the destination authority asks for it. Once the translation is ready, you attach it to the apostilled copy and present the whole packet to the foreign office. Keep the original certified copy safe, because the translated version is only a supporting document and the apostille remains attached to the certified copy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Government-Issued ID Copy apostille FAQ

How do I get a Government-Issued ID Copy apostille in Brighton?

The apostille for a government‑issued ID copy is issued by the Legalisation Office of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. They attach a stamp that confirms the signature of the issuing authority. You send the certified copy by post to PO Box 6255, Milton Keynes MK10 1XX, and the office works only by mail, there is no public counter. A frequent error is to send the original ID instead of a fresh certified copy, which can be lost. Order a new certified copy from the Brighton & Hove Register Office, then include it in the envelope to the Legalisation Office for the official fee.

Where can I obtain a certified copy of my ID before it is apostilled?

The Brighton & Hove Register Office supplies certified copies of civil records, including government‑issued ID copies. This means you receive a paper that carries the official seal and signature of the register. The office is located at Town Hall, Bartholomew Square, Brighton BN1 1JA and processes requests by post or in person at its desk. A common slip is to request a plain copy without the certification stamp, which the apostille office will reject. Request a certified copy, keep the original safe, and prepare it for mailing to the Legalisation Office.

What fee is charged for the apostille of an ID copy?

The Legalisation Office charges an official fee of £45 per document for the standard postal service. This fee covers the production of the apostille stamp and the handling of the paper. If you are a registered business, a next‑day service is available for £40 per document. A mistake some make is to assume the fee includes extra handling or courier costs, which are separate. Pay the correct amount when you send the certified copy, then the office will apply the apostille and return the paper.

How long does the apostille process take for an ID copy sent from Brighton?

The standard postal route typically requires up to 25 working days from the moment the Legalisation Office receives the paper. In practice this means you should allow enough time before any foreign deadline. The next‑day service for registered businesses can reduce the wait to one business day after receipt. A frequent oversight is to underestimate the time needed for the paper to travel from Brighton to Milton Keynes and back. Plan your schedule accordingly and monitor the return envelope for the stamped copy.

What are common mistakes to avoid when preparing an ID copy for apostille?

One common mistake is sending the original ID instead of a fresh certified copy, which risks loss of the primary document. Another error is failing to ensure that the certified copy bears the official seal and signature required for the apostille. Some applicants omit the correct postage or the required fee, causing the paper to be held at the office. Occasionally a copy is produced in a format that the receiving foreign authority does not accept, such as a digital scan without a paper stamp. To avoid these issues, order a certified copy from the Brighton & Hove Register Office, make sure the seal is present, attach the appropriate fee, and send the package to the Legalisation Office as described.

How It Works

Four steps to your government-issued id copy apostille

No office visits. We handle your Brighton government-issued id copy remotely with real-time tracking.

Prepare your document

Obtain the original document (or a certified copy) you need to use abroad, and check whether it must be notarised first.

Confirm the requirements

Verify the document is eligible for an apostille.

Submit to The Legalisation Office

The apostille is issued by The Legalisation Office, the competent authority. The government fee is £45 / document (standard postal); £40 / document next-day (registered businesses).

Receive your apostille

The authority attaches the apostille certificate, making the document valid abroad with no further embassy legalisation.

Where to go

Where Brighton documents are certified and apostilled

These are two different offices doing two different jobs. The local register office issues the certified copy of a Brighton birth, marriage or death record — check its current appointment rules before going. The apostille itself comes from the FCDO Legalisation Office, the UK's single competent authority, which accepts documents by post rather than in person.

Brighton & Hove Register Office

Certified copies of civil records (birth, marriage, death)

Town Hall, Bartholomew Square, Brighton BN1 1JA

Directions →

FCDO Legalisation Office

Issues the apostille — UK-wide, by post

PO Box 6255, Milton Keynes MK10 1XX

Directions →

Document Types