Document Preparation, Apostilles, and Notarisation for CBI Applications

Why Documents Are the Critical Path

In the world of citizenship by investment, the investment itself is often the easy part. The cheque can be written. What takes time — and what most commonly causes applications to be delayed or rejected — is the document file.

Every CBI programme requires applicants to prove who they are, that they have a clean criminal record, and that the money they are investing comes from a legitimate source. Proving these things requires original or certified official documents, many of which need authentication (apostille) and translation. Getting this right requires understanding a set of rules that are not particularly intuitive if you have not navigated them before.

This guide explains every component, so that when you begin the preparation process you know exactly what is needed, how to obtain it, and how long to allow.

The Hague Convention and the Apostille

The Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (the Apostille Convention) was opened for signature in 1961 and has been ratified by over 120 countries, including the UK, all EU member states, the United States, and most of the countries whose CBI programmes you might be applying to.

Before the Convention, authenticating a foreign public document required a lengthy chain: authentication by the issuing country's foreign affairs ministry, then legalisation by the destination country's embassy. The apostille replaced this entire chain with a single certificate.

An apostille is a standardised certificate, attached to or stamped on a public document, that authenticates the signature, seal, or position of the official who issued the document. It does not authenticate the content of the document — it authenticates that the document was genuinely issued by the authority it claims.

Public documents that can be apostilled include:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• Divorce decrees
• Court documents
• Police certificates (in many countries)
• Notarised documents
• Official extracts from public registers

Documents that cannot be apostilled:

• Private contracts
• Private letters
• Bank statements (these are authenticated differently — see below)

How to Get UK Documents Apostilled

For documents issued in England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland, the apostille authority is:

FCDO Legalisation Office PO Box 6255 Milton Keynes MK10 1XX

Website: gov.uk/get-document-legalised

What the FCDO can apostille:

• Documents issued by UK courts
• Documents issued by UK registry offices (birth, marriage, death certificates from the General Register Office)
• Documents notarised by a UK notary public (or signed by a UK solicitor acting as commissioner for oaths)
• Government-issued certificates and licences

Important: The FCDO cannot apostille a privately-issued document. To get a privately issued document (such as a bank-issued letter, a professional reference, or a company document) apostilled, you must first have it notarised by a UK notary public, who then signs and stamps it — and the notary's signature can then be apostilled.

FCDO service options:

• Postal service: Send documents with the application form and payment; return by post. Currently taking several weeks (check current FCDO processing times before planning).
• Premium service: Same-day or next-day service via appointment, or through commercial agents who attend the FCDO in person. Faster but more expensive.

Approved agent services: Several commercial firms offer a complete apostille service — they collect your document, attend the FCDO or designated office, obtain the apostille, and return the document. This is faster than the postal route and useful if you are preparing multiple documents simultaneously.

Key Documents Required: By Category

Identity and Family Documents

Birth certificate

• Obtain from: General Register Office (England and Wales), National Records of Scotland, General Register Office for Northern Ireland
• Apostille: Required (FCDO or equivalent for Scotland/NI)
• Translation: If original is not in English (rare for UK applicants)
• Validity: No expiry on document itself; the apostille date matters
• Timing: Order from GRO online; standard service 10–15 working days; priority service available

Marriage certificate (if applicable)

• Obtain from: GRO or local register office where marriage was registered
• Apostille: Required
• Timing: Similar to birth certificate

Divorce decree or decree absolute (if previously married)

• Obtain from: The court that granted the divorce
• Apostille: Required
• Note: Some programmes require the original court order; others accept a certified copy. Clarify before ordering.

Name change documentation (deed poll, statutory declaration)

• Obtain from: HMRC records, solicitor records, or HMRC if changed by deed poll
• Apostille: Requires notarisation first, then apostille of the notarised document

---

Criminal Record Documentation

UK DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) Certificate

• The basic DBS check shows criminal convictions and cautions. For CBI applications, an Enhanced DBS or the standard certificate (depending on programme requirements) is usually needed.
• Obtain from: gov.uk/request-copy-criminal-record (subject certificate) or via a registered umbrella body for enhanced checks
• Apostille: The DBS certificate can be apostilled at the FCDO
• Validity: Most CBI programmes require the certificate to have been issued within three to six months of application submission. Time your application carefully.
• Timing: Standard DBS applications take two to eight weeks; faster services are available through umbrella organisations

ACRO Police Certificate

• For overseas immigration and CBI purposes, the standard UK police certificate is the ACRO Police Certificate, issued by ACRO Criminal Records Office (the body formerly known as the ACPO Criminal Records Office). This is typically preferred over a DBS check for international use
• Obtain from: the ACRO Criminal Records Office (acro.police.uk)
• Apostille: Required (the ACRO certificate can be apostilled at the FCDO)

Foreign country police clearances

• For each country where you have resided for six months or more in the past five to ten years (programme-specific lookback)
• Obtain from: The relevant national police authority in each country. Many countries require an in-person visit or a specific application process.
• For the USA: FBI Identity History Summary (apostille from the US Department of State or relevant state authority)
• For the UAE, UAE police clearances can be obtained online through the UAE Smart Government portal
• Validity: Usually three to six months
• Timing: Variable — US FBI check takes 8–12 weeks by postal application (faster via fingerprint service or approved channeller). Some countries are faster; some slower.

