Angola Consulate General in London Legalisation

UK documents intended for official use in Angola generally require several authentication stages.

For most UK documents, the process begins with an FCDO Apostille. The apostilled document is then submitted to the Consulate General of the Republic of Angola in London for further legalisation.

Portuguese translation is also a central part of the Angolan process. The Consulate’s current official instructions require documents or authenticated copies to be translated into Portuguese by an official translator, recognised by a Notary Public and authenticated through the UK legalisation process.

Ginkgo Advisory can assist with the complete process or with Angola Consulate legalisation only where the document has already been properly prepared.

Angola Consulate legalisation service at a glance

Applicant / document	Current Consulate fee	Current processing time
Angolan national	£25 normal	10 days
Angolan national – urgent	£50	3 days
Foreign individual	£40 normal	10 days
Foreign individual – urgent	£80	3 days
Company / corporate entity	£200 normal	10 days
Company / corporate entity – urgent	£365	3 days

These are the current official Consulate General tariffs.

FCDO, solicitor, notarial, translation and delivery costs are additional.

What is Angola Consulate legalisation?

Angola Consulate legalisation is the authentication of a foreign document by the Consulate General of the Republic of Angola in London so that it can be presented to authorities in Angola.

For a typical UK private document, the process may be:

UK document → certification/notarisation where required → Portuguese translation → FCDO Apostille → Angola Consulate legalisation

Company documents can require additional corporate evidence.

The exact order depends on how the notarial certificate and Portuguese translation are structured.

Is an FCDO Apostille enough for Angola?

Normally, no.

Angola does not currently appear among the 130 Contracting Parties to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention.

An FCDO Apostille therefore does not ordinarily replace Angolan Consular legalisation.

For a UK document, the final UK-side route generally ends with:

FCDO Apostille → Angola Consulate General legalisation

Portuguese translation is required

The Consulate General’s current official instructions require the document or authenticated copy to be translated into Portuguese by an official translator.

The translation must also be recognised by a Public Notary and form part of the document authentication process.

This requirement applies to:

• British applicants
• Other foreign residents in the UK
• Angolan nationals
• Companies and agencies

The translation should therefore be arranged before the Consular submission.

How should the Portuguese and English versions be arranged?

Current specialist Angola legalisation practice places the Portuguese version first, followed by the English documentation.

Where the notarial certificate itself is bilingual Portuguese-English, both languages can appear within the same certification.

If the notarial certificate is only in English, current specialist guidance recommends attaching its Portuguese translation before the English version.

The document set should be prepared carefully before the Apostille is obtained.

Rearranging or replacing pages after legalisation can invalidate the authentication structure.

Which notarial certificate should receive the Apostille?

Where the document is being prepared through a bilingual or translated notarial structure, current specialist guidance states that the Apostille should authenticate the appropriate Portuguese or bilingual notarial certificate used to bind and certify the complete set.

The preferred structure should be confirmed before notarisation.

This is especially important for:

• Powers of Attorney
• Board resolutions
• Commercial contracts
• Company declarations
• Certified copies
• Educational certificates

Dual-language English-Portuguese documents

A bilingual document should not automatically be treated as exempt from linguistic review.

The Portuguese wording must accurately correspond with the English text.

Where the document has been drafted bilingually, a qualified Portuguese translator may still be needed to confirm the accuracy of the Portuguese version before the notarial certificate is issued.

For high-value commercial matters or Powers of Attorney, the Portuguese wording should ideally be approved by the receiving lawyer or authority in Angola before execution.

Current Angola Consulate legalisation fees

The Consulate General now distinguishes between the type of applicant.

Angolan nationals

Normal: £25 per document
Urgent: £50 per document

The official processing periods are:

Normal: 10 days
Urgent: 3 days.

British and other foreign individuals

For British citizens and foreign residents in the UK:

Normal: £40 per document
Urgent: £80 per document

The listed processing periods are:

Normal: 10 days
Urgent: 3 days.

