FOREIGN & COMMONWEALTH OFFICE - apostilles

You may already be aware that last year the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) announced plans to relocate its legalisation office to Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire. This move is due to take place in the summer of this year. As a result of strenuous lobbying by the notarial profession, the Confederation of British Industry and major companies, the FCO has agreed to retain a satellite legalisation facility in central London offering a premium service to major users such as firms of scrivener notaries. The FCO has promised enhanced service levels at the central London facility (which will open on 1 April, 2008), including extended opening hours and quicker processing. This in many ways is an outcome which is likely to please the majority of our clients; the downside is that the apostille fee levied by the FCO at the central London facility will be £67 per document as compared to £27 at present. The £27 fee will also apply at Milton Keynes.

Although the Milton Keynes office will offer limited counter facilities for personal applications, the FCO envisages that the bulk of the work there will be dealt with by post with a three-day turnaround. We believe that the majority of our clients will wish us to obtain apostilles within the shortest possible time-scale. Accordingly, unless directed otherwise, we will apostille your documents at the legalisation office in central London.

If you have any queries concerning the new apostille arrangements, please contact Nigel Ready or any of the Cheeswrights partners.