---

Source of Funds and Financial Documents

Bank statements

• Typically 12–24 months of statements for all relevant accounts
• Cannot be apostilled (private documents); instead:
  • Original printed statements with bank letterhead and stamp (if from a branch)
  • Online statements often accepted if they clearly show the account holder's name, account number, and balance
  • Some programmes require a bank reference letter on bank letterhead, signed and stamped by a bank official, which can be notarised and then apostilled
• Amounts: Must clearly show that the investment funds are present and available

Proof of source of funds

• This is the document that explains where the money came from. It must tell a coherent story:
  • Employment: salary payslips, P60s, employment contract, confirming that salary income over time accumulated to the investment amount
  • Business: audited company accounts, dividend records, confirmation of business ownership (company registration documents, shareholder agreements)
  • Property sale: completion statement from the sale, showing proceeds
  • Inheritance: probate documentation, bank transfer confirming receipt
  • Investment returns: investment account statements, dealing records
• Documents should be originals or certified copies; complex structures may need a covering letter from an accountant (which should itself be on letterhead and may need notarisation)

Tax returns / tax assessment notices

• UK Self Assessment tax returns (typically 3–5 years), or HMRC notices of coding, to confirm declared income aligns with source-of-funds documentation
• For PAYE employees: P60s are typically sufficient

---

Professional and Character Documents

CV / resumé

• A professional CV covering education and employment history
• No apostille required; may require notarisation if the programme specifically asks for a certified CV

Professional references

• Letters from professional contacts (employer, accountant, solicitor, bank manager) confirming the applicant's professional background
• Must be on official letterhead; may require notarisation

Business registration documents (if self-employed or company owner)

• Certificate of incorporation, company registration, or business licence
• For overseas companies: may require apostille from the country of registration

---

Certified Translation

Any document not in English (and in some programmes, not in the official language of the programme country) must be translated by a certified translator.

A certified translation comprises:

• The full translated text
• A signed statement by the translator confirming accuracy and completeness
• The translator's credentials (name, qualifications, contact details)

In the UK, the FCDO does not maintain an official register of translators. However, professional translators who are members of:

• The Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL)
• The Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI)
• Or equivalent bodies in other countries

are widely accepted. Some programmes specify that translations must be from a sworn or court-certified translator — check programme requirements.

Note: The translation needs to be of the apostilled original where applicable. The correct order is: original document → apostille → certified translation (of the apostilled document). Do not apostille a document after it has been translated.

---

Common Mistakes That Cause Delays and Rejections

1. Apostille on a copy, not the original. The apostille must be on the original document or a notarised copy. Photocopying an apostilled document does not transfer the authentication.

2. Expired police clearances. Police clearances issued more than three to six months before submission will be rejected. Time the ordering of police clearances carefully relative to your expected submission date.

3. Missing documents from countries of prior residence. Applicants often forget to include police clearances from countries lived in briefly. Go back through your residential history carefully.

4. Uncertified translations. Machine translations or translations by bilingual friends or family members are not acceptable. Use a professional certified translator.

5. Bank statements that don't tell the story. Statements that show a large current balance without evidence of how that balance accumulated are insufficient. The source of funds narrative must link the history to the current balance.

6. Documents notarised by a solicitor when a notary public is required. In the UK, a solicitor and a notary public are different roles. Most international document authentication requires a notary public — a separate profession from a solicitor. Check carefully which is required.

7. Wrong translation direction. Having a document translated but not having the original apostilled first, where both are required.

Compliance Note

Document requirements vary by programme and are updated periodically. Always verify exact requirements with your authorised agent or the programme authority at the point of application. FCDO processing times change. This guide reflects conditions as of mid-2026. This is not legal advice.

How Global Investments Can Help

Our team has prepared hundreds of document files for CBI and RBI applications. We provide a programme-specific document checklist at the start of every engagement, advise on document sourcing and timing, work with our network of notaries, apostille agents, and certified translators, and review the complete document file before submission. Contact us to discuss your application.