Birth Certificate Apostille in London

Birth Certificate apostille in London issued by the Legalisation Office (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)

Birth Certificate Apostille

Hague Member

Document type Birth Certificate

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

Apostilling a Birth Certificate from London: Complete Guide

Steps to obtain a legalised birth certificate with an apostille for use abroad, including issuing authority details and key considerations.

In this guide

Apostilling a Birth Certificate from London
Issuing body & pre-requisites for a Birth Certificate
Cost & turnaround
Common uses abroad
Translation & acceptance notes

Apostilling a Birth Certificate from London

To enable the legalisation of a Birth Certificate in London for international use, you start by securing a certified copy of the record. The original document never needs to leave your possession—Westminster Register Office at 317 Harrow Road, London W9 3RJ issues fresh certified copies of birth records. This is the proof required to begin the apostille process for use outside the UK. The paper then goes to the central legalisation desk run by the government.

Issuing body & pre-requisites for a Birth Certificate

The legalisation of a Birth Certificate in London happens through the Legalisation Office of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). This is the sole authority that can issue an apostille for any document in the United Kingdom. When you prepare your file, ensure the birth record copy is clear and complete, signed and stamped by the register office. The paper must not show any alterations or unauthorised marks before the apostille is placed on it.

Cost & turnaround

The official fee for the apostille process on a birth certificate carries a fixed rate with options for standard post or faster handling. The standard postal rate applies to all individuals, while registered businesses can choose a next-day service version for a lower amount. Processing times usually take up to 25 working days, but this varies depending on demand and the time of year you send it in.

Common uses abroad

Once you have gone through the steps on how to apostille a Birth Certificate from a London register office, the legalised document serves various purposes overseas. These often include applications for dual citizenship, marriage abroad, enrolment in foreign education systems, or proving family ties for immigration. Each country may have specific rules about how recent the apostille must be, so check the latest guidance before sending it off.

Translation & acceptance notes

When dealing with the legalisation of a Birth Certificate in London for non-English speaking countries, a certified translation is often needed after the apostille is applied. The FCDO does not handle translations, so you must arrange this separately with a qualified translator or agency. Some nations require the translation to be notarised or to bear its own apostille, so consider the destination country's rules carefully before ordering any extra steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Birth Certificate apostille FAQ

What is a birth certificate apostille in London?

An apostille is the official stamp that makes a birth record legal in other countries that are part of the Hague Convention. For a birth record from London, you need a fresh certified copy from the Westminster Register Office at 317 Harrow Road, London W9 3RJ. The Legalisation Office then puts their stamp on that copy, not your original. This route works because the certificate is signed by the same person the apostille later checks. Sending off your only original carries risk of loss, so the register office prints you a new one.

How do I start the apostille process for my London birth record?

First, get a fresh certified copy of your birth record from the Westminster Register Office — they print these while you wait. The form is short and you must pay an extra fee to the register office for this service. Then send that new copy, never your original, by post to the FCDO Legalisation Office in Milton Keynes. No visit to any office in person is needed as the legalisation process works entirely by mail. The register clerks see many requests like this and can help if you ask for a certified copy to be apostilled.

What can delay getting the apostille stamp?

Handwritten entries on the birth record cause problems because the person checking it at the Legalisation Office needs clear text. Second, the stamp from the register office must be fully visible on the copy or they may reject it. Registered businesses can use the next-day service, but most members of the public use the standard postal route. Mistakes in how you fill out the application form can hold things up too. It is wise to double-check that every detail matches exactly before you post the papers.

Does my birth certificate need translations for the apostille?

The apostille itself is issued only on the English document — no translation is involved at this step. Any translation happens later, after the apostille is in place, when you present it abroad. Each country has its own rules about whether they want the full text translated. The receiving authority must see the original apostilled birth record first before any translation takes place. This two-step method works in most cases, but rules do vary — final acceptance rests with the authority in the country of use.

How It Works

Four steps to your birth certificate apostille

No office visits. We handle your London birth certificate 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 London documents are certified and apostilled

These are two different offices doing two different jobs. The local register office issues the certified copy of a London 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.

Westminster Register Office

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

317 Harrow Road, London W9 3RJ

Directions →

FCDO Legalisation Office

Issues the apostille — UK-wide, by post

PO Box 6255, Milton Keynes MK10 1XX

Directions →

Document Types