Every few weeks I take a call from a graduate, professional, or HR contact dealing with a familiar problem. A UK qualified candidate has accepted a role in Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, Shanghai, or Madrid. The contract is signed and the flights are booked. Then the overseas employer’s HR team asks for an authenticated copy of the degree certificate, and everything stops.
A UK degree certificate on its own is not enough. Before it can be used to support a work permit, professional registration, or residency application in another country, it must usually pass through three separate steps: verification by the awarding university, notarisation in the UK, and government-level authentication for use abroad. Each step takes time, and the precise route depends on the destination country. This article sets out how the process works, where it most commonly goes wrong, and what you can do to keep it on track.
Why Authentication Is Required
A receiving authority in another country (an employer’s HR department, a regulator, an immigration office, or a university) has no direct way of confirming that a degree certificate issued by a UK institution is genuine. The signatures, seals, and security features on UK university documents mean little to a foreign official who has never seen them before. Authentication exists to bridge that gap. It produces a chain of certification, recognised internationally, that allows the receiving authority to rely on the document with confidence.
Step One: Verification by the University
For most overseas destinations, the first step is independent confirmation from the awarding institution that the degree was genuinely conferred. This is not the same as you presenting your original certificate. The receiving authority wants the university itself to confirm what is on the document.
There are two main routes:
- HEDD (Higher Education Degree Datacheck). Operated by Jisc and used by more than 140 UK universities, HEDD is the standard online service for verifying UK degrees. It confirms the institution, the qualification awarded, the classification, and the dates of attendance. Many overseas employers and embassies use HEDD directly. Where they do not, you or your notary may need to obtain a verification through HEDD and provide a printed confirmation.
- Directly with the university’s records office. Some universities still verify degrees in-house and issue a signed verification letter on letterhead. Others have moved entirely to HEDD. A small number can do either, depending on the use to which the verification will be put.
This step varies considerably in how long it takes. HEDD verifications can come through in a few days. A university records office may take a fortnight or more during peak periods such as graduation season. If a verification letter must be produced under the university’s seal and signed by an authorised officer, longer still. The single most useful piece of advice I can give is to start this step before anything else.
Step Two: Notarisation
Once the verification is in hand, a Notary Public can produce a notarial act in the form required by the destination country. This involves verifying the identity of the person presenting the document, examining the original degree certificate alongside the verification, and either certifying a true copy or producing a notarial certificate confirming the authenticity of what has been examined.
The form of the notarial act is not standard across countries. Some embassies and consulates insist that the notarial endorsement appears directly on the copy of the degree certificate itself. Others require, or prefer, a separate notarial certificate attached to the document. A few will accept either. Getting this wrong means the document is rejected at a later stage, the work has to be redone, and the timeline starts again.
This is the point at which experience with the requirements of particular embassies is genuinely valuable. The published guidance on embassy websites is often out of date or incomplete, and the practical position can differ from the written rule. As a notary who handles overseas authentication regularly, I keep current on what each consulate actually accepts in practice.
Step Three: Government-Level Authentication
After notarisation, the document needs to be authenticated at government level so that the receiving authority abroad can confirm that the notary’s signature and seal are genuine. There are two routes, and the right one depends on the destination country.
Hague Apostille Convention countries
For countries that are party to the Hague Apostille Convention, the FCDO issues an Apostille that authenticates the notary’s signature and seal. No embassy involvement is required. The Convention currently has more than 125 members, and the position has shifted notably in the last few years for several of the countries that UK graduates most commonly work in:
- Spain has been a member since 1978. An Apostille is all that is required, although Spanish authorities almost always also require a sworn translation (traducción jurada) carried out by a translator accredited by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Saudi Arabia joined the Convention with effect from 7 December 2022. An Apostille is now sufficient for Saudi Arabia and the previous embassy legalisation route is no longer required.
- China joined the Convention with effect from 7 November 2023. An Apostille is now sufficient for mainland China. Hong Kong and Macau were already separately covered.
