e-Notary & e-Apostille Services

Our notaries will e-Notarise your document using either an:

• Advanced Electronic Signature (AES)
• Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)

Our e-Notary electronic signatures meet the industry standard requirements set out in Regulation (EU) 910/2014 (eIDAS) as incorporated into UK law including any amendment or re-enactment.

We do not use Simple Electronic Signatures (SES) for e-Notarisation. The FCDO will only issue an e-Apostille on a document that has been notarised using either an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) or a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES).

Certain documents cannot be e-Notarised or e-Apostilled. These include:

• General Register Office (GRO) documents, including birth, death, marriage, civil partnership and adoption certificates
• ACRO police certificates for England and Wales
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificates for England and Wales
• Disclosure certificates for Scotland or Northern Ireland
• Fingerprint certificates
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) membership certificates

The above documents are not suitable for e-Notary or e-Apostille services as the organisations that issue these documents do not currently allow electronic copies to be notarised or legalised. Some of the documents include physical security features that must be viewed in their original format.

We can e-Notarise and e-Apostille most other documents, but please contact us for clarification.

Under English law, there is no express prohibition against witnessing deeds (e.g. powers of attorney) or administering oaths and declarations remotely using electronic signatures. However, in the absence of positive authority, the law is not clear whether it is acceptable.

We, therefore, do not recommend using remote electronic signatures to witness deeds or administer oaths and declarations in case the notarised document is deemed invalid.

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If you require e-Notarisation, you must inform us at the outset as the notarisation procedure differs from traditional notarisation.

e-Notarisation involves:

1. Verifying the document, information, or signature.

For example:

• For certified copies, we will need to see the original documents.
• For any electronically issued document, we must check how and from where you obtained the document.
• Companies House documentation requires us to verify the documents online.
• If signing a document, we will need to verify your identity, signature, and your capacity, free will and understanding to sign the document.

In many instances, it will be necessary to carry out a videoconferencing call to carry out the verification.

2. Issuing a digital notarial certificate with an electronic signature.

We will issue a notarial certificate using either an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES) or Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) as a digital PDF. This can be verified using Adobe Acrobat Reader and can be submitted to the FCDO to obtain an e-Apostille.

Once we have e-Notarised your document we can submit it to the FCDO to be e-Apostilled. The current processing time at the FCDO is 2 working days.

The e-Apostille was introduced by the FCDO in late 2022 following a successful trial-run, as part of a wider strategy to modernise and digitise its services. As a new service, it is still not widely accepted internationally, so you should always carry out the checks outlined above before proceeding with an e-Apostille.

Please also note that the e-Apostille can only be viewed using Adobe Reader.  Please ensure you can download and use Adobe Reader wherever you are located.

Currently, no Consulates or High Commissions accept e-Apostilles for legalisation. You should therefore choose traditional notarisation and fast apostille services if you need further consular legalisation.

E-notary and e-apostille services offer several advantages over traditional in-person methods:

• Speed and efficiency: Electronic processes significantly reduce processing times compared to physical document handling and postal services.
• Convenience: Remote notarisation and apostille services eliminate the need for in-person appointments, saving time and effort.
• Cost-effective: Digital processes often lead to lower costs due to reduced administrative overhead – and you save money on travel.
• Environmental friendliness: Reducing paper usage contributes to a smaller environmental footprint.
• Accessibility: Services can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection, expanding accessibility to those in remote locations.
• Security: Advanced electronic signatures and encryption enhance document security.

Under international agreement, countries signed up to the Hague Apostille Convention should theoretically accept e-Notary and e-Apostille certificates.

However, in practice, there may be occasions when the intended recipient rejects an e-Notarisation or an e-Apostille.  The e-Apostille cannot be printed, and if required to be by the recipient, they will insist on a traditional apostille instead.

You should always check the following points with the intended recipient in the receiving jurisdiction:

• If they will accept digital documents with e-Notary and/or e-Apostille certificates.
• If they require separate e-Notary or e-Apostille certificates for each document (if you have multiple documents).

You should also make them aware that e-Notary and e-Apostille certificates are only valid in digital form, and there will be no physical document.

It is important to check these points to avoid wasting money and time. We do not accept liability if your e-Notarised and e-Apostilled document is rejected in the receiving jurisdiction.

With our e-notary and e-apostille services, you can have your documents ready quickly without the need to meet at our offices. Whether you are in central London, Surrey, Cambridge, Manchester, or any other city in the UK, our dedicated team will ensure a seamless service tailored to meet your needs. Skip the in-person meetings and trust us to expedite the process, ensuring your documents hold legal weight on a global scale.