Destination status for Namibia
Papers from Edinburgh meant for use in Namibia usually do not need the full process sometimes called embassy legalisation for Namibia. The receiving offices there accept a single official stamp called an apostille directly from the source country's authority. This means you avoid the extra time and cost of sending files through the Namibian embassy in London. The requirement was created when Namibia agreed to follow a shared standard that simplifies the paperwork between member nations.
What to do from Edinburgh
Start with the Legalisation Office in Milton Keynes, the part of the Foreign Office that checks UK public papers. They will place an apostille on any eligible document that carries an official signature from a British authority. Some records, like Scottish birth or marriage entries, are best ordered new from Edinburgh Registration Service. They will send you a fresh certified copy from the official register that you can then send directly to Milton Keynes. This way your original papers never go through the post, where they might get lost. The office works by post only; there is no counter service to visit in person. Document legalization for Namibia normally ends at this first step when the apostille is applied.
When more might be needed
In rare cases, usually when a paper comes from outside the official system or lacks a standard government stamp, Namibia may ask for full consular legalization for Namibia. This happens sometimes with commercial contracts or private letters. If you are told the single stamp is not enough, the next step would be embassy attestation for Namibia. That means taking the apostilled file to the Namibian diplomatic mission in London. They would check that all prior stamps are in order and add their own. But for routine civil records and public certificates from the UK, the journey stops with the Legalisation Office. A proper embassy legalization for Namibia from Edinburgh specifically does not form part of the normal paper trail.
If full legalization is required
When a situation demands it, the full chain to legalize documents for Namibia would start exactly as above but continue to London. The Legalisation Office in Milton Keynes still goes first. Once they have added the apostille, the entire stack goes to the desk at the Namibian High Commission. They do not charge a standard consular fee for the service, but the overall time stretches longer than the single step. Some files may need supporting materials too, like a written note from the receiving office in Namibia that names what they expect. This is not common, so double-check the need before starting work on the full chain.