Getting a marriage certificate apostilled: the correct UK process
If an overseas authority asks you for a marriage certificate apostille, you can usually apply through the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). You do not automatically need to translate or notarise an ordinary UK-issued marriage certificate first.
For a UK-issued marriage certificate, check the receiving country's requirements, obtain an eligible original certificate or official registry-issued copy, apply online for the paper apostille, post the certificate using the FCDO instructions, and receive it back with the apostille attached. Ask the overseas recipient separately whether a translation or additional embassy legalisation is needed.
Important: An apostille verifies the origin of an official document, including an eligible signature, stamp or seal. It does not certify the truth of the information written on the certificate, translate it, or guarantee that every overseas office will accept it. Check the official FCDO guidance.
Do you need an apostille for your marriage certificate?
You may need legalisation when using a UK marriage certificate for a visa, overseas marriage registration, residence application, family matter, name-change process or another procedure abroad. But an apostille is not universally required for all overseas uses. The receiving organisation sets its document rules.
Destination recognises Hague apostilles
The competent authority in the country where the document was issued can provide an apostille. Check whether the destination needs one and whether it requires a translation of the full certificate and apostille.
Destination requires further legalisation
Some non-Hague destinations may ask for the UK apostille followed by embassy or consular steps. Ask the relevant embassy or receiving authority for its exact sequence before spending money.
Before applying, ask the recipient: Do you require the original certificate or an official copy? Do you require an apostille? Does the document need translation into a particular language? The Hague Conference apostille information explains the convention and participating authorities.
How to get a marriage certificate apostille in the UK: 5 steps
Check the destination's document requirements
Contact the foreign registry, embassy, immigration office, solicitor or other recipient. Confirm that a UK apostille is needed, whether there is a particular certificate format, whether an official translation is required, and whether extra embassy legalisation follows. This avoids obtaining the wrong certification.
Prepare your UK marriage certificate
Use the eligible paper marriage certificate issued by the relevant UK public registry or an official registry-issued replacement, as appropriate. For records registered in England or Wales, see GOV.UK's certificate-ordering service; Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate ordering routes. A printout, photograph or ordinary scan should not be assumed to be a legalisable replacement certificate.
Complete the FCDO online application
Use the official online legalisation application, select the appropriate paper service and pay the applicable fee. You will need to provide details for return delivery. The FCDO tells you where and how to send the certificate after you apply.
Send the certificate as instructed
Follow the FCDO postal instructions, keep the application reference and consider a traceable postal method. Do not assume that taking a printed marriage certificate to a notary or solicitor is an obligatory preliminary step: an eligible UK registry-issued certificate can usually be legalised on the strength of its official signature or seal.
Receive the apostilled certificate and check the pack
The FCDO returns the legalised paper certificate according to the delivery method chosen. Check the name, certificate details and apostille against the receiving organisation's instructions. If the recipient needs a translation, confirm whether it wants the original certificate and apostille translated together.
Paper or e-Apostille? The FCDO does not offer an e-Apostille for birth, death, marriage, civil partnership or adoption certificates from the General Register Office. For a marriage certificate, use the paper route rather than assuming a scanned PDF can be e-apostilled. Other eligible electronically signed documents may have a different route.
How much does a UK marriage certificate apostille cost and how long does it take?
As checked on 27 October 2026, the FCDO lists £45 per document for the standard paper apostille, plus courier or postage. Its stated normal processing time is up to 25 working days, excluding delivery, with the current estimate shown in the application. These are government fees and estimates, not Locate Translate prices or delivery promises.
Registered businesses may have access to separate expedited legalisation services with their own eligibility rules. The FCDO's next-day business service is not the same as a guaranteed next-day service available to a member of the public applying directly. See the current fees, eligibility and turnaround on GOV.UK before paying.
If a private provider manages your application, its service charge, postage and any translation fees are separate from the official FCDO fee. Avoid advertising a fixed total unless your provider has confirmed exactly what it includes.
Do you need a certified translation or a solicitor before the apostille?
Not automatically. Three different services are often confused. An apostille authenticates an eligible public document's origin; a certified translation communicates its content in another language with an accuracy declaration; and solicitor certification or notarisation verifies or witnesses the specific matters covered by that professional's certification. One is not automatically a substitute for another.
UK marriage certificate in English
An eligible certificate from a UK public registry can ordinarily go directly to the FCDO for a paper apostille. A separate translation may be needed for overseas submission, but that depends on the destination's rules.
Translated or privately certified documents
If the overseas body requires a certified, notarised or sworn translation, confirm who must sign it and whether it too needs legalisation. Some document types require a UK solicitor or notary's certification before the FCDO can legalise that certification.
For the language-specific process, see our marriage certificate translation checklist or marriage certificate translation service. If a recipient specifically requests legalisation of the translation as well as the certificate, our guide to stamped translations and apostilles explains why the requirements can differ.
What if your marriage certificate was issued outside the UK?
The FCDO cannot apostille a marriage certificate issued in another country. Normally, the competent authority in the country that issued the public document handles its apostille or legalisation. For example, a certificate issued in France, Italy or Brazil follows that issuing country's rules, even if the person requesting it now lives in the UK. Contact the issuing country's apostille authority or the destination's embassy.
An apostille on a foreign document does not automatically make an English-language translation unnecessary. Check what translation, sworn-translation or consular requirements apply at the destination. For a broader overview see our apostille translation guide.
Marriage certificate apostille: frequently asked questions
Can I get a UK marriage certificate apostilled online?
You can apply and pay online, but you generally must post the eligible paper certificate for the FCDO's paper apostille service. A UK registry-issued marriage certificate cannot use the FCDO e-Apostille route.
Do I need a solicitor or notary to certify my marriage certificate first?
Not necessarily. An eligible UK-issued public registry marriage certificate can normally be legalised directly. Other document types, unofficial copies or certain translation declarations may require solicitor or notary certification. Follow the FCDO and the foreign recipient's instructions.
Can a photocopy or scanned marriage certificate be apostilled?
Do not assume so. If you do not have an eligible registry-issued paper certificate, obtain an official replacement from the issuing registry. A scanned image is not the same as an official registry-issued certificate.
Does an apostille mean my marriage certificate will be accepted in every country?
No. An apostille authenticates the origin of an eligible public document; it does not certify the truth of its contents or override the destination country's acceptance rules. Non-Hague destinations can require further legalisation.
Does the certified translation also need an apostille?
Only if the recipient requires that extra step. Ask whether it needs legalisation of the original, a certified translation, a notarised translation, or the complete pack, and in what order.
How long does a UK marriage certificate apostille take?
The FCDO's published standard paper-service estimate was up to 25 working days, plus delivery, when this page was reviewed on 27 October 2026. Check the live government application for current times; private provider estimates are separate.
Can I apostille a marriage certificate issued in another country through the UK FCDO?
No. The UK service legalises documents issued in the UK. Contact the authority responsible for apostilles in the country that issued the marriage certificate.
Need the marriage certificate translated for overseas use?
We can help with the translation side of a marriage certificate submission. Send a clear copy and your destination's instructions so the correct language, format and certification requirements can be reviewed. For the government-issued apostille itself, apply using the official FCDO service.
Official references: FCDO legalisation rules, fees and times; ordering certificates in England and Wales; Hague Apostille Convention information. Requirements change; confirm the specific destination's rules before submitting.