A foreign embassy or consulate for the country in which the document is to be presented, validating the signature and seal of the Notary Public or government officer, may be involved in the legalization process, in addition to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Several countries, primarily in the Middle East, still demand this further consular legalization procedure even after the document has been confirmed with an apostille.

The authorities of the country to which the Document Notarisation is intended to be presented will determine the legalization requirements, not the UK government, not a notary public, or a solicitor.

Rarely do documents heading to countries that are or were members of the British Commonwealth require legalization in addition to the documents going to different portions of the United States today. The prerequisites for legalization must be verified by the local requester in the country where the document will be lodged.

We have been notarizing Overseas Legalisation for a very long time. We are able to help both individuals and companies. Our notaries are all employed by the government and are governed by the Faculty Office.  Usually, we are asked to vouch for the authenticity of documents and signatures that are being used abroad. In addition to providing advice on how to continue with your request, our notaries may provide you with a notarial certification that meets your needs.

How is the process of legalization going?

If the country to which the document is intended to be submitted is not a signatory to The Hague Convention 1961, it must be sent to the relevant foreign embassy, consulate, or high commission for that country in the United Kingdom for additional legalization/attestation after the Apostille is affixed to it. The London and Arab-British Chambers of Commerce may additionally require extra attestation for commercial documents from some Arab countries before they may be presented to the relevant embassy, consulate, or High Commission for further legalization.

Legalization can occasionally be a protracted process that differs substantially depending on the country. Documents certified by a notary public or attorney must be strictly followed from the beginning of the procedure; otherwise, the document may be rejected when it is submitted to local authorities overseas, even with the Apostille and consular legalization stamp attached.

A notarial certification is one of the greatest designations that a lawyer or public official can bestow upon you. This is partially due to the fact that notaries must have further education and expertise. When notarized documents are received from abroad, recipients can be more certain that the correct authentication procedure was followed.

For most transactions involving the UK alone, a solicitor or commissioner for oaths certification would be sufficient in lieu of a notarial certification. We can provide certificates as commissioners of oaths upon request in certain circumstances.