UK Apostille Legalisation for Documents issued by a Court

Court-issued papers such as Decree Absolutes, probate documents, and High Court orders often require apostille legalisation before they can be accepted by authorities abroad.

We manage the complete UK court document legalisation process, including solicitor or notary certification when needed, to ensure your documents are recognised by foreign governments, embassies, and legal institutions.

Which Court Documents Need Apostille or Authentication?

We arrange FCDO legalisation and apostille for official court papers, including:

  • Decree Absolutes and Divorce Certificates
  • Probate documents and Grants of Representation
  • County Court or High Court Orders
  • Witness Statements and Affidavits
  • Letters of Administration
  • Notarial Acts and Certified Judgments

How to Legalise Court Documents in the UK

Here’s how we handle the UK apostille and authentication process for court documents — from checking your paperwork to secure delivery.

1
Check

Confirm your court papers are official and eligible for legalisation.

2
Certify

Arrange solicitor or notary certification if required.

3
Process

Submit documents to the FCDO for apostille authentication.

4
Deliver

Return the apostilled documents securely, ready for use abroad.

Common Uses for Apostilled Court Documents

  • Divorce or family law proceedings overseas
  • Inheritance or probate matters abroad
  • Property or financial cases in foreign courts
  • Visa or residency applications requiring legal proof

FAQ

Yes. We can arrange apostille legalisation for Decree Absolutes and other divorce documents issued by any Family Court, County Court, or the High Court in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. To be accepted abroad, the document must be an official court-issued copy bearing the court’s seal or stamp. We take care of the full process — from solicitor certification (if needed) to FCDO apostille legalisation — ensuring your divorce documents are valid for international use in visa, remarriage, or residency applications.

In most cases, yes. UK court documents must be originals or sealed copies issued directly by the court. Photocopies or scanned versions are not accepted by the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) unless they’ve first been certified by a UK solicitor or notary public as true copies of the original. We can review your paperwork and confirm whether you need a reissued document or if a certified copy will suffice for apostille legalisation.

If your destination country does not use English, you’ll likely need a certified translation of your court document in addition to the apostille. Many foreign authorities require both the apostille certificate and an official translation into their national language for acceptance. We can arrange certified or notarised translations that comply with embassy and consular legalisation standards, ensuring your paperwork is valid in the country where it will be presented.

If you no longer have the original documents, we can advise how to obtain an official reissued copy from the relevant UK court. Only officially reissued or solicitor-certified copies can be accepted for apostille legalisation. Once obtained, we’ll handle the full solicitor certification, FCDO apostille, and delivery process for you.

The timeframe depends on whether your documents need solicitor or notary certification first. Once they’re ready for submission, FCDO apostille processing typically takes 4–5 working days, plus delivery time. We handle all courier logistics to and from the FCDO Legalisation Office. Our goal is to make the UK legalisation process as hassle-free as possible.

Scanned or digital copies can only be legalised if they’re first certified by a UK solicitor or notary public as true copies of the original. The FCDO only apostilles paper documents that have been signed or stamped in ink. We can prepare certified copies from your scans and then submit them for apostille legalisation, ensuring your judgments, decrees, or court orders are properly authenticated for use abroad.

Absolutely. We frequently handle apostille legalisation for probate documents, including Grants of Probate, Letters of Administration, and Last Wills & Testaments issued by UK courts. These documents are often required for estate administration, inheritance claims, or property transfers overseas. We ensure each document is correctly certified and apostilled through the FCDO, so it is fully recognised by foreign financial institutions, notaries, and government bodies.

Make Sure You’re Ready

Before you send your court papers, let us confirm they meet the FCDO requirements for apostille legalisation.

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