About the Author
Kwok is a practising solicitor based in London, admitted in England & Wales and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. He is registered with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Kwok has worked as legal counsel and in-house solicitor across leading firms and corporations. He personally oversees every apostille and legalisation case at Ginkgo Advisory, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and end-to-end quality control.
Kwok Lam
Legal Consultant of Ginkgo Advisory
Before you contact GRO about an online ordering issue
If you experience a problem when setting up a GRO online account or making an online order, the General Register Office (GRO) provides troubleshooting guidance for common online ordering issues.
The GRO online ordering troubleshooting guide covers issues such as forgotten passwords, login problems, missing emails, payment problems, checkout errors and system error messages. It also advises users to check spam or junk folders and to add GRO email addresses to trusted contacts where necessary.
If you need a GRO certificate for overseas use, timing matters. Online ordering problems can delay the certificate, and this may also delay the next steps, such as UK FCDO apostille, embassy legalisation or international courier delivery.
Common GRO online ordering problems
When using the GRO online service, you may experience issues such as:
- forgotten password
- email address or password not recognised
- difficulty receiving emails from GRO
- checkout page returning to the order summary
- inability to return to the site after payment
- invalid card details message
- exception report error message
The GRO guide explains that users should check password spelling carefully, including possible confusion between zeros and letter O, or ones and letter I. It also notes that passwords are case sensitive and that browser cookies should be enabled.
Payment and checkout issues
If you receive a payment confirmation email, your order should have been completed and will be processed.
If your card details are shown as invalid and your order is still in the basket, you may need to try payment again and check that your credit or debit card details were entered correctly.
The GRO guide advises that you should avoid using the browser back button if you see an exception report error message. In many cases, the issue may clear quickly, although the basket may be locked for a short period. If the error continues after half an hour, you can send GRO the details so they can investigate.
Understanding the GRO index reference
A GRO index reference helps identify a birth, marriage or death record in the GRO system.
It usually shows the year, quarter and district where the event was registered. For example, a GRO index reference may look like: March 1954 2a 222.
The GRO index reference is not printed on copies of the certificate. It should not be confused with a certificate serial number or an application number.
If you provide the correct GRO index reference when ordering, it can make the application smoother and may avoid extra search fees or longer processing times.
Where can you find a GRO index reference?
You can search some GRO indexes online for free.
The available GRO online indexes include:
- birth records from 1837 to 1934
- birth records from 1984 up to two years ago
- death records from 1837 to 1957
- death records from 1984 up to two years ago
The GRO is working on a rolling programme to add more indexes online. New indexes are usually announced through the GRO website when they become available.
You can also view GRO birth, death and marriage indexes through other websites, such as FreeBMD, where records are available free of charge up to 1983.
What information do you need to search the GRO online indexes?
To search the GRO online indexes, you normally need to enter key details such as:
- event type
- year of registration
- surname
- sex
You may also use extra details to narrow the search, such as forename, mother’s maiden name or district of birth. The GRO online indexes return search results in a table format.
If you cannot find the record immediately, you may need to check alternative spellings, widen the search years or review the details carefully.
What if you cannot find the GRO index reference?
You can still order a GRO certificate even if you do not have the GRO index reference.
However, the order may take longer, and GRO may charge an administration fee because it needs to search for the record manually. The GRO online index guide states that where a GRO index reference is not provided, an administration charge of £3.50 may apply for each different application.
This is why it is usually better to search for the index reference first if possible.
Why the GRO online indexes matter for overseas use
If you need a GRO certificate for overseas use, the index reference can help you order the correct certificate faster.
This may be important if the certificate is needed for:
- visa applications
- overseas marriage
- family registration abroad
- citizenship or nationality applications
- probate or inheritance matters
- immigration files
- overseas school or university admission
- overseas government procedures
In many cases, ordering the GRO certificate is only the first step. After the certificate is issued, you may still need a UK FCDO apostille. Some countries may also require embassy legalisation, consular legalisation or official attestation after the apostille.
How Ginkgo Advisory can help
Ginkgo Advisory can assist if you need a GRO certificate for overseas use and want the process handled clearly.
We can help you:
- identify the correct GRO certificate
- check whether a GRO index reference may be needed
- assist with GRO certificate ordering where required
- check whether the certificate is suitable for overseas use
- arrange the UK FCDO apostille
- offer a 2 working day UK apostille service where available
- arrange embassy legalisation, consular legalisation or attestation if required
- return the completed document by tracked courier in the UK or overseas
If you are unsure which certificate to order, or whether the document will need an apostille after issue, we can help you check the route before you proceed.
Simple process
Step 1: Send us the details
Tell us which GRO certificate you need, or send us a scan if you already have the certificate.
Step 2: We check the GRO route
We review whether the document can be ordered online, whether a GRO index reference may be useful, and whether the certificate is suitable for overseas use.
Step 3: We order or receive the certificate
If required, we assist with ordering the official GRO certificate. If you already have the certificate, we can move to the next stage.
Step 4: We arrange the FCDO apostille
Once the certificate is ready, we arrange the UK apostille. A 2 working day apostille option may be available.
Step 5: We arrange further legalisation if needed
If the destination country requires embassy legalisation, consular legalisation or attestation, we arrange the next step.
Step 6: We courier the completed document
We send the completed document to you by tracked courier in the UK or overseas.
Need help with a GRO certificate, index reference or apostille?
If you need a GRO birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate or adoption certificate for overseas use, Ginkgo Advisory can help with the full document route.
We assist with GRO certificate ordering, FCDO apostille, embassy legalisation and international courier delivery.
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