If your birth certificate was issued in the UK, legally it cannot be photocopied as it is subject to crown copyright. Technically what is commonly known as a birth certificate is actually a certified copy of an extract from the General Register.
A notary is not permitted to certify a photocopy of a UK birth certificate and the Foreign Development Commonwealth Office will refuse to attach an apostille.
Usually a new ‘original copy’ will need to be ordered, which can be done on the government website for a modest charge.
The notary may then arrange for the ‘original copy’ issued by the General Registry Office to be apostilled if this is needed. An existing birth certificate may be apostilled, but it will be permanently altered by the process.
It is best to obtain a fresh ‘original copy’ in advance of your meeting with a notary. Alternatively the ‘original copy’ can be sent from the General Register Office direct to the notary.
It is helpful to email a scan of the documents and instructions from your foreign lawyer to your notary before your meeting. Your notary will need to see the originals.
