Apostille UK Divorce Decrees

Apostille Divorce Decrees and judgements issued by UK courts for use abroad

Divorces decrees issued in the United Kingdom are legalized for official use abroad by obtaining an Apostille stamp from the UK Foreign Office (Legalization Office). Authorities of countries that have signed the Hague Apostille Convention will recognise the Apostille directly as confirmation of authenticity. Otherwise, the authentication must be confirmed by the destination country's embassy in London.

Apostille countries include Spain, France, USA, Greece, Italy.
See list of Apostille Convention Countries

UK Apostilles can be applied directly to divorce decrees which have been signed or sealed by a UK court - the document must carry the original "wet" ink signature of a court official or the court's seal.

Copies of decrees or certificates issued by courts without an original ink signature or seal (for example decrees sent by email) must be certified by a UK notary or solicitor before being submitted to the Apostille office, but then the Apostille will authenticate the signature of the notary rather then the issuing court. Check with the authority abroad receiving the decree - if they require authentication of the original decree and of signature of the issuing court, then a new certified copy should be obtained so that an Apostille can be applied to the decree directly.

Please contact us for assistance and a free document pre-check.

Isarey will take care of the entire process in the United Kingdom for you. We offer individual assistance certifying your documents and a dedicated project manager to ensure that each process is carried out efficiently and securely.

We'll assist you with obtaining a copy of your divorce decree and we'll obtain all necessary apostilles, legalizations and certifications. We also provide notarized and certified translations into Spanish, French, Portuguese and other languages, so that your certificate is properly legalized and ready to submit in the country where you need to present it.

Obtain a certified copy of a UK divorce decree or final order

A certified copy of a decree absolute or final order can be obtained directly from the issuing court - contact the divorce court directly by email, giving the case number (if known) your name and address, and phone number.

To obtain a copy of a divorce decree when you do not know the case number, contact the divorce court by email, providing the date you think the case happened. The court will search 5 years of records either side of that date.

If you do not know which court issued the decree requiring an Apostille, you can Request a Search for your Divorce Decree Absolute using Form D440.

For further information on obtaining a certified copy of a UK divorce decree, see:
Get a copy of a UK divorce decree

• Find a court in England or Wales
• Northen Ireland: Decree Absolute Search
• Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service
• Scotland: Order a Divorce Certificate

Certified translations of UK Divorce Decrees

When presenting UK divorce decrees and other court documents and vital records in countries which do not have English as an official language, then a certified translation may be required. The certified translation must meet the requirements of the destination country, so that a translation done locally in the United Kingdom may not be valid.

Depending on the recipient country and authority, there are generally two options. The first option is to obtain a translation certified by a UK notary. This translation can then be certified by UK apostille, giving the translation the same validity as a notarised translation done in the destination country. The second option is to obtain a certified translation locally in the destination country.