Lebanon Embassy in London Legalisation

UK documents intended for official use in Lebanon generally require both UK and Lebanese authentication.

For most personal documents, the usual process begins with an FCDO Apostille. The apostilled document is then submitted to the Consular Section of the Embassy of Lebanon in London for further legalisation. Current London legalisation guidance continues to confirm this route.

Commercial documents require additional attention. Current specialist guidance states that prior certification through the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and Arab-British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) is required for commercial documents proceeding to Lebanese Consular legalisation.

Ginkgo Advisory can assist with the complete process or with Lebanon Embassy legalisation only where the required preliminary authentication has already been completed.

Lebanon Embassy legalisation service at a glance

Document type	Typical route
UK personal document	FCDO Apostille → Lebanon Embassy legalisation
UK educational document	Certification where required → FCDO Apostille → Embassy legalisation
Private Power of Attorney	Notarisation/certification → FCDO Apostille → Embassy legalisation
Commercial document	FCDO Apostille where required → LCCI → ABCC → Lebanon Embassy
Certificate of Origin	LCCI → ABCC → Lebanon Embassy
Commercial invoice	LCCI → ABCC → Lebanon Embassy; value-based fee may apply
Commercial Power of Attorney	FCDO where applicable → LCCI/ABCC → Embassy; passport copy required

The exact route should be established before a document is signed, notarised or apostilled.

What is Lebanon Embassy legalisation?

Lebanon Embassy legalisation is the authentication of a document by the Consular Section of the Embassy of Lebanon in London.

For an ordinary UK personal document, the route is commonly:

UK document → certification or notarisation where required → FCDO Apostille → Lebanon Embassy legalisation

Some UK public documents can proceed directly to the FCDO.

Private documents, copies, Powers of Attorney and certain corporate documents may first require certification by a practising solicitor or Notary Public.

Is an FCDO Apostille enough for Lebanon?

Normally, no.

Current London guidance continues to require an FCDO Apostille followed by Lebanese Consular legalisation for UK documents intended for Lebanon.

The Apostille is therefore normally an intermediate stage.

A typical chain is:

FCDO Apostille → Lebanon Embassy legalisation

Commercial documents can require Chamber certification in addition to these stages.

Already have an FCDO Apostille?

There is normally no need to repeat the FCDO stage where the existing Apostille is suitable.

Ginkgo Advisory can assess the document for Lebanon Embassy legalisation only.

Please provide:

1. A clear scan of the complete document
2. A scan of the FCDO Apostille
3. The intended use in Lebanon
4. Details of the receiving authority or organisation
5. Any instructions received from Lebanon
6. Your required completion date

For commercial documents, also provide details of the transaction and any related invoice or Certificate of Origin.

Which documents can require Lebanon Embassy legalisation?

Lebanese legalisation applies to a wide range of personal, educational and commercial documents.

Personal documents

Examples include:

• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• Divorce judgments
• ACRO Police Certificates
• DBS certificates
• Medical reports
• Affidavits
• Statutory declarations
• Powers of Attorney
• Wills
• Pledge to Deny Ownership documents
• Passport-related documents
• Other personal certificates

The consular fee differs substantially according to the document type.

Educational documents

Academic documents can include:

• Degree certificates
• Master’s degrees
• PhD certificates
• Academic transcripts
• Diplomas
• Professional qualifications
• School certificates
• Training certificates

An educational document may first require solicitor or notarial certification before it can receive an FCDO Apostille.

Commercial documents

Typical business documents include:

• Certificates of Incorporation
• Memorandum of Association
• Articles of Association
• Company-information documents
• Board resolutions
• Commercial Powers of Attorney
• Agency agreements
• Appointment of company representatives
• Distribution agreements
• Commercial contracts
• Certificates of Free Sale
• Health certificates
• Analysis certificates
• Commercial invoices
• Certificates of Origin

The ABCC’s current Lebanon schedule specifically identifies agency agreements, company-information documents, documents appointing representatives in Lebanon and analysis or health certificates as commercial “Other Documents”. These require an FCDO Apostille before presentation for Lebanese legalisation.

Commercial document legalisation for Lebanon

Commercial documents follow a more involved process than ordinary personal certificates.

Current specialist guidance describes prior Arab-British Chamber certification as mandatory before Lebanese Consular legalisation.

