Using Foreign Documents in the UK: Translation and Legalisation

People and businesses arriving in the UK bring documents from everywhere: birth and marriage certificates, diplomas, divorce decrees, company constitutions and bank statements. Before a UK authority can rely on them, two separate questions arise. Is the document authentic, and can the caseworker read it?

This article answers both for the UK bodies that most often receive foreign documents. It explains where an apostille comes from, what each authority says about translations, and how the rules differ between them. For the opposite direction, sending UK documents abroad, see our guide to apostille and translation for UK documents used abroad.

Can I get a foreign document apostilled or legalised in the UK?

No. An apostille can only be issued by the country that issued the document. GOV.UK states: "You cannot get documents issued outside the UK legalised using this service - get them legalised in the country they were issued" (Get your document legalised).

The rule comes from the Hague Apostille Convention, which requires the apostille to be "issued by the competent authority of the State from which the document emanates" (Article 3). If you are already in the UK, contact the issuing country's competent authority, or its embassy in London, to ask how to obtain one remotely.

Do UK authorities require an apostille on foreign documents?

It depends on the authority. The UK guidance quoted in this article concentrates on translation and on the original document, not on apostilles. If a UK body, solicitor or notary asks for an apostilled foreign document, it must still come from the issuing country, so check the instructions for your specific application early. Our article on apostille vs legalisation explains what each formality proves.

What do UK authorities require for translations of foreign documents?

Each authority sets its own translation rules, and they are not identical. The table compares four of the most common.

Home Office: visas and immigration

The Home Office sets out its translation standard in paragraph 39B of Part 1 of the Immigration Rules. Where a specified document is not in English or Welsh, the applicant must provide the original-language version and "a full translation that can be independently verified".

"The translation must be dated and include: (i) confirmation that it is an accurate translation of the original document; (ii) the full name and signature of the translator or an authorised official of the translation company; (iii) the translator or translation company's contact details; and (iv) if the applicant is applying for leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain, certification by a qualified translator and details of the translator or translation company's credentials." (Immigration Rules, paragraph 39B(f))

Our article on Home Office translation requirements explains how this applies to each visa route.

HM Passport Office

HM Passport Office asks for a certified translation of supporting documents. Its first adult passport guidance states: "If your documents are not in English or Welsh, you need to send a certified translation." A foreign birth certificate is the most common example; see our guide to birth certificate translation for UK visas and passports.

For what the certification should say, GOV.UK's general guidance on certifying a document asks the translator to confirm it is a "true and accurate translation of the original document", with the date and their full name and contact details.

Register offices: marrying in England and Wales

If you or your partner are from outside the UK, you must bring "a translation of any documents that are not in English" when giving notice, according to GOV.UK. If either of you was divorced outside the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, the register office charges £55 to check the documents, or £83 if the General Register Office must check them. This guidance covers England and Wales only, so check the rules separately for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Companies House: registering an overseas company

An overseas company opening a UK establishment must register within one month and pay £124. It must file a certified copy of its constitution "with a certified translation in English if the original is in a language other than English" (Companies House guidance).

Companies House defines a certified translation as "a translation certified to be a true and accurate translation", authenticated by a director or secretary, a permanent representative, or an insolvency officeholder such as an administrator, receiver or liquidator. The person certifying must sign at the end of the document. Unusually, the certifier is a company officer, not the translator, so the officer should be satisfied with the translator's work before signing. For UK companies going the other way, see translating company documents for an overseas branch or subsidiary.

How do I prepare a foreign document for a UK application?

1. Read the instructions for your specific application and note whether an apostille, a certified copy or the original is needed.
2. Get any apostille in the issuing country before you translate, so the translation can include it if required.
3. Order a complete translation of every page, including stamps, handwritten notes and the apostille where present.
4. Check the certification against the authority's wording: date, accuracy statement, translator's name, signature and contact details, and credentials for in-country Home Office applications.
5. Check names and dates against your passport, so spellings and date formats match across your application.
6. Submit the original-language document with the translation, as the Immigration Rules require both.

Common mistakes with foreign documents in the UK

• Asking the FCDO to apostille a foreign certificate. It cannot; the apostille must come from the issuing country.
• Translating only part of a document. The Immigration Rules require a full translation, so stamps and annotations must be included.
• Using a self-translation or a friend's translation. UK authorities need a translation they can verify; see whether you can translate your own documents for a UK visa.
• Missing the credentials requirement. In-country applications for leave to remain need details of the translator's or translation company's credentials.
• Assuming one format suits every authority. Companies House, for example, wants the certification signed by a company officer, not the translator.

How TranslationWorks can help

TranslationWorks is a UK-based translation agency that translates foreign-language certificates, legal documents and company records into English, using native-speaking linguists in 150+ languages, including Romanian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and Russian. We are ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 registered and Cyber Essentials certified. Acceptance of a translation is always decided by the receiving authority. Our translation services and legal translation pages explain what we cover. Tell us where the translation will be submitted and what format the authority requires, and we will confirm what we can provide in your free quote.