Apostille UK Name Changes

Obtain an Apostille stamp on a UK Change of Name Deed

A UK Deed Poll certifying a change of name is 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 a Change of Name Deed (original or copy) that has certified by a UK notary or solicitor, as well as deeds which have been produced by a UK council or court. If your deed has not been certified, then we may be able to notarize it remotely. A notary can certify a copy as a true copy of the original deed or can authenticate your signature on the original. In both cases the apostille will confirm the signature and good standing of the notary.

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 notary certification of your change of name deed 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.

Execute and Certify a UK Change of Name Deed (Deed Poll)

A Change of Name Deed can be authenticated by a UK Apostille Stamp when executed in the United Kingdom as follows:

• an original or true copy of a change of name deed certified by a UK notary or solicitor
• an original or true copy of a change of name deed certified by a British embassy or consulate overseas or produced
• a deed produced by a UK council or court, signed with an original wet ink signature by a council or court official.

A solicitor or notary should verify and certify your signature and identity, declaring that they have carried out this verification. Otherwise, a notary or solicitor can take a copy of the original and certify the copy, but this would not confirm the authenticity of the signature of the person who exercised the deed unless specifically mentioned in the notary’s declaration.

The Change of Name Deed must be properly certified to ensure eligibility for an apostille, and the notary or solicitor signing the document must have a valid practising certificate. The certifying notary or solicitor must:

• State the action they have taken – e.g. that they have witnessed a signature on the document, certified a copy as a true copy of an original and/or authentic document, confirmed a document as an authentic.
• Sign using their personal signature. The signature of the solicitor or notary on the document being submitted for an apostille must be an original “wet” signature.
• Add their name and address, and give the date of certification.

Deeds which have been certified by a non-UK notary are not eligible for a UK apostille and will need to be recertified by a UK notary.

To find a notary or solicitor, see:

• Find a Solicitor - England and Wales
• Find a solicitor - Scotland
• Find a Notary Public - England and Wales
• Find a Notary Public - Scotland
• College of Notaries - Northern Ireland

For further information about legally changing your name in the UK, see:

• Change of Name Deed
• Changing your name in Scotland.
• Recording a change of name (Northern Ireland)

Certified translations of UK Change of Name Deeds

When presenting a UK Change Name Deeds and certificates 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.