TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Last Updated: 24/03/2025
Welcome to Apostille Now. By using our services, you are deemed to have legally agreed to the following terms and conditions. Please read them carefully.
1. Definitions
"Company" refers to Apostille Now, the trading name for Valerate LTD.
"Client" refers to any individual or entity using our services.
"Services" refer to document legalisation, consular legalisation, notarization, international postage through third parties, and other advertised related services.
"Working Days" exclude weekends and public holidays.
“Using our services” includes online ordering services, receiving advice from us, or any other interaction with our company and team regarding our services
2. Scope of Services
We facilitate the legalisation of documents through the foreign, commonwealth and development office FCDO of the United Kingdom.
Our services are limited to processing and submission; we do not guarantee approval by authorities.
Processing times provided are estimates and subject to government and embassy delays.
3. Client Responsibilities
The Client must ensure that the documents submitted are accurate, complete, and legally valid.
The Client is responsible for verifying the destination country’s legalisation requirements before submission.
Any fraudulent, altered, or misleading documents submitted will result in immediate termination of service, no refunds issued and a police report.
The client must show, on request, proof of identity and residential address.
The client must arrive punctually when submitting or collecting documents from our office address. Any delays will lead to a postponement of service standards
4. Fees and Payment
All service fees must be paid in full before processing begins.
Any additional fees imposed by embassies, government bodies, or courier services are the Client’s responsibility.
Any import or export fees imposed by the country to which the documents are shipped will be the client's responsibility.
If, for any reason, payment has not cleared our account in full, we reserve the right to withhold the release or posting of the document/s until such payment is received in its entirety.
We do not accept cash as a form of payment, but we will try to accommodate clients if no other payment method is available.
5. Processing and Turnaround Times
Estimated processing times are provided as guidelines and not guarantees.
Delays caused by government agencies, embassies, or external factors are beyond our control and we will not accept complaints due to this.
6. Document Handling and Liability
The Company exercises due care in handling documents but is not responsible for loss, damage, or delays caused by government bodies, embassies or international postage companies like DHL, FED/EX or other national companies/bodies like Royal Mail.
Clients must keep copies of all original documents submitted for processing.
If a document is lost due to our negligence, our liability is limited to the cost of the service provided.
7. Cancellations and Refunds
A cancellation request can be submitted; however, refunds will only be issued if the order has not yet entered the processing stage. The processing stage can vary between orders, but it generally starts when the company has begun arranging for the necessary documents to be submitted to authorities or for notarization and certification to take place.
No refunds will be provided once the order has been placed face-to-face.
As per the official UK Government (FCDO) policy effective from 1st April 2025, no refunds will be issued for documents rejected during the legalisation process. It is the client’s responsibility to ensure that their documents meet all FCDO requirements before submission. Solicitors, notaries, or public officials handling the client’s documents must complete all necessary actions with the FCDO prior to submission for an Apostille. If a document is rejected, clients must pay a minimum resubmission fee of £65.00 for reprocessing. If the FCDO rejects a document for any reason, we cannot issue refunds, as the decision to grant an Apostille lies solely with the FCDO, not us as service providers.
8. Third-Party Services
We may use third-party couriers when shipping documents within the UK or overseas.
The Company is not responsible for delays, errors, or losses caused by third parties; therefore, the client agrees to all terms and conditions of the third-party postage and mail providers ( ROYAL MAIL, DHL, FED EX, ETC) we decide to use when documents are shipped to the client’s address.
9. Force Majeure
We are not liable for delays or failures due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, including but not limited to government closures, strikes, pandemics, natural disasters, motorway closures, floods or other events.
10. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
Any disputes shall be resolved in the courts of England and Wales.
11. Data Protection and Liability Waiver
The Company processes personal data in accordance with applicable Data Protection Regulations, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
A third party may collect documents on behalf of the Client, provided they present the correct order reference number to a staff member and that the client has made the request beforehand.
By accepting these Terms and Conditions, the Client acknowledges that authorising a third party to collect documents on their behalf is done at their own risk.
The Company shall not be liable for any breach, loss, or misuse of personal data once documents have been handed over to the authorised third party.
The Client waives any claims against the Company regarding data security breaches arising from third-party document collection.
12. Amendments
The Company reserves the right to update these Terms and Conditions at any time.
Continued use of our services constitutes acceptance of any changes.
BY USING OUR SERVICES, PLACING AN ORDER ONLINE, THROUGH THE PHONE, FACE-BY-FACE, VIA EMAIL OR OTHERWISE, YOU AGREE TO THE ABOVE TERMS AND CONDITIONS IN FULL. IT IS THE CLIENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO READ AND UNDERSTAND THESE TERMS.
APOSTILLE NOW
The Grange, 5th floor, 100 High Street, London, N14 6BN