Moving abroad from the UK is not only about booking flights, finding accommodation and arranging removals. Many countries require UK documents before they will approve a visa, residency application, job contract, school place, marriage registration, bank account, property transaction or family sponsorship.
The problem is that some UK documents take time to order, certify, apostille, translate or legalise through an embassy. If you wait until you are already overseas, replacing documents or getting certified copies can become slower, more expensive and more stressful.
GOV.UK advises people moving, living or retiring abroad to consider visas, healthcare, tax, pensions and other practical arrangements before relocating. If your documents will be used overseas, the UK Legalisation Office may need to check the relevant signature, stamp or seal and attach an apostille.
This guide explains which UK documents to prepare before moving abroad, when apostille may be required and how to avoid common relocation document problems.
Why documents matter before moving abroad
Every country has its own rules. Some authorities accept UK documents as issued. Others require apostille, certified translation, embassy attestation or documents issued within a recent period.
Documents may be needed for:
- visa or residency applications
- work permits
- overseas employment
- school or university enrolment
- family sponsorship
- getting married abroad
- opening a foreign bank account
- renting or buying property
- tax registration
- healthcare registration
- driving licence exchange
- inheritance or probate matters
- company setup abroad
The safest approach is to collect and prepare documents before you leave the UK, especially if the originals are stored at home, with a family member or with a UK institution.
Passport and certified passport copies
Your passport is usually the most important identity document when moving abroad.
You may need your passport for:
- visa applications
- residency applications
- employment checks
- tenancy agreements
- bank accounts
- property transactions
- school registration
- healthcare registration
- company formation
- powers of attorney
Some overseas authorities may also ask for a certified passport copy. An ordinary photocopy is often not enough.
A solicitor or notary may need to certify the copy as a true copy of the original passport. If the certified copy is being used abroad, it may also need apostille. GOV.UK explains that certifying a document means getting it signed and dated by a professional person, such as a solicitor, as a true copy of the original.
Birth certificate
A birth certificate may be needed for residency, family registration, child applications, school enrolment, nationality applications, marriage abroad or inheritance matters.
For overseas use, a full birth certificate is usually safer than a short birth certificate because it includes parent details.
You may need a birth certificate if you are:
- applying for residency
- moving with children
- registering a child abroad
- applying for citizenship abroad
- getting married overseas
- proving parentage
- dealing with inheritance or probate
- enrolling a child in school
If the certificate is old, damaged, laminated or unclear, order a fresh official copy before apostille. GOV.UK allows people to order official birth, adoption, death, marriage or civil partnership certificates from the General Register Office.
Marriage or civil partnership certificate
A marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate may be needed if you are moving abroad with a spouse or partner.
It may be requested for:
- spouse visas
- dependent visas
- family reunification
- residency cards
- tax registration
- healthcare registration
- family sponsorship
- school applications
- inheritance matters
- banking or property procedures
A UK marriage or civil partnership certificate can often be apostilled directly if it is an official certificate issued by the General Register Office or a local register office.
If the country does not accept English documents, the certificate may also need certified or sworn translation.
Divorce and previous relationship documents
If you are divorced, widowed or previously in a civil partnership, you may need documents proving your current civil status.
This may include:
- divorce final order
- decree absolute
- civil partnership dissolution order
- death certificate of a former spouse
- previous marriage certificate
- previous civil partnership certificate
These documents may be needed for remarriage abroad, residency, family registration, inheritance, pension matters or visa applications.
If the documents are UK-issued and being submitted overseas, they may need apostille and translation.
Police certificate or criminal record check
Many countries ask for a criminal record document before granting a visa, residency permit, work permit, teaching job, healthcare role or professional licence.
For UK applicants, this may involve:
- ACRO police certificate
- basic DBS check
- standard DBS check
- enhanced DBS check
- Disclosure Scotland certificate
- AccessNI certificate
The right document depends on the country and purpose. ACRO police certificates are commonly used for visas, immigration and travel or work abroad, while DBS checks are often used for employment and safeguarding checks.
If the document is for a visa or residency process, check whether the authority specifically asks for ACRO before applying for DBS.
Degree certificate and academic records
If you are moving abroad for work, study or professional registration, you may need academic documents.
This may include:
- degree certificate
- academic transcript
- diploma supplement
- school certificate
- professional qualification certificate
- training certificate
- university letter of attendance
- course completion letter
A degree certificate may need apostille for overseas employment, skilled visas, teaching roles, healthcare roles, engineering roles, university admission or professional recognition.
Some academic documents can be apostilled directly. Others may need solicitor or notary certification first, especially if you are using a copy, scan or downloaded PDF.
