Apostille stamp

crazyginlady

Have been told by that registration office that my partner (born in a Derry hospital but holds an Irish passport) will need to get an apostille stamp on his birth Certificate . Can someone tell me how we can go about getting this ?

tinkerbell

You'll need to get it off the embassy or government department in N Ireland.

tatli_lokma

An apostille can only be issued in the country which it was issued. So in order for the NI birth cert to be apostille'd you will need the UK authorities to provide the apostille. The British embassy cannot apostille a document, as it can only be done in the country of issuing. Information here from the UK authorities as to how to go about it:

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/services-we-deliver/legal-services/Legalisation/

The UK and Ireland are members of the Hague convention, hence why an apostille is required.

Having said that, many registrars are prepared to 'bend' the rules and will accept a certified copy or an authentication. But this is at their discretion. If you have time before the appointment to get the proper apostille done I would recommend you do that.

gafferino

Woh....... this may be an issue for me. I was born in Spain but lived in Ireland my whole life and have Irish parents. I have lost my birth cert and applied for a new one through the Spanish authorities. What is an apostille stamp and do I need it?

tatli_lokma

Apostilles are basically authentications but are only used in some countries. The countries that you may be asked to Apostille your document can be found at the Hague Conference on Private International Law website.

As part of the hague convention, which Ireland is signed up to, as is Spain, only documents which are apostilled 'should' be accepted for matters such as marriage. If it is in Spanish you would also require an authorised translation in addition to the apostille.

It shouldn't prove too hard to arrange, and can be done via post if you are not in the country. Just make sure you leave yourself enough time to arrange it.

deskgirl

My OH had to do the same as he is from the North. You do most of it online and then send off to Milton Keynes, they did it very quickly. It's annoying to have to do this when they were born in the country and the checklist for registering the marriage gives a list of additional steps if you are born outside of the country! The same would apply to Spain

crazyginlady

Thanks all ! I have a little over a month so should be lots of time to get it organised .

sanna

crazyginlady wrote: »

Thanks all ! I have a little over a month so should be lots of time to get it organised .

I would go the fedex route as well, I posted mine (not in a rush) took 2 wks but if they a query on ur cert it can take up to 20 workin days to get it sent back.

Gatica

I wasn't aware the HSE could bend rules on this. I had a very hard time getting my birth cert apostilled, and they basically said you can't get married unless you have it. I spoke to different ppl at the office and each one said you'll need to get your cert apostilled. I already had a certified translation, but that wasn't enough.
Best of luck with it. Hope it's quicker than it was for me.

tatli_lokma

Well, technically as per the letter of the law, because we are a member of the Hague Convention they should accept only an apostille. But some of them will accept an authentication in lieu of it, and where time is an issue they do have discretionary powers.

crazyginlady

Eeep ! Yeah thanks ill go with FedEx to be on the safe side . That's a little bit worrying

tatli_lokma

make sure you send it to the proper address if using a courier (i.e not the PO Box address)

www.fec.gov.co.uk wrote:

Customers who are only able to send their application by courier from an OVERSEAS address should send their application to:


The Legalisation Office
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Hanslope Park
Hanslope
Milton Keynes
MK19 7BH

crazyginlady

Little Ted wrote: »

make sure you send it to the proper address if using a courier (i.e not the PO Box address)

Thanks I really appreciate the advice .

who the fug

You can only send to the PO box address, place is closed to the public

You must send the original certificate, not a photocopy

Have a read of this and then start the order process here

Turn around is about 3/4 days

who the fug

Little Ted wrote: »

make sure you send it to the proper address if using a courier (i.e not the PO Box address)

Everything now goes to the PO box address, unless you are a registered business with them

tatli_lokma

who the fug wrote: »

You can only send to the PO box address, place is closed to the public

who the fug wrote: »

Everything now goes to the PO box address, unless you are a registered business with them

It specifically says on their website that overseas applicants using courier must send it to the address I gave

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/services-we-deliver/legal-services/Legalisation/030-Links/Overseas-Customer-Address

Foreign and Commonwealth Office wrote:

Customers must NOT visit the address below to submit an application. We will not be responsible for any costs incurred for travel to this address.

