Can I use a UK birth certificate abroad?

An official UK birth certificate is legally recognised in the UK, and by UK official bodies abroad. You will usually be able to present the birth certificate 'as-is' to a British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission anywhere around the world. This means that if you need the certificate to apply for a British passport you do not need to add any further form of validation to the birth certificate. 

If you need to present the birth certificate to a non-British government office, institution or company, you will need to have the birth certificate legalised before it will be accepted. 

The process to legalise a birth certificate will depend upon the country you intend to use the document. Some countries will just need the birth certificate to have an Apostille attached to it, which will validate that the certificate has been genuinely issued. Other countries need additional levels of authentication through their own embassy network. 

We can assist with all forms of legalisation. When you order your replacement birth certificate, you will be able to choose to add an apostille with your order. It is provided as an option on the order page. For any country that requires further embassy authentication (sometimes known as Attestation or Legalisation), just get in touch and we will be able to help you.