Employment letters and references
Employment evidence may be needed for visas, work permits, relocation packages, foreign banks, landlords, professional regulators or tax authorities.
Useful documents may include:
- employment confirmation letter
- salary letter
- reference letter
- contract of employment
- payslips
- P60 or P45
- professional licence
- employer transfer letter
- remote work confirmation letter
An employment letter should ideally be on company letterhead and include your name, job title, dates of employment, salary if required, signatory details and contact information.
For overseas use, employment letters may need solicitor or notary certification before apostille because the FCDO may not be able to verify a private employer signature directly.
Proof of address
Proof of address is often needed for foreign banks, visa applications, tax registration, property rental, school admissions and legal checks.
Common UK proof of address documents include:
- bank statement
- utility bill
- council tax bill
- HMRC letter
- DWP letter
- mortgage statement
- tenancy agreement
- driving licence, where accepted
- university letter
- employer letter
If the document will be used abroad, it may need solicitor certification and apostille. Screenshots from banking apps or online accounts are often weak because they may not show the full name, address, date and issuing organisation.
Bank statements and financial documents
Financial evidence may be required for visas, residency, retirement, foreign bank accounts, tax checks, property rental or family sponsorship.
You may need:
- bank statements
- savings statements
- investment statements
- pension statements
- payslips
- tax returns
- accountant letters
- sponsor letters
- company accounts
- mortgage statements
Some countries require bank statements covering a specific period, such as 3 or 6 months. Others require stamped statements or official bank letters.
If the document must be legalised, it may need solicitor or notary certification before apostille.
HMRC and tax documents
Tax documents may be needed if you are moving abroad for work, retirement, investment or residency.
This may include:
- HMRC tax residency certificate
- letter of confirmation of residence
- tax coding notice
- self assessment statement
- tax calculation
- National Insurance record
- P60
- P45
- accountant letter
GOV.UK’s living abroad guidance includes tax, State Pension, benefits and UK government services abroad as important areas for people moving or living overseas.
If an HMRC document is being used overseas, it may need apostille, solicitor certification or translation depending on the format and receiving authority.
Medical documents and vaccination records
Some countries require medical or health-related documents before you move.
This may include:
- medical fitness certificate
- doctor’s letter
- vaccination record
- prescription summary
- health insurance letter
- disability or care evidence
- pregnancy or maternity documents
- child vaccination history
- school medical forms
If the medical document is UK-issued and needed for an official overseas process, it may require certification, apostille or translation.
Medical documents should contain only the information required by the receiving authority.
Documents for children
Moving abroad with children often creates additional paperwork.
You may need:
- child’s full birth certificate
- child’s passport
- parental consent letter
- school records
- vaccination records
- custody or court order
- adoption certificate
- proof of parentage
- medical letters
- previous school reports
- certified passport copies of parents
- travel consent letter
If only one parent is moving with the child, some authorities may request a notarised or apostilled consent letter from the other parent.
Schools abroad may also request translated and legalised birth certificates, school records or medical records.
Documents for getting married abroad
If you plan to marry after moving abroad, prepare your marriage documents before you leave the UK.
You may need:
- certificate of no impediment
- full birth certificate
- passport copy
- proof of address
- statutory declaration of single status
- divorce final order, if previously married
- death certificate of a former spouse, if widowed
- deed poll or name change document
- apostille
- certified translation
GOV.UK’s living abroad section includes guidance on getting married or registering a civil partnership abroad. Some countries require UK documents to be legalised before they are accepted.
Documents for buying property abroad
If you plan to rent or buy property abroad, you may need UK documents for identity, funds, marital status and authority to act.
Common documents include:
- certified passport copy
- proof of address
- marriage certificate
- divorce document
- bank statement
- power of attorney
- tax documents
- mortgage approval letter
- source of funds evidence
- company documents, if buying through a company
Powers of attorney for overseas property often need notary certification, apostille, translation and sometimes embassy legalisation.
Do not sign a power of attorney before checking the foreign lawyer’s instructions.
Company documents for business relocation
If you are moving abroad to run a business, open a branch, join a free zone, buy property through a company or open a foreign company bank account, you may need corporate documents.
This may include:
- certificate of incorporation
- certificate of good standing
- memorandum and articles of association
- board resolution
- shareholder documents
- director appointment documents
- power of attorney
- company bank letter
- tax documents
- audited accounts
Some Companies House documents may be ordered as certified documents. Other documents may need solicitor or notary certification before apostille.
Apostille for moving abroad documents
An apostille may be needed when a UK document is submitted to a foreign authority.
The apostille confirms the recognised UK signature, stamp or seal. It does not translate the document, update the document or guarantee that the overseas authority will accept it.