For many corporate documents, the practical route is:

Commercial document → notarisation/certification where required → FCDO Apostille → LCCI → ABCC → Lebanon Embassy legalisation

Certificates of Origin and commercial invoices use the Arab-British trade-documentation route.

The precise sequence should be checked against the individual document.

Current LCCI and ABCC commercial-document charge

LCCI’s July 2026 price list gives its current Arab-British certification and legalisation charge as:

£59.70 including VAT

for an original:

• Arab Certificate of Origin
• Export Invoice
• Other Commercial Document

Embassy fees are additional.

This replaces older Chamber figures such as £58.50.

Current Lebanon commercial Embassy fee

The ABCC’s Lebanon schedule was updated on 4 March 2026.

It currently lists the Lebanese Embassy charge for an ordinary commercial Other Document as:

£174 per original document

and £174 for a copy.

Adding the current £59.70 Chamber charge gives an indicative:

£174 + £59.70 = £233.70

for the Chamber-and-Embassy stages of an ordinary commercial Other Document.

This does not include:

• FCDO Apostille
• Notarisation
• Solicitor certification
• Ginkgo Advisory professional fees
• Courier charges
• Additional proportional consular fees

Certificates of Origin, invoices and Powers of Attorney have different tariffs.

Why one commercial fee should not be used for every document

Lebanon applies different consular charges according to the document.

For example, the current ABCC schedule lists:

• Other commercial document: £174
• General Power of Attorney: £77
• Certificate of Origin with one invoice: £20
• Commercial invoice: calculated according to invoice value

Memorandum and Articles are also charged separately.

A single flat commercial legalisation price should therefore not be quoted until the document has been reviewed.

Commercial invoices

Lebanese consular charges for invoices are value-based.

The current ABCC formula for an invoice stated in GBP is:

Invoice value × 4 ÷ 1,000

For invoices in other currencies, the value is converted before the 4-per-thousand calculation is applied.

The current published limits are:

• Minimum invoice fee: £35
• Maximum invoice fee: £2,404

Invoice legalisation can therefore become expensive for high-value transactions.

Always provide the complete invoice value before requesting a quotation.

Certificates of Origin

The ABCC’s current Lebanon schedule lists:

£20 for an original Certificate of Origin with one invoice

and £20 for the copy.

The Certificate of Origin and invoice should be prepared together.

Where multiple invoices or unusual trade documentation are involved, the Chamber requirements should be checked before submission.

Personal document legalisation fees

Lebanese Consular fees for personal documents vary according to the instrument.

Current working figures are:

Personal document	Indicative consular fee
GRO birth certificate	£30
GRO marriage certificate	£30
GRO death certificate	£30
Educational document	£47
Affidavit	£47
Medical report	£47
Divorce Judgment / Decree Absolute	from £47, with additional fees possible
General Power of Attorney	£77
Special Power of Attorney	£39 per signature, plus proportional fee where applicable
Will	£90
Pledge to Deny Ownership	£90

Publicly available London sources currently contain some older £27/£43 private-document figures, so the applicable personal consular fee should be reconfirmed immediately before submission.

GRO birth, marriage and death certificates

A current working consular figure of £30 per certificate should be allowed for GRO documents.

This category applies to birth, marriage and death certificates not being used for registration of the event in Lebanon.

Registration of a birth, marriage or death in the Lebanese civil-status system is a separate Consular process and should not be confused with ordinary document legalisation.

Educational document legalisation

The current working fee for an educational document is:

£47 per document

The route will normally involve:

UK educational document → certification where required → FCDO Apostille → Lebanon Embassy legalisation

The university, employer or professional body in Lebanon may separately request verification from the UK issuing institution.

Verification and legalisation are different procedures.

ACRO Police Certificate legalisation for Lebanon

An ACRO Police Certificate may be required for:

• Employment
• Immigration
• Residence matters
• Professional registration
• Other regulatory applications

The usual UK route is:

ACRO Police Certificate → FCDO Apostille → Lebanon Embassy legalisation

Any validity period imposed by the Lebanese receiving authority should be checked before obtaining the Apostille.

General Power of Attorney

The current ABCC Lebanon schedule lists:

£77 per General Power of Attorney.

A UK Power of Attorney will commonly require:

Execution/notarisation → FCDO Apostille → Lebanon Embassy legalisation

Commercial Powers of Attorney can additionally require Chamber processing.

