How to Tell if Your Apostille Is Genuine: If the epidemic has done anything, it has surely tried our patience. For example, you could be one of the many aspiring TEFL teachers whose plans have been put on hold in the last year.
Traveling overseas has never been the same since governments began sealing their borders in March and April 2020. Quarantine laws and COVID immunisation certificates have become the standard, making things more cumbersome.
It’s had an impact on the apostille system as well. The time it takes to have government documents signed for legal and consular purposes has also been stretched due to the complicated – and often laborious – nature of the process. During the furlough, delays were unavoidable owing to staff shortages.
Is it possible to authenticate papers online?
So it’s tempting to take advantage of an online service that promises to speed up the legalisation process by shaving days off the time you’d typically have to wait. Not only that, but they appear to be doing so for a fraction of the price you’d expect to pay.
Of course, the reason for this is that their online authentication procedure isn’t — legitimate, that is – as you will soon discover. Because the original of a document, such as a birth certificate, adoption papers, marriage certificate, or death certificate, must be physically examined by a solicitor or notary public in order for it to be legally certified.
This permits the legal practitioner to double-check it before having it photocopied and stamped. They are confirming that they have seen the original paper by doing so.
Apostilles and digital certifications are unquestionably false. If you unintentionally take this path, you will not only find that you have paid for nothing in return, but your plans will be further delayed. This is due to the fact that you will have to restart the certification process all over again.
Worse yet, if you don’t realise your documents are phoney until you’re already abroad and need them for a legal reason, it might be highly embarrassing for you and lead to severe problems.
What to Look for in a Fake Apostille
Simply put, an apostille that has been photocopied or issued in digital form is a forgery. Because an apostille is always a separate, physical piece of paper attached to the back of your photocopied document, this is the case.
Each apostille in the United Kingdom has a unique reference number that may be looked up on the government’s website. To do this, you’ll need to know when the apostille was given as well as the number.
In the bottom left hand corner, where both the apostille and the document will be embossed, there should be a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) seal.
How to Spot a Fake Apostille Firm
If there is no registered address given on the company’s website, it should raise red flags. If there isn’t a phone number, it’s the same. It’s critical to be able to speak with a “real” person who can answer your questions, as this can be a confusing procedure. It’s always preferable to have clarity (especially with legal matters).
Which nations issue apostille certificates?
It would take too long to enumerate all of the nations that have consented to issue and accept apostilles in this blog post. However, there are currently more than 110.
In each country, the procedure is different. In France, for example, an apostille can be obtained from a local courthouse. In Australia, the regional government is in charge. Only the FCDO can perform an apostille service in the United Kingdom. This can be done in person, by mail, or through a third-party representative such as ourselves.
Contact us right away.
We can get the certification done for you if you happen to be abroad or if the FCDO is too far away to travel to, for example. We can provide a “same day apostille service” if you need the documents quickly. After we have visited the FCDO in person, we will immediately transmit the documents to you through first class mail, international airmail, courier, or special delivery so that you obtain them in time for your specified purpose.
You can reach us at +44 2080 172 216, where a member of our team would be pleased to assist you with any questions you may have. If it’s more convenient for you, you can reach us by Whatsapp at +44 7496 701 341. Fill out the contact form on our website www.apostille-services.co.uk or send us an email at orders@apostille-services.co.uk.