Can You Apostille a Foreign-Language Document in the UK?

Posted on 12th October 2026

One of the most common points of confusion around the UK apostille process is the question of language and origin. People arrive at our office holding documents written in Polish, Arabic, Spanish, or Mandarin and ask whether the UK can put an apostille on them. Others have documents that look British but were signed by someone overseas. The answer is rarely a simple yes or no — it depends on what the document actually is, who issued it, and what the receiving country needs. This guide unpacks the rules clearly.

What Does the Hague Apostille Convention Actually Say About Foreign Documents?

The starting point is the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents — usually just called the Hague Apostille Convention. The Convention’s key rule, set out in Article 3, is that an apostille certifies only the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing acted, and the identity of any seal or stamp on a document. It says nothing about the document’s content, and it says nothing about the language it is written in.

Crucially, the Convention also makes clear that a country can only apostille documents that were issued within its own jurisdiction. In practical terms, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) — which is the UK’s designated Competent Authority under the Convention — can only apostille documents that originate as UK public documents. A document printed and signed in France, even if translated into English, is a French public document. The FCDO cannot apostille it. The French equivalent authority (in France, the Cour d’appel) would need to do that.

This principle is confirmed on gov.uk’s document legalisation guidance, which states that the FCDO can only legalise documents that have been issued by a UK public authority or signed by a UK solicitor, notary, or other recognised professional.

So When Can the UK Apostille a Document That Involves a Foreign Language?

The language of a document is largely irrelevant to whether the UK can apostille it. What matters is the origin and the signatory. Here are the situations where a foreign-language document can legitimately receive a UK apostille:

Certified translations prepared and signed by a UK-based translator or translation company. If a UK notary public or solicitor has certified the translation, or if the translation itself is then notarised by a UK notary, the notary’s signature becomes the UK public document element. The FCDO can then apostille the notary’s certificate. The underlying document may be in any language.
Notarised copies of foreign documents made by a UK notary. A UK notary can examine an original foreign document and certify a copy or a statement about it. That notarisation is a UK act and can be apostilled by the FCDO.
Statutory declarations or affidavits sworn before a UK solicitor or notary. If someone swears a declaration in the UK about a foreign-language document — for example, confirming the accuracy of a translation or attesting to the contents of a foreign certificate — that sworn statement is a UK document and can be apostilled.
Documents issued by UK public bodies that happen to contain foreign-language text. This is rare, but some official UK letters or certificates may reference foreign names or places. These remain UK documents and can be apostilled normally.

In each of these cases, the apostille is being placed on a UK act — the notary’s signature, the solicitor’s certification, the affidavit — not on the underlying foreign document itself. The FCDO is authenticating the UK professional’s credentials, not endorsing the content of the foreign text.

What If My Document Was Issued Abroad? Do I Need to Go Back to That Country?

If you hold a document that was issued by a foreign authority — a birth certificate from Nigeria, a marriage certificate from India, a police clearance from the Philippines — the UK cannot apostille it, full stop. You will need to obtain the apostille (or the equivalent legalisation) in the country where the document was originally issued, from that country’s designated Competent Authority.

You can check which authority in any given country issues apostilles by using the HCCH’s official apostille section, which maintains a searchable list of all Competent Authorities for the 125+ countries that are party to the Convention.

If the country that issued your document is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, apostille is not available at all. In that case, full legalisation is required — typically a multi-step process involving authentication by the issuing country’s own authorities and then confirmation by that country’s embassy or consulate. Again, this process takes place in the country of origin, not in the UK.

Once a foreign document has been properly apostilled or legalised in its own country, some receiving countries will then accept it directly. Others may additionally require a certified English translation, which is where UK services become relevant again — a UK-based certified translator or notary can produce a translation that accompanies the already-apostilled original.

Does a Document Need to Be Translated Into English Before the FCDO Will Apostille It?

No. The FCDO does not require documents to be in English before it will apostille them. As explained above, the FCDO is checking the signature and seal of the UK authority who signed the document (for example, a notary’s notarial seal), not the content of the text. A notarised copy of a Spanish-language contract, or a notarised translation of an Arabic birth certificate, can be submitted to the FCDO for apostille without any separate English version being required.

However, the country receiving the document may have its own translation requirements. Many countries require documents to be in their official language — or to be accompanied by a certified translation into that language — as a separate step after the apostille has been obtained. This is a requirement imposed by the destination country, not by the UK. It is worth checking with the relevant authority in the receiving country (an embassy, a notary, or a government department) before finalising your document package.

What Is the Practical Step-by-Step Process for Foreign-Language Documents?

If you are dealing with a foreign-language document and need it apostilled or legalised for use abroad, the typical workflow depends on your situation:

If you have a foreign document that needs to be used in another foreign country: Obtain the apostille in the country that issued it. If needed, obtain a certified translation in either the issuing or receiving country, according to that country’s requirements.
If you have a foreign document that needs to be used in the UK: The UK generally does not require apostilles on documents brought into the country, though certain official processes (for example, visa applications or court proceedings) may have specific requirements. Check with the relevant UK institution.
If you have a foreign document that has already been apostilled abroad and now needs a certified English translation for a UK or third-country authority: A UK-based certified translator can prepare the translation. If the receiving authority requires the translation itself to be apostilled, a UK notary can certify the translation, and the FCDO can then apostille the notary’s certification.
If you need a UK notary to certify or notarise something connected to a foreign-language document: Bring the original document (and any existing translations) to a UK notary. The notary will review the document, prepare an appropriate notarial act, and sign and seal it. That notarial act is what the FCDO will then apostille.

In all of these scenarios, the golden rule is: identify who signed or issued the document, and that authority’s country is where the apostille must come from. Language does not change this — jurisdiction does.

A Note on Common Mistakes to Avoid

Several misunderstandings crop up repeatedly in this area, and being aware of them can save significant time and cost:

Assuming a UK notary’s involvement automatically means the FCDO can apostille anything. The notary must actually create a notarial act — a certificate, a certified copy, a sworn statement — that is in itself a UK public document. Simply handing a foreign document to a notary for storage or review does not create an apostillable document.
Confusing certified translation with notarised translation. A certified translation is produced by a professional translator who attests to accuracy. A notarised translation additionally involves a notary public confirming the translator’s identity and signature. Some countries require notarised translations specifically; others accept certified translations. Check in advance.
Assuming all countries require the same thing. Requirements vary enormously. A document being submitted in Germany will face different rules from one being submitted in the UAE or in the United States. Always verify requirements with the receiving institution directly.
Waiting until the last minute. If your foreign document needs apostilling in another country before it can be further processed in the UK or a third country, factor in international postage, translation, and apostille turnaround times in that other jurisdiction — all before any UK FCDO step begins.

The FCDO offers a next-working-day apostille service for eligible UK documents, which is fast once all preceding steps are complete — but those preceding steps can take time if foreign authorities are involved.

If you have a foreign-language document and are unsure whether it can be apostilled in the UK, or what the correct route is for your specific situation, Apostille Direct London can help you work through the options. Walk in Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 6:30pm at Room 102, Golden Cross House, 8 Duncannon Street, Westminster, London WC2N 4JF (opposite Charing Cross Station), or call 0203 297 8766 to discuss your documents before you travel or submit anything to an authority abroad.

Posted in Notarial Blog