UK Apostille for Birth Certificate
We legalise UK birth certificates for use overseas. Send us your original certificate, we check it, obtain the FCDO apostille and return it to you in the UK or overseas. Most orders are completed within 1-2 working days of receipt, plus return delivery. From £82.
Birth Certificate Apostille: Key Facts
Everything you need to know before you order, at a glance.
| Key facts | Birth Certificate |
|---|---|
| Price | £82.00 per certificate, FCDO apostille and fees included |
| Turnaround | Our service is usually completed within 1-2 working days of receipt |
| Original or copy? | Original certificate issued by the GRO or a local register office, including Scotland and Northern Ireland. Photocopies and scans cannot be legalised |
| Long or short version? | Both can be apostilled. The long (full) version is required in the vast majority of cases, so we always recommend it. Check with the receiving authority before sending the short version |
| Solicitor certification | Not needed. The apostille is added directly to the original certificate |
| e-Apostille | Not available for birth certificates. Paper apostille only |
| Laminated certificates | Cannot be apostilled. Remove the lamination first or order a replacement |
| Lost or damaged? | We can order an official replacement, with or without the apostille, from £45 |
| What you get back | Your original birth certificate with the FCDO apostille attached |
| Return delivery | UK next working day courier service or DHL Express worldwide available (options and charges shown at checkout) |
Can a UK Birth Certificate Be Apostilled?
Yes, the original certificate
Birth certificates are the document we legalise most often, mainly for residency, marriage, citizenship and work applications abroad. A UK birth certificate is a public document issued by a registrar, so the FCDO can apostille the original certificate directly, with no solicitor certification. Certificates from the General Register Office (GRO), a local register office, Scotland and Northern Ireland are all accepted, at the same price.
How to Legalise a Birth Certificate
Reasons your birth certificate is requested
How to Get an Apostille on Your Birth Certificate
What Is a UK Birth Certificate?
A UK birth certificate is a certified copy of the entry made in the birth register when a birth is registered. It is issued by the local register office or the General Register Office (GRO), and in Scotland and Northern Ireland by their own registration services. Every certificate issued this way is official, whether it was issued when the birth was registered or ordered later, so a newer certificate can be apostilled just like the first one. A photocopy or scan cannot.
Long or short version? The short version shows the name, date and place of birth. The long (full) version also shows the parents’ details. The long version is required in the vast majority of cases, so we always recommend it. We can legalise the short version, but check with the receiving authority that it will be accepted first, to avoid unnecessary expense.
Experience
25+ years
Typical Turnaround
1-2 days
Birth Certificate Apostille Price
One price per certificate: the FCDO paper apostille on your original birth certificate, with document checks, order tracking and support. No solicitor certification is needed. Delivery options and charges are shown at checkout.
Need a Replacement Birth Certificate?
Lost your birth certificate, only have the short version, or would rather not send the original? We can order an official replacement certificate for births registered in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, with or without the apostille. Prices are per certificate.
Countries That Most Often Ask for Apostilled Birth Certificates
Where Our Customers Use Them
Based on our birth certificate orders, these are the most common destinations (this list is not exhaustive):
Using Your Birth Certificate in a Non-Hague Country?
The UAE and Qatar are not members of the Hague Convention, so the apostille is followed by embassy attestation. We can arrange both. See our embassy attestation service.
Does Your Birth Certificate Need to Be Recent?
In many cases the date your certificate was issued makes no difference to the apostille or to whether it is accepted overseas. Some authorities, Spain in particular, may ask for a recently issued certificate, so check with the receiving authority before you order. Some countries, such as Spain and Greece, also ask for a translation after the apostille. See our translation service.