The wording should ideally be approved by the lawyer, bank or authority in Lebanon before the document is executed.

Special Power of Attorney

A Special Power of Attorney is currently charged at:

£39 per signature.

Where the document states a monetary amount, an additional proportional fee applies:

£1 per £1,000 stated in the Power of Attorney

The current ABCC Lebanon schedule gives a maximum proportional fee of:

£2,404.

This is an important correction to older maximum-fee figures.

Passport copy required for Powers of Attorney

The signatory’s identification must accompany a Power of Attorney.

The current ABCC Lebanon requirements state that a copy of ID must be presented with a Special Power of Attorney.

Current London operational guidance also states that a passport copy should accompany Powers of Attorney submitted for Lebanese legalisation.

Where more than one person signs, passport copies should be prepared for each signatory.

Divorce judgments

A UK Divorce Judgment or Decree Absolute can require Lebanese Consular legalisation.

The base working fee is currently around the same level as other £47 personal documents.

However, additional proportional charges can apply where the judgment contains a monetary award or financial amount.

Older and current published sources do not display a fully consistent GBP maximum for this category.

For that reason, a divorce judgment containing financial provisions should be sent for fee assessment before submission.

Do not assume the standard £47 fee will be the complete amount.

Wills

The current working consular fee for a Will is:

£90 per document

The Will may require notarisation or another appropriate UK certification before the FCDO Apostille.

Probate and estate documents can have separate fee rules where financial values are stated.

The document should therefore be assessed before authentication begins.

Document must refer to Lebanon

Documents submitted for Lebanese Consular legalisation should make clear that they relate to Lebanon.

Current operational guidance warns that a document referring to another destination country can be rejected.

This point is particularly important for:

• Powers of Attorney
• Agency agreements
• Appointment letters
• Commercial contracts
• Company resolutions
• Authorisations

Generic wording should be checked before the document is signed.

Commercial agency and representative documents

The current ABCC Lebanon schedule expressly identifies:

• Agency agreements
• Company-information documents
• Documents appointing a representative of a company in Lebanon
• Analysis certificates
• Health certificates

as commercial Other Documents requiring an FCDO Apostille before presentation for legalisation.

The document should therefore not be sent directly to the Chamber without confirming that the Apostille stage has been completed where required.

Memorandum and Articles of Association

The Lebanese commercial tariff contains an important rule:

Memorandum and Articles are charged separately.

They should not automatically be treated as one company document for Lebanese consular fee purposes.

This remains the case even where the documents are closely related.

A quotation should therefore identify each underlying corporate instrument.

Bundled documents

The Lebanese Consulate can accept documents bundled beneath one notarial certificate and one Apostille.

However, the Consulate charges its fee for each individual document within the bundle. Current specialist guidance consistently reports this rule.

Bundling can therefore reduce:

• Notarial work
• Number of FCDO Apostilles in suitable cases

but it does not necessarily reduce Lebanese Consular fees.

The receiving authority should also confirm that a bundled structure is acceptable.

Current FCDO Apostille fees

The FCDO currently charges:

Apostille service	FCDO fee per document
Standard paper Apostille	£45
Next-Day paper Apostille for registered businesses	£40
e-Apostille	£35
Restricted Urgent paper Apostille	£100

Paper return delivery can attract an additional postage or courier charge.

Current FCDO processing times

Current FCDO indicative processing periods are:

• Standard paper Apostille: usually up to 25 working days
• Next-Day service: next working day for registered businesses
• e-Apostille: up to 2 working days
• Restricted Urgent: same day following prior FCDO approval

Any service can take longer where a signature, seal or stamp requires verification.

Paper Apostille or e-Apostille?

Caution is advisable with e-Apostilles for Lebanon.

The Lebanese Consular process normally involves submission of the authenticated physical document.

Current specialist Lebanon guidance reports that e-Apostilles are not accepted by the Consulate.

A paper FCDO Apostille should therefore normally be used unless the Consular Section confirms otherwise for the particular document.

Lebanon Embassy processing time

Current operational guidance generally recommends allowing approximately:

3–4 working days

for ordinary Lebanese Consular legalisation.

Other recent providers quote 4–5 working days.

The timeframe should therefore be treated as indicative rather than guaranteed.

