LEGALISING YOUR TEFL CERTIFICATE
Do I Need to Get My TEFL Certificate Authenticated/Legalised to teach abroad?
If you are planning to teach abroad — or are already overseas — whether you need to authenticate or legalise your TEFL certificate (and other documents like your bachelor’s degree or police report) depends on the country you plan to teach in and the requirements of your employer or visa authority.
Legalising your TEFL certificate gives foreign authorities official proof that your qualification is genuine. Without legalisation (or apostille), some countries may not accept the document for work or visa purposes.
That said, many countries — especially some in Asia, Europe, and Latin America — do not always require formal authentication of a TEFL certificate. In such cases, employers sometimes accept a digital or hard-copy certificate as is.
Still, we recommend checking with your prospective employer or visa sponsor to confirm whether an apostille/legalisation is required. The process can be costly and time-consuming, so it’s better to know in advance
How does the process work?
As we are a UK-registered company, your TEFL certificate must be authenticated/legalised in the UK—even if you are living overseas. UK authorities must verify the document before it can be accepted internationally.
We refer all our teachers to Hague Apostille – https://www.hagueapostille.co.uk/ for document legalisation, and specifically for China we recommend China Visa Direct – https://www.chinesevisadirect.co.uk/. These trusted companies offer the easiest and safest way to have your TEFL certificate processed without any hassle
Why Use a professional agency?
They manage the entire process:
- Notary certification
- Apostille
- Embassy legalisation
- All paperwork and submissions
- They ship worldwide — ideal if you’re currently abroad
- They reduce the risk of mistakes that can delay visas, especially for China
CHINA
China has one of the strictest document authentication systems
Step 1 — Order the Apostille Service
Visit the company’s website and place your order. After payment, you will receive an order number. A physical copy of your TEFL certificate is required.
Step 2 — Request a Hard Copy of Your Certificate
Order your printed certificate through your TEFL course portal. When completing the form, include the order number from Hague Apostille or China Visa Direct next to their name in the first line of the address field
Step 3 — Handled by Hague Apostille or Chinese Visa Direct:
- Solicitor/Lawyer/Notary Certification
A UK solicitor/lawyer or notary verifies your TEFL certificate as genuine and issues a signed declaration.
- FCDO Apostille
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office confirms the solicitor’s or notary’s signature and validates the document.
Processing can take up to 21 days, so start early once you’ve been offered a teaching position. Approximate cost: £78 / $105 + shipping.
VIETNAM
Using a UK Apostille Company
Step 1 — Order the Apostille Service
Visit the company’s website and place your order. After payment, you will receive an order number. A physical TEFL certificate is required.
Step 2 — Request a Hard Copy of Your Certificate
Order your printed certificate via your TEFL course portal. When completing the form, include the order number from Hague Apostille or China Visa Direct next to their name in the first line of the address field.
Step 3 — Handled by Hague Apostille
- Solicitor/Lawyer/Notary Certification
A UK solicitor/lawyer or notary verifies your TEFL certificate as genuine and issues a signed declaration.
- FCDO Apostille
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office confirms the solicitor’s or notary’s signature and validates the document.
- Vietnamese Embassy Legalisation (London)
The embassy stamps the apostilled document, making it valid overseas.
Once complete, the agency will mail your fully legalised certificate.
Processing can take up to 21 days so start early once you’ve been offered a teaching position. Approximate cost: £189 / $250 + shipping
Should you have any questions, please contact:
Hague Apostille at info@hagueapostille.co.uk
China Visa Direct at info@chinesevisadirect.co.