Companies and corporate entities

For companies and agencies:

Normal: £200 per document
Urgent: £365 per document

The current official processing periods are:

Normal: 10 days
Urgent: 3 days.

The older practice of describing £200/£365 as the fee for every Angola legalisation should therefore be avoided.

Commercial document legalisation

Company documents attract the highest Consular authentication tariff.

A typical corporate route can involve:

UK company document → notarisation/certification → Portuguese translation → FCDO Apostille → Angola Consulate legalisation

The Consulate currently requires a company or agency applicant to provide a letter explaining the reason for legalisation together with the document being authenticated.

A Certificate of Incorporation is also specifically identified as company identification evidence.

Company supporting documents

For a UK corporate matter, supporting evidence can include:

• Certificate of Incorporation
• Memorandum and Articles of Association
• Director’s passport copy
• Registered office address
• Contact telephone number
• Email address
• Evidence of the signatory’s authority
• Applicant or company request letter

Current specialist operational guidance continues to report that the Consulate can request the Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum and Articles of Association and signatory identification for commercial applications.

Additional evidence may be requested according to the transaction.

Director’s passport copy

A commercial submission should identify the individual acting for the company.

For privately executed company documents, the Notary Public will also need to establish:

• Signatory’s identity
• Director or officer status
• Authority to bind the company

A clear passport copy should therefore be prepared with the corporate submission.

This is particularly relevant for:

• Commercial Powers of Attorney
• Board resolutions
• Agency appointments
• Contracts
• Company declarations

Foreign companies

Extra care is required where the document concerns a company incorporated outside the United Kingdom.

The Consulate’s current official requirements identify a Certificate of Incorporation as company identification and provide additional rules where the underlying entity has a foreign country of origin.

Current specialist guidance also reports that foreign-company applications may be accepted only in specific circumstances.

The foreign company’s incorporation documents may need authentication through the competent diplomatic authority for the country of incorporation before Angolan Consular legalisation.

Do not assume that having a director sign a foreign company’s document in London converts it into a UK corporate document.

Foreign company supporting evidence

Depending on the case, the Consulate may request:

• Certificate of Incorporation
• Memorandum and Articles of Association
• Evidence of current corporate status
• Director details
• Passport of the signatory
• Evidence of signing authority
• Portuguese translations
• Authentication from the company’s country of incorporation

The complete company structure should therefore be disclosed before notarisation begins.

Applicant request letter

The Consulate General currently requires a letter from the applicant requesting legalisation.

The letter should be addressed to the Consulate General and explain why the document requires authentication.

For an individual, it should normally state:

• Applicant’s name
• Document being legalised
• Reason for the request
• Intended use in Angola
• Contact details

For a company, use appropriate company details and explain the commercial purpose.

Requirements for Angolan nationals

An Angolan citizen currently needs:

• Request letter
• Valid Consular Registration Card
• Document requiring legalisation
• Portuguese translation and appropriate UK authentication
• Valid Angolan identification

The Consulate accepts either a valid:

• Angolan Identity Card, or
• Angolan passport

as the nationality/identity document.

Requirements for British and foreign UK residents

A British citizen or other foreign resident in the UK must provide:

• Request letter
• Document requiring legalisation
• Portuguese translation
• Required notarial authentication
• FCDO legalisation

The current Consulate General instructions place these applicants within the foreign citizen fee category.

Their current standard fee is £40 rather than £200.

Personal information for private applications

For a private document, it is sensible to prepare the applicant’s:

• Passport copy
• Residential address
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Full identifying details

Older operational procedures also requested the applicant’s parents’ names in certain private cases.

Because the Consulate can request additional information or invite an applicant for an interview, unusual personal-document cases should be checked before submission.

Photocopy requirement

The Consulate’s current official instructions are clear:

The original documents must be accompanied by photocopies.

One photocopy is required for each document.

