Researching family history often leads to a point where historical records become more than personal interest - they become the basis for an official application. Whether it is a claim for citizenship by descent, eligibility for a foreign passport, an ancestry visa, or residency in another country, foreign governments and authorities regularly require UK historical documents to be officially authenticated before they will accept them as evidence. Those documents frequently come from The National Archives.
Why National Archives documents need to be apostilled
A foreign government processing a citizenship or ancestry application cannot independently verify a historical UK record. An apostille from the FCDO confirms the authenticity of the wet-ink signature, seal or stamp on the document - giving the overseas authority the assurance they need to treat it as official evidence. Without it, even a genuine archive document may be rejected as unverified.
Documents commonly required
The records most frequently submitted for legalisation in citizenship and ancestry applications include historic birth, marriage or death register entries; naturalisation and citizenship records; overseas registration certificates; immigration or passenger entry documents; wartime service records; and archived adoption or parental documents. The specific documents required will depend on the type of application and the country involved.
Accepted formats
A National Archives document can be legalised in one of three formats: an original document stamped or sealed by The National Archives, or signed in wet-ink by an official; an original court document not stamped/sealed or signed but certified by a UK solicitor or Notary Public; or a photocopy or printout certified by a UK solicitor or Notary Public. Uncertified photocopies and printouts are not accepted - they must carry the solicitor's or notary's wet-ink signature, seal or stamp before the FCDO will process them.
When embassy attestation is also needed
For Hague Apostille Convention member countries, the apostille is the final authentication step. For countries outside the Convention embassy attestation is required after the apostille. This is worth confirming early, as it adds both time and cost to the overall process.
Getting started
If you have identified the records you need and are preparing for a citizenship, ancestry or residency application, call our team on +44 (0) 204 646 9500. We will confirm the correct format for your specific documents and manage the legalisation process from start to finish.