Issuing body & pre-requisites for a Certificate of Naturalization
Your Certificate of Naturalization is issued by UK Visas and Immigration when you become a British citizen. This is an official record held in the government system, so you can always order another copy if needed. When preparing to legalize a Certificate of Naturalization in London for international use, consider starting with a fresh certified copy from the General Register Office. The original remains securely filed while you handle the paperwork with the certified copy, avoiding any risk of losing your irreplaceable document.
Steps for consular legalization of a Certificate of Naturalization in United Kingdom
The process requires two separate authorizations arranged in sequence. First, submit the certified copy to the Legalisation Office, which is part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This office verifies the signature and seal on your paper against their records. Once satisfied, they will physically attach an apostille to your document. This step normally takes up to a week and costs around forty-five pounds. For the embassy legalization of a Certificate of Naturalization in London, you then take the FCDO-stamped document to the specific consulate representing the country where you will use it. The consular office will review and add their own stamp to complete the chain of validations.
Cost & turnaround
Standard consular legalization takes seven to ten working days from submission at the Legalisation Office through to the embassy stamp. An express option is available that cuts the wait to two or three business days at an extra cost. The government fees have two parts: the FCDO charge and then a separate fee set by each embassy. The total varies according to which country's consular office is involved. Couriers and agents add their own charges on top of these standard amounts.