The copy should include the complete legalisation set rather than only the first page.

Where relevant, this means copying:

• Portuguese translation
• English document
• Notarial certificate
• FCDO Apostille
• Supporting pages

Educational documents

UK educational documents can require Angola legalisation for:

• Employment
• Work permits
• Professional registration
• University admission
• Government appointments
• Teaching
• Healthcare
• Engineering

A degree or other qualification may first need appropriate UK certification.

The route can then be:

Qualification → certification/notarisation → Portuguese translation → FCDO Apostille → Angola Consulate legalisation

The receiving institution may also request direct verification from the UK awarding body.

Original educational documents

Where an educational document is being submitted, the original should be available.

Current specialist operational guidance recommends supplying both the original academic document and the apostilled/certified version where relevant.

This helps prevent problems where the Consulate wants to compare the legalised copy with the underlying award.

Degree certificate legalisation for Angola

A typical UK degree case may involve:

1. Review of the qualification
2. Appropriate solicitor or notarial certification
3. Portuguese translation
4. Notarial certification of the translation/document set
5. FCDO Apostille
6. Angola Consulate General legalisation

The exact sequence depends on the document format.

A scanned or digitally issued qualification should be assessed before being printed and notarised.

ACRO Police Certificate legalisation

A UK ACRO Police Certificate can be required for employment or immigration matters in Angola.

A typical route is:

ACRO Police Certificate → FCDO paper Apostille → Portuguese translation/notarial preparation → Angola Consulate legalisation

The Portuguese translation structure should be confirmed before the Consular stage.

ACRO Police Certificates for England and Wales are not currently eligible for the UK’s e-Apostille service.

Birth certificate legalisation

A UK birth certificate may be required for:

• Residence matters
• Family registration
• Citizenship procedures
• Immigration
• Marriage
• Dependant applications

The authentication chain commonly involves:

UK Birth Certificate → FCDO Apostille → Portuguese translation/notarial preparation → Angola Consulate legalisation

The Portuguese presentation requirements should be confirmed before submission.

Marriage certificate legalisation

A UK marriage certificate can follow a similar process:

UK Marriage Certificate → FCDO Apostille → Portuguese translation → appropriate notarisation → Angola Consulate legalisation

The receiving authority in Angola may also request passport copies or other civil-status evidence.

Legalisation does not replace those substantive requirements.

Power of Attorney legalisation for Angola

Powers of Attorney require careful preparation.

A typical route can involve:

Power of Attorney → notarisation → Portuguese version → FCDO Apostille → Angola Consulate legalisation

The Angolan lawyer or receiving authority should approve the text before signature.

Important details can include:

• Full details of the principal
• Details of the attorney
• Property or transaction information
• Scope of authority
• Duration
• Substitution powers
• Company authority where relevant

Changing the document after notarisation usually requires the legalisation process to begin again.

Company Power of Attorney

A commercial POA can attract the corporate entity tariff.

The current Consulate fee for a company or agency is:

£200 normal

or:

£365 urgent.

The signatory’s corporate authority should be established before notarisation.

A director’s passport and UK company evidence should be prepared with the application.

Certificate of Incorporation

The Consulate’s current official legalisation instructions specifically identify the Certificate of Incorporation as a company identification document.

For a commercial application, the Certificate may need to accompany the main document even where the Certificate itself is not the instrument being legalised.

Current specialist practice also commonly requests the company’s Memorandum and Articles.

Memorandum and Articles of Association

Corporate constitutional documents may be required to support:

• Director authority
• Corporate capacity
• Commercial appointment
• Power of Attorney
• Investment transaction
• Company registration in Angola

Where these documents form part of the substantive submission, Portuguese translation may be required.

For foreign-company matters, confirm the translation and country-of-origin authentication requirements before proceeding.

Are document bundles accepted?

Do not assume that unrelated documents can simply be bundled together under one notarial certificate.

