You might need to do this if a local authority abroad has asked you to provide a document and they’ve said it must be legalised.

How to get a document legalised

1. Check your document can be legalised.

2. Pay online for the service - it costs £30 per document, plus postage.

3. Complete the legalisation application form.

4. Send your documents, application form, a blank A4-sized envelope and the payment confirmation page (which you’ll get after you pay online) to the relevant address. There are different addresses depending on how you send the documents and where you’re sending them from.

Once received, your documents are usually legalised and sent to you within 48 hours. You’ll get an email if there’s a delay.

Sending your documents by post from the UK

Sending your documents from abroad or by courier from the UK

Other payment methods

You can also pay by UK postal order, banker’s draft or business cheque (made payable to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office).

You’ll need to include a payment of £30 per document, and enough to cover the return of your documents by courier, which costs:

• £4.50 in the UK (including British Forces Post Office)
• £12.50 per 500g in Europe (not including Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Liechtenstein, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine)
• £22 per 500g in every other country

Include an A4-sized pre-paid envelope if you’re in the UK and don’t want your documents returned by courier.

Contact the Legalisation Office