The FCDO charges £45 per document for a paper Apostille, plus £6 return postage to a UK address. Turnaround varies, so allow two to five weeks. Where time is short, submission through a registered agent, which I can arrange, costs £64 per document plus £12.60 for return by courier and normally takes about three working days. Fees and timescales can change; up-to-date information is at gov.uk/get-document-legalised.
An e-Apostille is sometimes suggested as a shortcut to a quick result. It is not one. An electronic apostille only affects the FCDO stage, and it is not available for every type of document. I deal with paper apostilles attached to the physical document. In any event the university verification and the notarial act still have to be completed first, and those are what usually govern the overall timeline.
Non-Hague Convention countries
For countries that are not members of the Hague Convention, embassy or consular legalisation is required after notarisation. The notarised document is submitted to the embassy or consulate of the destination country in London, which adds its own authentication. A further attestation by the destination country’s foreign ministry is usually required once the document arrives in country.
A couple of examples are:
- United Arab Emirates. Not a member of the Hague Convention. After notarisation, the document is submitted to the UAE Embassy in London for legalisation including attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The MOFA attestation process is now substantially digital, accessed through UAE Pass and integrated with other UAE government services. Many UAE employers now expect the MOFA attestation to be completed before issuing a work permit.
- Qatar. Not a member of the Hague Convention. The route is similar in shape to the UAE: notarisation, then legalisation at the Qatari Embassy in London, then attestation by the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Doha. A certified Arabic translation is normally required alongside the original.
Embassy processing times vary considerably, from a few days to several weeks. Some embassies require appointments booked well in advance. Confirming current requirements with the embassy or the receiving authority before instructing a notary is always worthwhile.
Why Local Embassy Knowledge Matters
Three points commonly catch people out at this stage.
The form of the notarial endorsement. Some consulates require the notary to sign and seal directly on the copy of the degree itself. Others require a notarial certificate attached as a separate page. Choosing the wrong format means the document is rejected and the work is repeated.
Electronic attestation. A growing number of jurisdictions no longer issue a physical stamp at the foreign ministry stage. The UAE MOFA process is one current example, with attestation completed digitally and verified through QR codes and reference numbers.
Translations. Some receiving authorities require a certified or sworn translation, prepared by a translator they recognise, and apostilled or legalised in its own right. Whether the translation must be done in the UK before legalisation, or in the destination country afterwards, depends on the destination.
How Long Does the Whole Process Take?
Working back from start to finish, a realistic timeline is:
- University verification through HEDD or directly: a few days to several weeks.
- Notarisation: typically a single appointment, usually within a few days.
- FCDO Apostille (for Hague countries): two to five weeks by post, or about three working days through an agent.
- Embassy legalisation (for non-Hague countries): a few days to several weeks, depending on the embassy and the volume of work it is handling.
- Foreign ministry attestation in the destination country: a few hours to a few days where the process has been digitised, longer where it has not.
Allowing four to eight weeks from start to finish is sensible where the apostille goes through an agent, and longer if it goes by post. Where embassy legalisation is involved, longer is wise. The most common cause of delay is starting the process too late.
How I Can Help
I act regularly for UK graduates and professionals taking up roles abroad, and for employers and recruitment agencies arranging document authentication for incoming hires. I can advise on the correct route for your destination country, liaise with HEDD or the university where useful, produce the notarial act in the form the receiving authority requires, and arrange Apostille or embassy legalisation on your behalf. If you are not yet certain what is required, please do get in touch for an initial conversation, ideally as soon as the role is confirmed.
Malcolm GregoryNotary Public and Solicitor, in practice as a notary since 2006. Member of The Notaries Society, regulated through the Faculty Office. Ask Malcolm about your document
This guide is general information about notarial practice in England and Wales. It is not advice on your particular matter. The requirements of foreign governments and other receiving authorities are set by them and can change without notice, so check them with the authority before you act. I only act for you once I have confirmed your instructions and fees in writing. Fees and third-party charges were correct when written and can change.