Customer Address for Applications Sent by COURIER from OVERSEAS

Customers who are only able to send their application by courier from an OVERSEAS address should send their application to:

The Legalisation Office
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Hanslope Park
Hanslope
Milton Keynes
MK19 7BH

Please do not use this postal address if you are sending from an address in the UK or if you are overseas and sending your application using a standard postal service.

if you use normal post, it must go to the PO box. Couriers will not delivery to a PO box, hence why you must send it to the above address.

who the fug

Get your point , having a brain fart moment

Mind if you can post from a NI and have it returned to a NI address will save a small fortune in couriers

tatli_lokma

who the fug wrote: »

Get your point , having a brain fart moment

Mind if you can post from a NI and have it returned to a NI address will save a small fortune in couriers

No worries - I have at least two of those a day!

Only thing about posting from NI is that it then goes to the PO box and might not be as quick getting processed (as NI wouldn't be classed as overseas). Personally I would prefer the cost of the courier to have the certainty of it arriving quickly. A small package like that shouldn't cost more than €20 - 30 with most couriers.

who the fug

Little Ted wrote: »

No worries - I have at least two of those a day!

Only thing about posting from NI is that it then goes to the PO box and might not be as quick getting processed (as NI wouldn't be classed as overseas). Personally I would prefer the cost of the courier to have the certainty of it arriving quickly. A small package like that shouldn't cost more than €20 - 30 with most couriers.

Judging by my dealing with them if all goes on one pile , and gets done in turn.

The last one from London to Milton Keynes was 3 days from posting to return faster than the buggers at Centre Point London and the 90 minute turn around.

Roar

Just a heads up, I tried to pay for this online today, put in my credit card details, waited for the payment to process.. and the website crashed without giving me a confirmation/payment number, which you need for your application form. However the money has still gone through on the card. I've emailed them but it looks like it could take up to a week to get a response!

who the fug

Roar wrote: »

Just a heads up, I tried to pay for this online today, put in my credit card details, waited for the payment to process.. and the website crashed without giving me a confirmation/payment number, which you need for your application form. However the money has still gone through on the card. I've emailed them but it looks like it could take up to a week to get a response!

Email them the time and date of the transaction so they can track it

Roar

yeah I emailed them straight away, thanks though!

who the fug

See they have changed the payment system, and not set it up properly.

Quell Surprise

When the browser hangs up on the DNS page, back click and you will get the receipt number

Hope when they have sorted it, there is still a place to put an email address in,to track the order

loveisdivine

Ive just done mine again as it was sent back cos it was wrong.
Obviously the website has been changed, my payment went through fine but I notice that it now says

"Send your registration to the following address if you are abroad OR using a courier service to the UK" it then has the Hanslope address, not the PO Box one.

I am right in thinking this means that now, even if you are not sending by courier, you have to send it to the non PO Box address?

sanna

loveisdivine wrote: »

Ive just done mine again as it was sent back cos it was wrong.
Obviously the website has been changed, my payment went through fine but I notice that it now says

"Send your registration to the following address if you are abroad OR using a courier service to the UK" it then has the Hanslope address, not the PO Box one.

I am right in thinking this means that now, even if you are not sending by courier, you have to send it to the non PO Box address?

I got my folks to send mine on to the Po box address but it was coming from the Uk, but I think that even before I did that it was still going to the Po box address? Sorry couldnt be more help

Roar

Took them a week to get back to me but they finally did! They just sent me the confirmation number for my transaction.

Roar

and after posting on the 10th, I got it back today. Super efficient service.

crazyginlady

Very impressed with how quickly it was sorted . Posted on a Friday and had it back by the following Thursday .

Gamb!t

OP,Slightly off topic but you may also need to fill out a dispensation form if your other half is a Protestant..

Tbone86

I have a bit of a problem if anyone can help? I filled in the form, made payment and sent it off to the address.

The only thing is, I have found out that I needed to print and send a payment confirmation receipt also, which I didn't get.

The payment was successful and I filled in the 9 digit payment code I received along with other payment details on the Legalization form ,

Is this enough for the application to be processed?

paulieeye

Just some more info on this.

I'm from Belfast but hold an Irish passport. Had meeting for intent to marry today in hse and I didn't have the apostille stamp. They didn't even mention it.