There are times when you need a solicitor to certify a document, witness a signature, prepare a statutory declaration or verify your identity. Getting this done quickly and correctly matters, particularly when you are working to a deadline or need documents for use abroad.
Roche Legal provides a full range of legal document services for individuals and businesses. Whether you need a single certified copy or a more complex statutory declaration, our team handles everything with care and precision so your documents meet all legal, regulatory and international requirements.
About Document Services
Legal document services cover a range of tasks that require the involvement of a qualified solicitor. These include certifying copies of official documents, witnessing signatures on legal paperwork, preparing and validating statutory declarations and affidavits, verifying identity for official purposes and legalising documents for use overseas.
Many organisations, government bodies, courts and foreign authorities require documents to be handled by a solicitor to confirm their authenticity. Without proper certification or validation, documents may be rejected, causing delays and additional cost.
Our legal documents lawyer team is experienced in handling these requirements efficiently and can advise you on exactly what is needed for your particular situation.
We offer a full range of legal document services. Each service is charged at a fixed fee, with payment required before work begins. If your matter is urgent, let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your timescale.
Contact UsWe provide certified copies of official documents including passports and driving licences, birth, death and marriage certificates, bank statements and utility bills, academic certificates and qualifications and other official letters and documents.
A certified copy confirms that the document is a true copy of the original. This is commonly required by banks, mortgage lenders, government departments, employers and overseas authorities. Our solicitors check the original, certify the copy and return both to you.
We provide identity verification services where a third party requires independent confirmation of your identity by a solicitor. This is often needed for property transactions, financial applications and regulatory requirements. We carry out ID verification in accordance with current legal and regulatory standards.
We can also complete Land Registry ID1 and ID5 forms. An ID1 form is used for in-person identity verification and an ID5 form is used for remote verification. These are often required for property transactions without a solicitor, transfers of property or land, discharge of a mortgage or changes to personal details held by the Land Registry.
A statutory declaration is a formal written statement of fact that is signed in the presence of a solicitor. It is used in a wide range of situations including name changes, confirming identity or nationality or marital status, accessing funds without probate and supporting applications to government bodies or courts.
A statutory declaration solicitor will witness your signature and confirm that the declaration has been made properly. It is a criminal offence to make a false statutory declaration, and penalties can include imprisonment and unlimited fines.
If you need a statutory declaration prepared as well as witnessed, we can do this for you. Please note that in most cases, the solicitor who prepares a statutory declaration cannot also be the one who validates it. We can advise you on the correct process.
An affidavit is a sworn written statement used as evidence in legal proceedings or for other official purposes. Like a statutory declaration, it must be made in the presence of a solicitor. Our affidavit solicitor service covers preparation and witnessing of affidavits for court proceedings, property matters, immigration and other official requirements.
We also prepare and witness affidavits of parental consent to travel, which some countries require when a child is travelling without both parents or when a parent and child have different surnames. If you are unsure whether this applies to your journey, the consulate or embassy of the country you are travelling to can advise.
Certain legal documents require a solicitor to witness the signature of the person signing. This applies to deeds, statutory declarations, affidavits, Powers of Attorney and other legal instruments. Witnessing a signature confirms that the person signed the document willingly and in the presence of the solicitor.
We offer both in-person and, where legally permitted, remote witnessing appointments.
If you need to use official UK documents abroad, they may require an Apostille certificate from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). An Apostille confirms that the document is genuine and has been properly signed or certified, so it will be accepted by authorities in countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention. Only documents issued in the UK can be legalised by the FCDO. Documents issued in another country need to be legalised in the country where they were issued. We can guide you through the standard Apostille application process and advise on whether an e-Apostille is accepted by the organisation you are dealing with.
If you are acting as an attorney under a Lasting Power of Attorney, you may need certified copies to provide to banks, local authorities, hospital trusts and other organisations as proof of your authority to act. We prepare and certify these quickly and correctly.
A deed of name change is a legal document that formally records your intention to change any part of your name, whether that is your first name, middle names or surname. We prepare the deed, witness it and provide you with a legally valid document. It is possible to enrol your deed at the Royal Courts of Justice, but this is not a legal requirement.
If you use any of our document services, you must provide correct information and valid identification. This is both a legal requirement and necessary for us to carry out the service properly.
Making a false statement in a statutory declaration or affidavit, or providing dishonest information with the intention of making a gain for yourself or another person, may constitute fraud under section 1 of the Fraud Act 2006. The maximum penalty is 10 years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both.
Please review our ID requirements before your appointment.
Roche Legal Support
If you have been asked to provide a certified copy, a statutory declaration, an affidavit or proof of identity by a bank, government body, court, employer or foreign authority, you will need a qualified solicitor to handle this for you.
Without proper certification or validation:
We aim to turn these requests around as quickly as possible. Many services can be completed in a single appointment.
Why Choose Us
SRA-regulated solicitors
All of our document services are carried out by solicitors regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. This gives you confidence that your documents will be handled to the required legal standard and accepted by the organisations that need them.
Fast, efficient turnaround
We understand that document requests are often time-sensitive. We aim to complete work quickly and will let you know the expected timescale when you get in touch. If your matter is urgent, we can prioritise it.
Clear, fixed fees
Each document service is charged at a fixed fee, so you know the cost before work begins. There are no hidden charges or unexpected extras.
Connected to wider legal support
Roche Legal is a specialist private client firm. If your document request connects to a broader legal need, such as Wills, probate, Powers of Attorney or estate planning, our team can help with that too.
Your Questions Asked
It depends on the service. Some legal document services, such as witnessing signatures and certain ID verifications, require you to attend in person. Others can be handled remotely. We will let you know what is needed when you get in touch.
We charge a fixed fee for each service. The fee depends on the type of document and the work involved. We confirm the cost before any work begins, so there are no surprises.
Timescales vary depending on the service. Many requests can be completed in a single appointment. Where documents need to be sent to other official bodies, such as the FCDO for an Apostille, the process may take longer. We provide a clear timescale when you enquire.
A statutory declaration is a formal written statement of fact made in the presence of a solicitor. It is used for a wide range of purposes, from name changes to confirming identity. An affidavit is a sworn statement that carries the same weight but is typically used in the context of court proceedings or formal legal applications. Both must be made in the presence of a qualified solicitor.
In most cases, the solicitor who prepares a statutory declaration or affidavit cannot also be the one who witnesses and validates it. If you need a document both prepared and witnessed, we can advise on the correct process and, where necessary, arrange for a colleague to handle the witnessing.
If you need a legal document service that we have not mentioned, please get in touch. If we are able to help, we will. If not, we may be able to suggest another professional who can assist.
We require valid identification before we can certify documents, witness signatures or carry out ID verification. Full details of what we accept are available on our preparing for your appointment page.
Yes. We can certify copies of documents and, where needed, guide you through the Apostille process for documents that need to be legalised for use overseas. If your document requires the involvement of a notary public rather than a solicitor, we will let you know.
Resources
Explore our guides on Wills, Probate, Power of Attorney, Trusts, and Tax Planning.
See the previous cases we have helped clients with and our approach.
Discover how legal changes could impact you. Explore our blog for the latest insights and updates.
