Anyone know about the FCO apostille service (or help in translating civil-servant-ese please)

[SenoraPostrophe]

We've just discovered we need to get some documents legalised (apostilled) by the FCO.

Their website is unclear (it's here ...

It seems that only customers living in Holland can pay by debit card, and I don't understand the bit about special delivery (do they mean it costs £5 poer envelope, or £5 plus whatever special delivery costs? ). They don't appear to do international registered (they only do swiftair, which is no good).

I can phone them tomorrow but dp is going to the UK tomorrow and we were hoping to send the docs from there.

Has anyone used the service? How likely are there to be problems? Has anyone actually got this done in person? If so how long do you usually have to wait? (if not long, perhaps we could pay someone in London to do it).

I'm panicking a bit because we need the docs for our wedding in Oct - if it all goes well we are fine, but if any of the docs go missing we won't be able to get replacements in time.

Arrrrrgh!

SP - my brother, who works at teh FCO is in teh next room as I type. Unfortunately, he is in a bad mood plus I can imagine him saying "How the bloody hell should I know?" but I'll ask him asap.

Thanks Tinker

If I get time I'm going to complain about the website - there's a typo on that page too ("Maestro (formally Switch)"

They do say they'll get docs ready within half an hour for personal callers, but of course it doesn't say if you have to wait all day before you can give them the docs...

Right, have gone through this with said brother. His advice is contact your local Consulate in Spain to discuss - all address details on FCO's website. You will you need to bring/send your docs to London and their promised time limits are are per website also:

Processing documents

We aim to deal with your documents quickly, politely and effectively. If you call at the Legalisation Office you should not normally have to wait more than 30 minutes for your document to be processed once you hand it in. If you bring ten or more documents, we will legalise all the documents within a deadline we agree with you. If you send your documents to us by post, and everything is in order, we will normally process and return them to you (by first class post) within ten working days. If you send 50 or more documents we will legalise the documents within a deadline we agree with you. If you ask for information we will give you that information as quickly as possible by phone or fax. Alternatively we will write to you within ten working days.

If I've completely missed the point let me know

Just realised you've read that bit already. Not sure I can help much more since he's never been involved in this type of work. But let me know if you have other questions

Tinker - it's the bit that says "you should not normally have to wait more than 30 minutes for your document to be processed once you hand it in"
that bothers me: is there a queue to hand the documents in? I'd feel much more comfortable if someone could hand them in in person, but I can't ask someone to do that if it might take all afternoon.

We've already checked with the consulate etc. They say they can send them off for us but will charge E70 per document. It was them who told us we needed the apostille service, even though the Spanish authorities say different. But that's another story.

I'm just very keen for there not to be any delays really - but I think we'll have to abandon the idea of dp posting them in the UK and I'll phone them tomorrow.

Hi SP. Asked again. Short answer is he doesn't really know. You'd have to ring and check if there are queues for legalisation and check if someone else can bring them in on your behalf. But if you can post the, not sure there's a difference. He said the biggest queues are for passports etc which tend to be seasonal anyway - and that there should be staff to deal with teh demand

Hi SP. Asked again. Short answer is he doesn't really know. You'd have to ring and check if there are queues for legalisation and check if someone else can bring them in on your behalf. But if you can post the, not sure there's a difference. He said the biggest queues are for passports etc which tend to be seasonal anyway - and that there should be staff to deal with teh demand

thanks Tinker.

Other people can take the docs for us (it says on the website) - and that way we'd make sure they were sent by proper recorded delivery (which they don't offer). If they get lost in the post there'll be no wedding!

Sounds like it might be an option, but I'll check anyway. Blinkin bureaucracy!

I have done this several times at the FCO in London.You do have to wait to hand things in - there is a ticket system . i think I waited about an hour. Then you wait to get your documenst back.Itwas pretty straightforward.

IS there no way your Dp can take them himself? Its in central London near New Scotland yard. Since these docs are so crucial to you.

I got teh impresion that lots of other people waiting were couriers, so maybe that woudl be an option for you.

Also if you have a solicitors in the Uk they can send docs to the FCo for legalisation through the DX system. Dont knwo what it is but assume its a secure system for transporting docs. They seem to go overnight and I wasnt charged extra for using it.

HTH

Thanks Kristina.

Dp won't have timeto take them unfortunately, but at least I know what I'll be asking now! A courier would cost a fortune though.