Current specialist Angola guidance reports that multi-document bundling is restrictive and recommends preparing each substantive document as a compliant legalisation package.

For several documents, send the entire set for review before ordering Apostilles.

This is particularly important where documents belong to different people or serve different legal purposes.

Current FCDO Apostille fees

The FCDO currently charges:

Service	Fee per document
Standard paper Apostille	£45
Next-Day paper Apostille for registered businesses	£40
e-Apostille	£35
Restricted Urgent paper Apostille	£100

The Standard paper service also attracts return courier or postage costs.

Current FCDO processing times

The current UK Legalisation Office processing periods are:

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

Verification of an unfamiliar signature can extend any of these periods.

Paper Apostille or e-Apostille for Angola?

A paper Apostille is generally the safer option for the Angolan Consular route.

The current Consulate procedure is built around originals, photocopies, notarised translations and physical submission.

An e-Apostille should therefore only be selected where the Consulate and final Angolan recipient have confirmed that the electronic format will be accepted.

The FCDO itself recommends checking the recipient’s preferred Apostille format before applying.

Angola Consulate payment methods

The current Consulate General accepts:

Card payment

Cards accepted at the Consulate include:

• Visa
• Visa Debit
• Visa Electron
• MasterCard
• Maestro
• Discover
• Diners Club International

Bank transfer

Payment can also be made by bank transfer.

The Consulate requires proof of payment to accompany the application.

Payments are non-refundable.

Current submission address

The Consulate now distinguishes between its public counter and its postal correspondence address.

In-person counter

Consulate General of the Republic of Angola
21 Bedford Avenue
London WC1B 3AS

The current official Consulate website identifies this as the public service counter.

Postal applications

Postal applications should be addressed to:

Consulate General of Angola
Registry and Notary Department
46 Bedford Square
London WC1B 3DP

The older practice of describing 46 Bedford Square as the only attendance address should therefore be updated.

Current submission and collection hours

The Consulate’s current live service page lists:

Submission: 09:45 am – 12:15 pm
Collection: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

and its main site operates Monday to Friday.

The downloadable official legalisation instruction currently gives the same hours but specifies Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Because the Consulate’s own current sources are not completely consistent on the available days, applicants should book or confirm the attendance day before travelling.

Appointment system

The Consulate’s current website operates an online appointment system for in-person services.

An appointment should therefore be arranged where required rather than assuming that counter hours guarantee walk-in acceptance.

The legalisation category should be selected when booking.

Postal applications

Legalisation applications can also be submitted by post.

The current official instructions allow postal applications to be sent to the Registry and Notary Department at 46 Bedford Square.

Where the documents are to be returned by post, the applicant should provide a:

Prepaid and self-addressed Royal Mail Special Delivery envelope.

The Consulate will not complete third-party courier forms on the applicant’s behalf.

Requesting additional documents

The Consulate General expressly reserves the right to:

• Request additional documents
• Ask for further supporting evidence
• Invite the applicant for an interview

where necessary.

Corporate and foreign-company matters are particularly likely to require extra evidence.

A preliminary document review can therefore save time.

Common reasons Angola legalisation is delayed

Applications can be delayed where:

• The FCDO Apostille is missing
• The wrong signature has been Apostilled
• Portuguese translation is incomplete
• Translation has not been properly notarised
• The notarial certificate is structured incorrectly
• Portuguese and English texts do not correspond
• The company Certificate of Incorporation is missing
• Director identification is unavailable
• Signing authority has not been established
• A foreign company’s jurisdiction has not been addressed
• The applicant request letter is missing
• A photocopy has not been supplied
• The wrong Consular fee has been paid
• The old Bedford Square counter arrangements are followed
• Attendance is attempted on a day not accepted for the service

Reviewing the complete document set before Apostille can prevent repeat costs.

Frequently asked questions

Does a UK document need an FCDO Apostille for Angola?

Usually, yes.

