Apostille Translation

An apostille proves the validity of a document required for official affairs. These can include birth, death, and marriage certificates, as well as other paperwork. Without an apostille, they may not be recognised by the receiving public authority. Some countries also require the apostille itself to be translated into the relevant language.

Before an apostille can be granted, the documents must first be certified and notarised by our team, or the translation company responsible for the new content. After that, we send the documents to the apostille service, which for our UK projects is the Legalisation Department in the Foreign Office in Milton Keynes. The process typically takes up to 3 weeks to be completed, and apostilles are posted directly to the client. A tracking reference can also be provided on request.

We only work with linguists who have at least 3 years’ experience, allowing us to guarantee high-quality and accurate apostille translations. It’s this experience that gives us in-depth knowledge about the apostille process, minimising any risk of error, regardless of the language or industry.

Any documents required for official purposes abroad will typically need an apostille. For example, if you’re moving abroad for work, you’ll need apostilles for each piece of document required during the move. Without this, documents, such as university certificates or citizenship forms, could be deemed illegal and may be rejected by the government, affecting your work and citizenship rights.

Similarly, a business owner wishing to open new branches overseas must obtain apostille certification for essential company paperwork like Articles of Association or Certificates of Incorporation. Apostilles are only required for specific documents and reasons, so it’s important to know which ones you need.

Obtaining an apostille typically takes less than a month but can take up to six months to be finalised for certain embassies. Different nations may also have certain factors that should be considered, such as Saudi Arabia. An apostille for the nation must be issued by the Foreign Office and the Saudi Arabian Chamber of Commerce. Other nations may have strict requirements. Angolan apostilles, for example, must be issued with a green ribbon, and any other colour will be rejected.

At London Translations, we understand that many apostilles will need to be submitted in the correct language for the government. If this is the case, our expert linguists will be able to accurately translate the apostille for the language required and offer any guidance for the process.