Electronic notarisation, also referred to as e-notarisation or e-legalisation, involves the authentication of documents through the use of an electronic signature of a notary.
Documents that undergo e-notarisation often require an additional step of obtaining an e-apostille for international acceptance. An e-apostille, a digital certificate, is issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), confirming the validity of the notary public's electronic signature. We provide services for both e-notarisation and e-apostille.
Choosing e-notarisation and e-apostille offers a convenient and quick alternative to traditional notarisation and apostille procedures, resulting in reduced processing times and associated costs for document transmission.
However, given that this service is relatively new and continually evolving, it is crucial to undertake two essential steps before proceeding:
1.Verify if your document is eligible for e-notarisation and e-apostille.
2.Confirm whether the e-notarisation and e-apostille will be recognised and accepted on an international level. Keep in mind that these digital processes may not be suitable for all situations.
In certain situations, remote or electronic signatures may not be appropriate or practical. For example, under English law, we need to be physically present if you swear an oath or if we act as a witness for a deed.
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What documents CAN have the e-apostille?
Personal Documents | Business Documents |
P60, P45 issued digitally | Certificate of Incorporation |
Court Documents issued digitally | Memorandum of Association |
Decree Absolute, Decree Nisi issued digitally | Articles of Association |
Degree Certificates | CS01 - Confirmation Statement |
Employment letters and contracts | Any other Companies House Documents |
Copy of driving licence | Company Registers |
Copy of passport | Company Accounts |
Academic Certificates and Awards | Change of Address Documents |
Professional Qualifications and Membership Certificates | Share Certificates |
HMRC Documents - issued digitally | Certificate of Residence (we need to see original) |
Certificate of Residence (we need to see original) | HMRC Documents - issued digitally |
| Certificate of Free Sale |
We may need to carry out some additional verification checks for certain documents before the apostille can be issued (verification charges may apply).
What documents CANNOT have the e-apostille?
Not all documents are eligible for the e-apostille at present. Certain documents must still be issued with the physical apostille. These documents are:
Birth Certificates |
Marriage Certificates |
Civil Ceremony Certificates |
Death Certificates |
Certificate of No Impediment |
ACRO, NPCC, DBS Certificates |
Disclosures and Police Checks |
Fingerprint Documents |
Court Documents with Ink Stamps |
Other Government Issued Certificates |
These are just some examples of documents that can and cannot be issued with the e-apostille. If your document is not listed here, please contact Alis Ahmedova on 01689 887844 or by emailing aa@cwj.co.uk.