The Consulate’s current official legalisation instructions require UK documents to complete the appropriate UK authentication before Angolan Consular legalisation.

Is an Apostille enough for Angola?

Normally, no.

Angola does not currently appear in the HCCH Apostille Convention status table.

Further Consular legalisation is therefore generally required.

Do documents need to be translated into Portuguese?

Yes.

The Consulate’s current instructions require documents or authenticated copies to be translated into Portuguese by an official translator and appropriately notarised and authenticated.

Should Portuguese or English appear first?

Current specialist Angola legalisation guidance generally places the Portuguese version first, followed by the English documentation.

How much is Angola Consulate legalisation for an individual?

For an Angolan national:

£25 normal / £50 urgent

For a British or other foreign individual:

£40 normal / £80 urgent.

How much is Angola Consulate legalisation for a company?

The current official corporate tariff is:

£200 normal

or:

£365 urgent.

How long does Angola Consulate legalisation take?

The current official tariff lists:

Normal: 10 days

Urgent: 3 days.

Does the £200 fee apply to private documents?

No.

The current official fee table reserves £200 normal / £365 urgent for corporate entities.

Foreign individuals are currently £40 / £80, while Angolan nationals are £25 / £50.

Do I need a photocopy?

Yes.

The Consulate requires originals to be accompanied by one copy of each document.

Do companies need a Certificate of Incorporation?

Yes.

The current Consulate instructions specifically identify the Certificate of Incorporation as company identification evidence.

Can a foreign company’s document be legalised in London?

Possibly, but it requires individual assessment.

The company’s country of incorporation and prior authentication of its corporate records can affect whether the London Consulate will accept the document.

What payment methods are accepted?

The Consulate currently accepts:

Card payment or bank transfer.

Where do I attend in person?

The current public counter is at:

21 Bedford Avenue, London WC1B 3AS.

Where do I send documents by post?

Postal legalisation applications go to:

Registry and Notary Department, Consulate General of Angola, 46 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP.

What are the submission hours?

Current official sources agree on:

9:45 am – 12:15 pm for submissions.

They differ on whether legalisation attendance operates Monday–Friday or only Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so the appointment should be confirmed before travelling.

Can documents be returned by post?

Yes.

Include a prepaid, addressed Royal Mail Special Delivery envelope.

Can you legalise a UK degree for Angola?

Yes.

The degree should first be assessed for the correct certification, Portuguese translation, Apostille and Consular structure.

Can you legalise an ACRO Police Certificate?

Yes.

A paper FCDO Apostille will normally be required, followed by the appropriate Portuguese translation preparation and Angola Consulate legalisation.

Can you legalise a commercial Power of Attorney?

Yes.

The company should provide evidence of its incorporation and the signatory’s authority. The document should also be prepared in the appropriate Portuguese format before legalisation.

Can you provide Angola Consulate legalisation only?

Yes.

Where the document already carries a compliant FCDO Apostille and has been correctly translated and notarised, we can assess it for the remaining Consular stage.

Arrange Angola Consulate 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. Portuguese translation, if already prepared
4. Applicant’s nationality
5. Intended use in Angola
6. Details of the receiving authority or organisation
7. Required completion date

For a company document, also provide:

• Company name
• Company number
• Country of incorporation
• Certificate of Incorporation
• Signatory’s name and position
• Passport copy
• Registered office address
• Contact telephone number
• Email address
• Memorandum and Articles where relevant

We can then identify the correct route:

Certification/notarisation → Portuguese translation → FCDO Apostille → Angola Consulate General legalisation

and determine whether the application falls under the individual or corporate Consular fee category.

Angola Consulate General requirements, fees, processing periods, appointment days and translation procedures can change without notice. The Consulate’s current live page and downloadable instruction show slightly different attendance days, so the appointment should be reconfirmed before travelling. Final acceptance remains subject to the Consulate General and the receiving authority in Angola.