Commercial documents requiring LCCI and ABCC processing take longer.

Commercial-document processing time

A commercial document travelling through the Chamber route should generally be allowed approximately:

8–10 working days

for the Chamber and Consular stages.

LCCI processing, Embassy workload, public holidays and requests for additional documentation can extend the overall period.

FCDO and notarial time are additional.

Payment method

Current London operational guidance states that Lebanese Consular legalisation fees are payable by:

• Cash
• Postal Order

Cards should not be assumed to be accepted.

The correct payment amount should be established before the documents reach the Consulate.

This is especially important for invoices, Special Powers of Attorney and documents containing monetary amounts.

Submission and collection hours

Current operational guidance lists:

Submission:
9:00 am – 12:30 pm

Collection:
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Monday to Friday.

Consular arrangements can change around Lebanese and UK public holidays.

The current hours should be checked before attendance.

Lebanon Consular Section address

Document legalisation is handled at:

Embassy of Lebanon – Consular Section
15 Palace Gardens Mews
London W8 4RB

The current UK diplomatic listings and recent consular directories confirm the Consular Section at this address.

Telephone: 020 7229 7265

The main Embassy chancery is separately located at Kensington Palace Gardens, so applicants should use the Consular Section address for document legalisation.

Commercial invoice and Certificate of Origin fees

Trade documents should be reviewed together rather than separately.

For Lebanon:

• Certificate of Origin has its own fixed fee
• Invoice fees are calculated according to value
• Chamber certification charges apply
• Copies can attract separate consular charges
• High-value transactions can generate substantial legalisation fees

The current ABCC Lebanon schedule gives the most detailed published commercial tariff and was updated in March 2026.

A commercial quotation should therefore include the invoice value and currency.

Court orders involving money

The current ABCC Lebanon schedule states that commercial Other Documents issued as court orders can attract an Embassy service fee equal to:

1% of the amount due.

A court order containing a significant financial amount should therefore be assessed before the Apostille or Chamber stages are arranged.

The legalisation fee can be much higher than an ordinary document fee.

Foreign-issued documents

Documents issued outside the UK require separate assessment.

The FCDO states that documents issued outside the United Kingdom cannot ordinarily be legalised using the UK Legalisation Office service. They should instead be legalised in the country where they were issued.

Living in Britain does not change a document’s country of origin.

A foreign document may require:

Country-of-origin authentication → appropriate Lebanese Embassy or Consulate

rather than the London UK-document route.

Common reasons Lebanon legalisation is delayed

Applications can encounter problems where:

• The FCDO Apostille is missing
• Solicitor certification is unsuitable
• Notarisation was required but not completed
• A commercial document has not completed the Chamber route
• An FCDO Apostille required by the ABCC is missing
• The document does not mention Lebanon
• Another destination country appears in the document
• A Power of Attorney lacks the signatory’s passport copy
• Multiple signatories have not been included in the fee calculation
• A Special Power of Attorney contains a monetary amount
• An invoice has not been supplied for fee assessment
• Certificate of Origin information does not correspond with the invoice
• Memorandum and Articles have incorrectly been treated as one document
• A bundle has been assumed to attract only one Consular fee
• An e-Apostille has been used without confirmation of acceptance
• The wrong cash or Postal Order amount has been prepared

Checking the complete document before legalisation can avoid expensive repeat work.

Can I submit directly to the Lebanon Embassy?

Yes, where the document has completed all necessary earlier stages.

A typical private application should already carry the correct FCDO Apostille.

Commercial documents may need to complete the LCCI and ABCC process first.

Applicants should also prepare:

• Original document
• FCDO Apostille
• Passport copy where required
• Correct consular fee
• Any supporting commercial documentation
• Copies required for the application

The document type and fee should be confirmed before attendance.

Lebanon Embassy legalisation only

Clients who already have the appropriate FCDO Apostille and Chamber certification can instruct Ginkgo Advisory for the remaining Consular stage.

We can review:

• Document
• FCDO Apostille
• LCCI/ABCC stamps
• Consular fee category
• Monetary-value surcharge
• Passport-copy requirement
• Bundle structure
• Submission arrangements

This avoids repeating authentication stages that have already been completed correctly.

Full Lebanon document legalisation service

Where the document has not yet been authenticated, we can assess the complete route.

