Legalizing documents issued in Anguilla for use abroad
If you need to submit Anguilla documents to the authorities of another country, for example, as part of a foreign visa, residency or citizenship application, these documents may need to be legalized to prove their authenticity.
There are two methods of legalizing Anguilla documents, depending on the country you are submitting them to:
- With an Anguilla Apostille stamp, when the recipient country is also a member of the Apostille Convention (such as the Germany, Spain, Portugal or Italy).
- Through Consular legalization, when the recipient country is not a member of the Apostille Convention (such as the United Arab Emirates or Qatar).
Check whether the country you are submitting to is a member of the Apostille Convention:
Signatories to the Apostille Convention
1. Prepare the documents you need to legalize
The first step is to provide the original documents that need to be legalized. To be valid for legalization:
- public documents must be issued by an Anguilla government agency, such as the Register of Births, deaths and Marriages;
- private documents (such as powers of attorney) will need to be certified by an Anguilla notary public.
Note: some authorities require recently issued documents, especially Police Certificates and birth, death and marriage certificate. You may need to order new documents, if your documents are not recently issued.
2. Obtain an Anguilla Apostille Stamp from the Ministry of Finance
Regardless of the recipient country, you will then need to apply for an Apostille Stamp from the 
Anguilla Ministry of Finance in The Valley. Contact the Ministry to check current fees and application procedures). You can also contract or a local company or use a service such as our Anguilla Apostille Service to submit and collect the documents for you in Anguilla.
3. Certification by the receipient country
If the country you are submitting the documents to is a member of the Apostille Convention
If the country you are submitting the documents to is a member of the Apostille Convention, your documents are now ready to submit. No further certification should be required in the recipient country, although a certified translation may be required if you are submitting the Apostilled document to a country that does not have English as an official language.
If the country you are submitting the documents to is NOT a member of the Apostille Convention
If the country you are submitting the documents to is NOT a member of the Apostille Convention, you will then need to have the documents attested by the Embassy or the recipient country in London.
Legalizing Anguilla documents at London embassies
To legalize your Anguilla documents in London (make sure the document already has an Anguilla Apostille Stamp):
- First you will need a United Kingdom Apostille – these are issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
- Then you can submit the documents to the embassy of recipient country in London for legalization.
- Once the documents are attested by the embassy in London, they may require a final legalization stamp from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the recipient country.
Certified Translation of your Anguilla documents
If you are submitting your Anguilla documents to a country that does have English as an official language, as well as legalization, you may also need a certified translation. This is normally best done in the destination country after the documents have been legalized.
Getting help with the legalization of you Anguilla documents
If you need assistance with this process, you can contact Isarey Certification Service
- Isarey provides Apostille Services in Anguilla and legalization at all major London embassies.
- We arrange collection and delivery of your documents worldwide by courier.
- We can assist with the procurement of official documents in Anguilla, including birth and marriage certificates, police certificates and company documents.
- Isarey also provides sworn and certified translations in Spain, Italy, Portugal and many other countries.
Useful links
Anguilla Apostille Stamps are issued by the Anguilla Ministry of Finance
Obtain a UK Apostille Stamp from the Legalisation Office of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Anguilla documents required for non-apostille countries must be legalized by the FCDO before being submitted to the embassy of the recipient country in London. An Aguilla Apostille Stamp must be obtained first.
Anguilla documents required for submission to non-apostille countries may be attested by the embassy of the recipient country in London. Before submitting documents to an embassy, documents should be authenticated with an Anguilla Apostille Stamp and also a confirmation Apostille Stamp from the UK Foreign, Development & Commonwealth Office.
Apostille Convention Status Table
Contracting Parties and Signatories to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (Apostille Convention). Anguilla Apostille Stamps will be accepted directly by countries that are signatories to the Apostille Convention without additional certification.
This brochure provides basic information about the Apostille Convention. It explains in particular when, where and how the Convention applies, who issues Apostilles, what the effects of an Apostille are and what you need to think about before you ask for an Apostille.
UAE Embassy (London) - Attestation Information
The UAE Embassy in London provides attestation/legalisation service for documents issued by British Overseas Territories, including Anguilla. Documents must be apostilled by the Government of Anguilla and legalised by the Commonwealth and Overseas Development Office (FCDO).
Qatar Embassy (London) - Document Legalisation
Documents issued in the countries and islands belonging to British Overseas Territories, including Anguilla, must be certified and apostilled by the governor of their territory and the FCDO and then submitted to the Embassy of the State of Qatar in London.
Anguilla Document Legalization Services
Isarey provides Apostille and authentication services in Anguilla to legalize Anguilla documents for use abroad. We can also assist in obtaining official copies of Anguilla documents, such marriage and birth certificates.
FAQs - Anguilla Apostille Services
Frequently asked questions about Anguilla Apostille Stamps.