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Apostille from United Kingdom to Italy

Apostille works

At a glance

Can a document from the United Kingdom be used in Italy?

ResultApostille applies.
United KingdomUses apostilles member since 1
ItalyUses apostilles member since 1
Apostille issued by

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office2

Fee in United Kingdom

£45 (per document, standard paper-based service, plus courier or postage costs)2

£40 (per document, Next-Day paper-based service for registered businesses only)2

£35 (per document, e-Apostille)2

All 7 fees for United Kingdom

Processing time in United KingdomStandard paper-based: usually up to 25 working days plus courier or postage time; Next-Day: next working day; e-Apostille: up to 2 working days; Restricted Urgent: same day; any service may take longer if a signature must be verified2
Last checked

Step by step

How to get a document from the United Kingdom ready for Italy

  1. Check that the document was issued in the UK and is a type the Legalisation Office can legalise.2
  2. Ask the person who wants the document whether they need the original or a certified copy, and whether a paper-based apostille or an e-Apostille is accepted.2
  3. If needed, have the document certified or signed by a UK notary or solicitor first.2
  4. Apply online for either a paper-based apostille or an e-Apostille.2
  5. For a paper-based apostille, send the documents by post (registered businesses may hand them in); for an e-Apostille, upload PDF files electronically signed by a UK notary or solicitor.2
  6. Pay the fee for each document; it is not refunded if the document cannot be legalised.2
  7. Give the document, with its apostille or legalisation, to the office in Italy that asked for it.

Situations

When the answer changes

  • Private documents.A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public, and the apostille then goes on the notary’s certificate. A copy of a public document from another country is first certified by a notary public, then apostilled.
  • The other direction. For a document from Italy used in the United Kingdom, the apostille or legalisation starts in Italy. Apostille from Italy to United Kingdom

What the apostille confirms

An apostille only confirms the signature, the role of the person who signed and any seal or stamp on the document. It does not confirm what the document says. The office that receives the document decides what it accepts.

Questions

Questions about documents from the United Kingdom for Italy

Is an apostille from the United Kingdom accepted in Italy?

Yes. An apostille from the United Kingdom is enough for Italy: both are members of the Apostille Convention (the United Kingdom since 24 January 1965, Italy since 11 February 1978). The apostille is issued in the United Kingdom by Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office. The published fee in the United Kingdom is £45. The office in Italy that receives the document decides what else it needs. Last checked 18 October 2026 against the HCCH status table.

Who issues the apostille for a document from the United Kingdom?

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Legalisation Office. The apostille is always issued in the country the document comes from, not in Italy.

How much does the apostille cost in the United Kingdom?

The published fee in the United Kingdom is £45. Fees can change, so check the office's own page before you apply.

Do I need to notarise a private document first?

Yes. A private document, such as a power of attorney or a contract, is first signed in front of a notary public in the United Kingdom. The apostille then goes on the notary's certificate.

Does Italy also need a translation?

The office in Italy that receives the document decides. Ask it before you start whether it needs a translation, and whether the translation needs its own certification.

Sources and verification

Sources

  1. HCCH status table: Apostille Convention (1961)Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) · HCCH · retrieved
  2. Get your document legalisedGOV.UK (Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office) · Competent authority · retrieved
  3. Italy - Competent Authority (Art. 6)Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) · HCCH · retrieved
  4. Apostille e legalizzazioni - Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di UdineItalian Ministry of Justice, Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di Udine · Competent authority · retrieved
  5. Legalizzazione documenti new - Prefettura - Ufficio Territoriale del Governo di FerraraPrefettura - Ufficio Territoriale del Governo di Ferrara · Competent authority · retrieved
  6. Legalizzazione apostille - Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di TorinoItalian Ministry of Justice, Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di Torino · Competent authority · retrieved
  7. Legalizzazioni ed apostille - Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di BolognaItalian Ministry of Justice, Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di Bologna · Competent authority · retrieved
  8. Legalizzazione documenti - Prefettura - Ufficio Territoriale del Governo di RomaPrefettura - Ufficio Territoriale del Governo di Roma · Competent authority · retrieved
  9. Legalizzazione Apostille - Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di TarantoItalian Ministry of Justice, Procura della Repubblica presso il Tribunale di Taranto · Competent authority · retrieved
  10. Implementation Chart of the e-APPHague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) · HCCH · retrieved
Status
Last verified: (18 October 2026)
How it was checked
Checked by our team against the sources above
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