Frequently Asked Questions
What is document attestation?
Embassy document attestation is the process of confirming that your personal or commercial document is genuine and not fake.
Why do I need to get my documents attested?
There are various reasons why you may need to get your documents attested. This may be because your employer has requested it or a governmental department needs it for a specific process.
Often it is needed in order to obtain a visa (e.g. family visit visa or residency visa etc.)
is legalisation the same as attestation?
Yes, there are many words used to describe document attestation and these include authentication, legalisation, verification, notarisation etc.
How do I get my documents attested?
You can use us, an accredited document attestation service provider. We will undergo the entire process from start to finish on your behalf and get the documents attested from the various required embassies. We offer an all-inclusive price to make things simple and easy for you.
To get started just click on 'document attestation' at the top of this page.
What does document attestation involve?
Document attestation involves three main steps. Firstly we must attest it from a certified solicitor, then from the British Foreign Ministry and finally from the relevant embassy.
What is the FCO?
This is just a shortened version of British Foreign Ministry. It stands for Foreign & Commonwealth Office which is the same as the British Foreign Ministry.
Why do I have to pay for document attestation from the FCO or Solicitor?
Embassies stipulate that a document must be attested from a solicitor and the FCO before they will attest it themselves.These rules are not set by us but the embassies themselves. Some documents are exempt from solicitor attestation. Therefore, they only need to get attestation from the FCO and the relevant embassy.
How long does it take for a document to get attested?
This varies from embassy to embassy. However, generally there are two options of a fast and standard service that you can choose from.
What documents are exempt from solicitor attestation/stamping?
Only the following are exempt from solicitor attestation:
- Original UK Birth Certificate
- Original UK Marriage Certificate
- Original UK Police Clearance Certificate (ACRO only)
- Original UK Death Certificate
- Original UK Medical Report signed by a UK Doctor*
* UK doctor must be registered with the British Foreign Office (FCO) Legalisation Department
I need my document attested urgently. What can I do?
Please call our team on 020 337 11 554. We usually offer a 1-2 working day service for document attestation. However, often we can try to do it the same day.
