Notarial and document services abroad

Notarial services

SelectNormally a countrylocal fromnotary abroad will be able to provide notarial services for you. Refer to our list of lawyers abroad.

If a local notary is unable to provide you with the indexservice you need, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) may be able to findoffer outa whichnotarial or document service instead. Specific information about the notarial and document services we offer in each country, as well as the fees we charge, are offeredshown in thatthe guidance for each country.

Notarial services in Commonwealth countries

IfConsular yourstaff countryin orCommonwealth territorycountries ishave notno listed,general powers to perform notarial acts, so our high commissions and forconsulates generalin information,Commonwealth seecountries Documentscannot forprovide Britishnotarial peopleservices. abroadYou will need to obtain the services of a local notary instead; you may be able to find one using our list of lawyers, whichabroad. includesWe detailsmay of:be able to offer some limited document services, such as information notes.

• legalising

  Notarial documents

• certifyingservices in non-Commonwealth countries

  In some countries, if a copynotary ofis unable to provide you with a document

service, our staff may be able to offer some limited notarial services including:
• oathsadministering oaths, affirmations, declarations and affirmationsaffidavits
• gettingwitnessing marriedsignatures
• making andcertified registeringcopies civilof partnershipsofficial UK documents
• registeringuniting births and deathsdocuments
• applyingmarking of exhibits for passportsuse andin visasUK court proceedings

NotarialDocument services

Getting documents legalised

It’sOur usuallystaff quickercannot andverify cheaperthat toany finddocument ais localgenuine; notaryyou (lawyer)will need to helpliaise with notarialthe servicesorganisation likethat certifyingissued athe copydocument ofif you need to verify it. If you need to get a UK public document ‘legalised’ or administering‘apostilled’ so authorities will accept the document overseas, read our guidance on getting a document legalised.

If you need to verify an oathapostille orcertificate affirmation.issued in the UK, read our guidance on verifying an apostille.

Service of documents and taking of evidence

InIf Commonwealthyou countries,need Britishto embassiesserve documents overseas, or are involved in the taking of evidence for UK court proceedings, you may need to contact the Foreign Process Section at the Royal Courts of Justice. Each country has different requirements, and highconsular commissionsstaff cannotin offerthe anyUK notarialmay services.need to be involved. For more information, read the guidance on service of documents and taking of evidence.

Registering an overseas birth or death

InYou non-Commonwealthmust countries,register Britishan embassiesoverseas andbirth consulatesor candeath onlyaccording provideto notarialthe servicesregulations ifin the country where it took place. That country’s authorities will give you a local notarycertificate iswhich, unablein most cases, should be accepted in the UK; though you might need to doget it,it translated and certified if it is not in English. If you wish, you may obtain a consular birth or death registration from us, which will record the details of the local certificate in a UK format.

A consular birth or death registration does not replace the original birth or death certificate issued by the authorities sayin the country where it musttook beplace. doneThere atis no legal requirement for you to get a birth or death registration from us. If you do choose to register an embassyoverseas birth or consulate.death, You’llit will be recorded in the UK with the General Register Offices or National Records Office of Scotland. You will then be able to order a consular birth or death registration certificate from the UK authorities.

Consular birth or death registrations are available for most countries, but only to British nationals who were born or died after 1 January 1983. Find out more, including which documents you will need to provideprovide, evidenceabout:

• registering ofa this.birth
• registering a death

Marriage and civil partnership abroad

Our embassies, high commissions and consulates may also be able to help if you are getting married, entering into a civil partnership or registering a civil partnership conversion abroad.

Document requirements vary by country, and the process can be complicated and time-consuming. You can find more information on marriages and civil partnerships abroad and converting civil partnerships abroad.