Before sending any UK court document abroad, check one thing immediately: whether the seal on it is printed or wet ink. Printed seals are standard on many modern UK court documents - and a printed seal alone cannot be legalised by the FCDO. This single issue causes more rejected submissions for court documents than any other. Once the format question is resolved, the rest of the process is straightforward.

Which courts' documents can be apostilled

The FCDO legalises documents from County Courts, General Courts, Courts of Bankruptcy, the Family Division of the High Court of Justice, the High Court of Justice and Sheriff Courts. Documents from these bodies are eligible for apostille, subject to meeting the correct format requirements.

Accepted formats

A UK court document is accepted for apostille in one of three formats only. First, an original court document bearing a wet-ink stamp or seal, or signed by a court official — the FCDO authenticates the wet-ink signature, seal or stamp on the document. Second, an original court document issued by the court that does not carry a wet-ink signature, stamp or seal - this must be certified by a UK solicitor or Notary Public before it can be submitted to the FCDO, even though it is the original document. Third, a photocopy or printout of the court document that has been certified by a UK solicitor or Notary Public as a true copy. An uncertified copy in any form will be rejected.

What to do if your document only has a printed seal

Contact the issuing court and request either a version bearing a wet-ink seal or a signed official copy. Alternatively, obtain a certified photocopy from a UK solicitor or Notary Public, which is the third accepted format. Do not submit a document bearing only a printed seal - it will be returned without legalisation.

When court documents are typically needed abroad

Court documents are apostilled for international litigation or foreign court proceedings; divorce or child arrangement matters with a cross-border element; bankruptcy or insolvency cases involving overseas creditors; inheritance and probate matters where assets are held abroad; property or commercial disputes in foreign jurisdictions; and compliance submissions to overseas regulators or financial institutions.

Non-Hague destinations

For Hague Convention member countries, the apostille is the final step. For countries outside the Convention, embassy attestation is also required. Call our team on +44 204 646 9400 to assess your specific document before submitting.