Apostilled documents in Southampton for use in Georgia

Southampton apostille for Georgia is issued by the Legalisation Office, requires a fresh certified copy from the Southampton Register Office, and an official fee applies.

Southampton → Georgia

Hague Members

Destination Georgia

Destination status Hague Convention member

Issued by The Legalisation Office (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)

Standard turnaround Up to 25 working days, plus postage

Information validated 21 August 2026

Complete Guide

Southampton Apostille for Georgia

How to get the correct apostille from Southampton for official use in Georgia, including which office issues it and what makes Georgia's requirements different.

In this guide

Apostille vs embassy legalisation for Georgia
Georgia's Hague status & what it means
The Southampton → Georgia route step by step
Destination-specific requirements
Cost & timing for this route

Apostille vs embassy legalisation for Georgia

If your paper comes from Southampton and will be used in Georgia, you must get an apostille. Georgia joined the Hague Convention in 2007, which means an apostille from the United Kingdom is all you need for it to be accepted there. You do not have to send the original anywhere – the register office can supply a fresh certified copy that the apostille is done on instead. This keeps your original safe while the copy moves through the system.

Georgia's Hague status & what it means

Because Georgia is part of the Hague Convention, an apostille from the United Kingdom to Georgia is enough for courts, register offices and other official places there to accept it. The court clerk or office worker in Georgia will know the Hague Convention stamp means the signature on your paper has been checked by the main UK office. They should not ask for further steps after that stamp is present on a valid paper. For a copy made by Southampton Register Office at 6a Bugle Street, the original stays with you while they handle the certified version sent to the Legalisation Office.

The Southampton → Georgia route step by step

This is the specific path that works for Georgia. First, get a certified copy from Southampton Register Office – they will post one to you or you can collect it. Do not send your original document. Then post that copy to The Legalisation Office, PO Box 6255, Milton Keynes MK10 1XX, stating it is for Georgia. The Legalisation Office attaches the apostille and returns the paper to you. Finally, bring it with you to Georgia or send it to the place that asked for it. Remember that what you need for an apostille for Georgia is simply a signed copy of the right kind of paper.

Destination-specific requirements

The document legalisation for Georgia differs from other former Soviet states in that Georgia does not require extra embassy stamps once the official UK office has put the apostille on it. The whole point of using the International Apostille, also known as the Hague Convention stamp, is to make this work without more steps. Once the stamp is there, a court in Tbilisi should accept it just as easily as an office in Southampton would. If a translation is needed into Georgian, that comes after the apostille and can be done in Georgia itself rather than sending the paper back through the post.

Cost & timing for this route

The official fee comes to £45 to put an apostille on a Southampton paper headed for Georgia. The Legalisation Office handles things by post only – there is no counter to take it to – and it takes a set number of working days once they receive the packet. There is a faster track for registered businesses that pay a lower rate but that route is for bulk work with an extra signup step first. Once it leaves them, the main slow part is the postal service each way, so account for that when planning your move or submission to a Georgian office.

Frequently Asked Questions

Southampton → Georgia apostille FAQ

How does a Southampton apostille for Georgia work?

An apostille issued in Southampton confirms that your paper is genuine for use in Georgia. Because Georgia joined the Hague Convention in 2007, the receiving authority accepts the single apostille stamp instead of a full embassy legalisation. The apostille is added by the FCDO Legalisation Office, which works by post from PO Box 6255, Milton Keynes MK10 1XX. A common mistake is to send the original civil record to the Legalisation Office, which can be lost; you should use a certified copy instead. Once you have the apostilled copy, attach it securely to your paper and forward it to the Georgian recipient.

Do I need a certified copy of my birth certificate for the apostille?

For civil records you should not send the original; instead order a fresh certified copy from the Southampton Register Office. The Register Office provides a copy that already carries the official signature, so the apostille can be applied to that copy. You can request the copy by contacting the office at 6a Bugle Street, Southampton SO14 2AJ, which only deals with copies by post. Many people assume the original is required, which creates risk of loss during mailing. After you receive the certified copy, send it to the FCDO Legalisation Office for the apostille.

What fee is charged for the apostille?

The official fee for each document that receives an apostille is set by the Legalisation Office. For standard postal service the charge is £45 per document, while businesses that qualify for next‑day service pay £40 per document. The fee is paid when you submit the paper to the FCDO Legalisation Office, which processes the request centrally. An error some applicants make is to include extra paperwork expecting a lower fee; the fee applies per document regardless of content. Ensure you have the correct amount ready before you send your file, then the office will attach the apostille stamp.

How long does it take to get the apostille?

The time it takes to receive an apostille depends on the service you choose. With the standard postal route the office usually returns the paper within 25 working days, while next‑day service aims to finish the next business day. Because the Legalisation Office works by post from Milton Keynes, you should allow a short transit period in addition to the office’s internal schedule. A frequent misunderstanding is to expect same‑day return for standard post, which is not guaranteed. Plan your schedule accordingly and send the request early enough to meet any Georgian deadline.

What should I do after receiving the apostille before sending the document to Georgia?

After the apostille is affixed, you should make sure that the stamp is clear and legible on the certified copy. The Georgian authority looks only for the apostille seal; any extra stamps or margins can cause confusion. Attach the apostilled sheet to the original document or keep it together in a sealed envelope before mailing. Some people add an informal note or extra seal, which the receiving office may reject as unofficial. With the properly apostilled document ready, you can send it by your preferred courier to the address in Georgia.

How It Works

Four steps to your Georgia-ready apostille

No office visits, no queues. The entire process is handled remotely and you track every step in real time.

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 Southampton documents are certified and apostilled

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

Southampton Register Office

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

6a Bugle Street, Southampton SO14 2AJ

Directions →

FCDO Legalisation Office

Issues the apostille — UK-wide, by post

PO Box 6255, Milton Keynes MK10 1XX

Directions →

Document Types