Marriage Certificate Apostille
Fixed-fee FCDO apostille on UK marriage certificates. Next-day or 5-day apostille available from our Wigmore Street office.
What is a marriage certificate apostille? A marriage certificate apostille is an official certificate issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) confirming the signatures, seals or stamps on a UK marriage certificate are genuine. Once the apostille stamp is attached, the document becomes a legalised document recognised in every country signed up to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.
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What is a marriage certificate apostille?
An apostille is a UK government certificate that authenticates the public official who signed your official certificate, and it is one of the core services in our apostille and legalisation hub. The FCDO Legalisation Office in Milton Keynes issues every Apostille UK on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The apostille is either physically attached as a paper-based apostille to your original document, or issued electronically through the new e-Apostille service.
It does not change the contents of your marriage certificate. It confirms only that the certificate is a genuine UK public record, so foreign authorities will accept it without further checks.
When do you need a marriage certificate apostille?
You usually need a marriage certificate apostille for international use whenever you are presenting a UK marriage certificate to a government, court, or institution outside the United Kingdom. Common reasons include:
- Applying for a spousal visa, residency, or citizenship abroad
- Registering your marriage with foreign authorities in your destination country
- Buying property jointly overseas
- Updating your name on a foreign passport or driving licence
- Getting married again abroad after a previous marriage in the UK
- Probate or estate administration where a deceased spouse’s marriage is in question
We help two main groups of clients: UK couples who married here and need their certificate apostilled for use overseas, and foreign nationals who married in the UK and need the apostille marriage certificate for their home country. The apostille process is the same for both.
How does the marriage certificate apostille process work?
Send us your original document
Bring the original certificate to 19 Wigmore Street, or post it to us by Royal Mail tracked. We accept marriage certificates issued by the General Register Office and local register offices across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
We submit to the FCDO Apostille service
Our team prepares the paperwork, settles the FCDO fee, and submits the certificate to the FCDO Legalisation Office. We use the standard paper-based apostille for most cases; the e-Apostille service is also available where your destination country accepts it.
We return your documents — or you collect
Once the apostille stamp is attached, we either courier the apostilled documents back to you anywhere in the UK or worldwide, or you collect them in person from our 19 Wigmore Street office. You get full tracking and a unique order number you can follow at any time.
Don’t have your marriage certificate? We’ll order one from the General Register Office
If you cannot find your original certificate, you do not need to delay your apostille. We can order a certified copy from the General Register Office on your behalf, then apostille it as soon as it arrives.
A GRO certified copy is treated by GOV.UK as an original certificate for apostille certification purposes, so the FCDO will issue an apostille on it without question. Couples married outside England and Wales should request the equivalent from the General Register Office for Scotland or the General Register Office for Northern Ireland.
No certificate, no problem. Tell us the date and location of your marriage and we’ll handle the GRO order and the apostille as a single fixed-fee package.
How long does the apostille process take?
Processing time depends on which service tier you choose. We offer a standard service, a priority option, and a next-day apostille service, which is our fastest. Send us your document type and your destination country and we will give you an exact turnaround and fixed quote.
We have worked with the FCDO Legalisation Office for many years and can usually beat the standard FCDO turnaround for any priority case. For details on speed across all our work, see our same-day notary service.
Which countries accept a UK apostille?
Every member country of the Hague Apostille Convention accepts a UK apostille without further legalisation. That includes the United States, South Africa, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the Cayman Islands, the British Virgin Islands, the Cook Islands, the Falkland Islands, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and around 120 other member countries worldwide.
For non-Hague destinations, your marriage certificate will need embassy legalisation rather than an apostille. Embassy legalisation is a separate process where the destination country’s embassy in London adds its own stamp. We handle embassy legalisation through our Document Legalisation Service for clients who need it.
Do you need a certified translation as well?
Some destination countries will only accept an apostilled UK marriage certificate alongside a certified translation. If your marriage certificate is going to a country whose official language is not English, you will usually need a certified translation produced by a qualified translator and signed off by a notary public.
We provide notary public solicitor certification of certified translations in-house, so you receive the apostille and the certified translation as a single ready-to-use bundle.
What other documents can we apostille for you?
While we arrange your marriage certificate apostille, we can apostille related personal documents at the same time. Apostilling several in one order keeps your cost down — discounts apply to multiple documents.
Why choose Edward Young Notaries & Lawyers?
What our clients say
“Edward Young handled the marriage certificate apostille for our move to Saudi Arabia in three working days. Excellent service, clear communication, and the apostilled documents arrived exactly when promised.”
— Sarah and James M.
“We needed our UK marriage certificate apostilled for the United States. Wendy at Edward Young walked us through every step. Easy from start to finish.”
— Kanae T.
“Needed a marriage certificate apostille at short notice for a property purchase in South Africa. The next-day service was a lifesaver.”
— David L.
Hundreds of 5-star Google reviews and counting.
Marriage certificate apostille FAQ
Is the marriage certificate apostille the same as notary certification?
No. Solicitor certification or notary public certification confirms a document copy is a true copy of the original. An apostille is a separate UK government certificate issued by the FCDO confirming the public official who signed the marriage certificate. Most overseas authorities require both — notary certification first, then the apostille stamp.
Can you apostille a photocopy of a marriage certificate?
The FCDO can apostille a copy only if a notary public has first certified it. We typically prefer to work with the original document or a fresh GRO-issued certified copy, which is faster and cheaper.
What does the apostille stamp look like?
The paper apostille is a square certificate, typically attached to the marriage certificate with a green ribbon and a UK government seal. It includes a unique order number, the date of issue, and the FCDO’s signature.
Do I need an apostille for a Scottish or Northern Ireland marriage certificate?
Yes. Apostilles for marriages registered in Scotland or Northern Ireland follow the same UK government process through the FCDO Legalisation Office in Milton Keynes.
How much does the marriage certificate apostille service cost?
We work on a fixed-fee basis. Pricing depends on which service tier you need — standard service, priority, or next-day apostille service — and how many documents you are apostilling. Send us a quick enquiry and we will give you a complete fixed quote within the hour.
Can you apostille a Certificate of No Impediment for marriage abroad?
Yes. A Certificate of No Impediment (CNI) is a common companion document to a marriage certificate apostille for couples planning to marry overseas. We handle CNIs as part of the same order.
Is the e-Apostille service accepted everywhere?
Not yet. The e-Apostille service is accepted by a growing list of Hague Convention member countries, but many foreign authorities still require the traditional paper-based apostille. We will tell you which format your destination country requires before we submit anything.
About Edward Young Notaries & Lawyers
Edward Young Notaries & Lawyers is a London notary practice based at 19 Wigmore Street, London W1U 1PH. We are regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, members of the Notaries Society, STEP-qualified for cross-border matters, and ACSP-registered for UK government identity verification.
Call: +44 20 7499 2605 · Email: notary@notarypubliclondon.co.uk
Hours: Mon–Fri 09:00–17:30
Get your marriage certificate apostille started today
Fixed fee, FCDO-certified, returned to you with full tracking. Next-day or 5-day apostille available. Quote within the hour.