A foreign authority has rejected your apostilled document. It is a frustrating situation, but it is one that can almost always be resolved once the reason is identified. The most important first step is to obtain a written explanation from the authority that rejected it - without knowing the specific reason, it is impossible to take the right corrective action. Once the reason is clear, the fix is usually straightforward.
Reason: the document was not correctly certified before apostille
Private documents - employment letters, qualifications, professional certificates and similar - must be certified by a UK solicitor or Notary Public before the FCDO will issue an apostille. The FCDO authenticates the wet-ink signature, seal or stamp on the document. If certification was missing, incorrect, or carried out by someone the receiving authority does not recognise, the document will be rejected. The fix is to have it correctly certified and resubmitted to the FCDO for a fresh apostille.
Reason: the document has expired or is out of date
Some countries impose currency requirements on specific document types. Certificates of Good Standing, criminal record certificates and certain corporate documents are often required to have been issued within a defined period - typically three to six months. If the document was issued too long ago, it may be rejected regardless of the apostille. The fix is to obtain a fresh version of the document and go through the legalisation process again.
Reason: translation issues
If the receiving authority requires documents in another language, a certified or sworn translation is also needed. If no translation was provided, or if the translation provided was not in the correct format for that jurisdiction, the entire submission may be rejected. In civil-law countries, a sworn translation from an authorised translator is typically required - a standard UK certified translation is often not sufficient. The fix is to commission the correct type of translation and, where required, have the translator's signature apostilled separately.
Reason: the document format was wrong
Photocopies, electronically issued documents, unsigned versions and documents with only a printed seal rather than a wet-ink signature may be rejected if the receiving authority requires an original with verifiable marks. The fix is to obtain the document in the correct format - original with wet-ink signature, seal or embossed stamp - and resubmit for apostille.
Reason: the country requires embassy attestation as well
For countries outside the Hague Apostille Convention - including the UAE, Qatar and others - an apostille alone is not sufficient. Embassy attestation in London is a separate and mandatory additional step. If this was not completed, the document will be rejected abroad regardless of the apostille. The fix is to submit the apostilled document to the relevant embassy for attestation before presenting it again.
Getting it resolved quickly
Call our team on +44 (0) 204 630 7500 with the written rejection reason and we will identify the correct fix, arrange any recertification or retranslation needed, resubmit to the FCDO, and complete embassy attestation where required.