Documents commonly apostilled before moving abroad include:
- birth certificates
- marriage certificates
- divorce documents
- police certificates
- degree certificates
- passport copies
- proof of address
- employment letters
- powers of attorney
- company documents
- HMRC letters
GOV.UK says the Legalisation Office checks whether signatures, stamps or seals match its records and then legalises the document by attaching an apostille.
Certification before apostille
Some documents cannot be apostilled directly because they are copies, private documents, printouts or PDFs.
These may need solicitor or notary certification first.
Certification may be needed for:
- passport copies
- driving licence copies
- proof of address
- bank statements
- utility bills
- employment letters
- medical letters
- degree certificate copies
- private declarations
- powers of attorney
- company documents
- downloaded PDFs
The apostille is then usually attached to the solicitor’s or notary’s signature rather than the underlying document.
Translation requirements
If you are moving to a country where English is not accepted for official documents, certified or sworn translation may be required.
The correct order matters. In many cases, the UK document should be apostilled first and then translated so the apostille is included in the translation.
Before arranging translation, check whether the receiving authority needs:
- certified translation
- sworn translation
- translation by an approved translator
- translation of the apostille
- apostilled translation
- embassy-attested translation
- translation completed in the destination country
Translating documents too early can lead to duplicated costs if the apostille also needs translation.
Embassy legalisation after apostille
For many countries, FCDO apostille is enough.
For some countries, documents need further embassy or consular legalisation after the apostille. This is common for certain destinations outside the Hague Apostille Convention or where local authorities specifically request embassy attestation.
The process may be:
- obtain the UK document
- arrange solicitor or notary certification, if needed
- obtain FCDO apostille
- arrange embassy or consular legalisation
- arrange certified translation
- submit the document overseas
If embassy legalisation is required, paper documents are usually safer than e-Apostilles.
Paper apostille or e-Apostille
Some documents may be suitable for e-Apostille, but not every overseas authority accepts electronic legalisation.
A paper apostille is usually safer when:
- the document must be physically submitted
- embassy legalisation is required
- the document is a civil certificate
- the authority wants original paper documents
- the document is for marriage, property, court or registry use
- the recipient has not confirmed e-Apostille acceptance
An e-Apostille may be suitable if the document is digital, properly certified and accepted by the receiving authority.
How recent should documents be?
Some documents may need to be recently issued.
This commonly applies to:
- police certificates
- proof of address
- bank statements
- medical certificates
- employment letters
- tax residency certificates
- certificates of no impediment
Civil certificates, such as birth and marriage certificates, do not usually expire, but some overseas authorities still ask for recently issued official copies.
Before ordering apostille, check whether the receiving authority has a document age limit.
Common mistakes to avoid
Common mistakes include:
- leaving document preparation until after moving abroad
- using short birth certificates when full certificates are needed
- applying for DBS when ACRO is required
- using old police certificates
- sending passport photocopies without certification
- apostilling documents before checking translation requirements
- translating documents before apostille
- forgetting embassy legalisation
- using e-Apostille when paper documents are required
- relying on screenshots instead of full official documents
- not checking name differences across documents
- failing to order replacement certificates before leaving the UK
These mistakes can delay visas, residency, work permits, school admissions, banking and property matters.
How to prepare documents before moving abroad
The process usually works as follows.
1. check the destination country requirements
Ask the embassy, immigration office, employer, school, bank, lawyer or local authority for a written document list.
2. identify UK-issued documents
Documents issued in the UK usually need UK legalisation. Documents issued outside the UK normally need legalisation in the country where they were issued.
3. order replacement certificates early
Order fresh birth, marriage, death or civil partnership certificates if originals are damaged, lost or unsuitable.
4. apply for police certificates
Check whether ACRO, DBS, Disclosure Scotland or AccessNI is required.
5. check names and dates
Make sure names, dates of birth, previous names and passport details match across documents.
6. arrange certification
Copies, private letters, PDFs and online documents may need solicitor or notary certification before apostille.
7. arrange apostille
Submit UK documents for FCDO apostille where required.
8. arrange translation or embassy legalisation
Complete certified translation or embassy attestation in the correct order.
9. keep secure copies
Keep scans, courier tracking details and copies of apostilled documents for your records.
How we can help
We can help prepare UK documents before you move abroad.
Our service can include checking which documents may need apostille, advising whether solicitor or notary certification is required, submitting documents for FCDO apostille, advising on paper apostille or e-Apostille, arranging embassy legalisation where needed and helping with certified translation.
If you are moving abroad and have a visa, work, school, property or residency checklist, send it to us before you leave the UK. We can help confirm which documents should be legalised before your move.