Depending on the case, this may include:

• Document review
• Solicitor certification
• Notarial certification
• FCDO Apostille
• LCCI processing
• Arab-British Chamber certification
• Lebanon Embassy legalisation
• Commercial fee assessment
• Certificate of Origin processing
• Consular submission
• Collection
• Completion scan
• UK return delivery
• DHL international delivery

Commercial documents should be sent together with any related invoice and transaction details.

Frequently asked questions

Does a UK document need an FCDO Apostille for Lebanon?

Usually, yes.

For most personal documents, the Apostille is followed by Lebanese Consular legalisation.

Is an FCDO Apostille enough for Lebanon?

Normally, no.

Further legalisation by the Lebanese Consular Section is generally required.

Do commercial documents need the Arab-British Chamber?

Current specialist guidance says prior ABCC certification is now required for commercial documents proceeding to Lebanese Consular legalisation.

The exact FCDO and Chamber sequence depends on the document.

How much is an ordinary commercial document?

The current ABCC Lebanon schedule lists:

£174 Embassy fee

for an ordinary commercial Other Document.

Adding LCCI’s current £59.70 Arab-document charge gives an indicative Chamber-and-Embassy amount of:

£233.70.

FCDO, notarisation and professional fees are additional.

Is every commercial document £233.70?

No.

Certificates of Origin, invoices, General Powers of Attorney, Special Powers of Attorney, court orders and certain company instruments have different charges.

How are commercial invoices charged?

For an invoice in GBP, the current formula is:

Invoice value × 4 ÷ 1,000

subject to a £35 minimum and £2,404 maximum.

How much is a General Power of Attorney?

The current published ABCC Lebanon tariff is:

£77.

How much is a Special Power of Attorney?

The current tariff is:

£39 per signature.

Where a monetary amount appears, an additional £1 per £1,000 is charged, up to the published maximum.

Do I need a passport copy for a Power of Attorney?

Yes.

Current Lebanon legalisation guidance requires identification to accompany Powers of Attorney.

Can several documents share one Apostille?

Potentially.

The Consulate can accept a bundle beneath one notarial certificate and Apostille.

However, Lebanese Consular fees are still charged for each separate document within the bundle.

Do Memorandum and Articles count as one document?

No for fee purposes under the current ABCC Lebanon schedule.

Memorandum and Articles are charged separately.

Does the document need to mention Lebanon?

Current operational guidance says yes.

A document referring to another destination country may be rejected.

How long does Lebanon Embassy legalisation take?

Approximately:

3–4 working days

is a reasonable current planning period for an ordinary Consular application.

How long does commercial Chamber legalisation take?

Allow approximately:

8–10 working days

for a case requiring the LCCI/ABCC stages, subject to the document and Embassy workload.

What payment methods are accepted?

Current operational guidance states:

Cash or Postal Order only.

What are the legalisation opening hours?

Current guidance lists:

Submission: 9:00 am–12:30 pm
Collection: 1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Monday to Friday.

Where is the Lebanon Consular Section?

The Consular Section is at:

15 Palace Gardens Mews, London W8 4RB.

Can you provide Lebanon Embassy legalisation only?

Yes.

Where the document already carries the correct FCDO Apostille and any required LCCI/ABCC certification, we can assess it for the remaining Lebanese Consular stage.

Arrange Lebanon Embassy legalisation in London

Send Ginkgo Advisory a clear scan before posting the original.

Please provide:

1. The complete document
2. Existing FCDO Apostille, if available
3. Intended use in Lebanon
4. Details of the Lebanese receiving authority or organisation
5. Any written instructions received from Lebanon
6. Required completion date

For a Power of Attorney, also provide:

• Number of signatories
• Passport copies
• Whether a monetary value appears in the document

For commercial documents, provide:

• Document type
• Company details
• Commercial invoice
• Invoice value and currency
• Certificate of Origin where applicable
• Lebanese consignee or agent details

We can then identify whether the appropriate route is:

FCDO Apostille → Lebanon Embassy legalisation

or the commercial route:

FCDO where required → LCCI → ABCC → Lebanon Embassy legalisation

Lebanese Consular, LCCI, ABCC and FCDO fees and procedures can change without notice. Private-document fee information currently differs between published sources, while commercial proportional charges depend on document type and monetary value. The applicable fee should therefore be reconfirmed for each submission.