Updated: Updated the notarial and documentary services guide for Argentina. The British Embassy Buenos Aires will no longer prepare or sign declarations of existence.
Overview
The British consulate in Argentina issues a range of legal documents for British nationals. An appointment must be made for each service.
If there is no specific formal requirement for a notarial service or certificate to be provided by the British consulate, local notaries or lawyers can sometimes provide these services more conveniently, quickly and cheaply. Check with the relevant authority (eg town hall, registry office, /ax authorities, foreigners office etc) either in the UK, Argentina or a third country, that our consular certificate or service will be accepted.
Your local British consulate cannot confirm this information, only the relevant authority can provide this confirmation. You can get examples of the wording of the consular certificates to present to the relevant authority for advice. Email the British consulate to request an example.
Refunds of consular fees are not given for certificates or notarial services that are not accepted by the requesting authority. Fees for consular certificates and documents are paid at the consulate on the day of the appointment and can be paid by credit card, UK debit card or in cash.
Guía de servicios notariales en Argentina
Notarial and documentary services guide for Argentina in Spanish
[PDF, 86.6KB, 3 pages]
The services we provide in Argentina
legalising a signature or seal
preparing a certificate in English
preparing a certificate in Spanish
administering an oath/affirmation
witnessing a signature
making or verifying a copy of a document
certifying a copy of a British passport
uniting documents
Please also see our additional information on marriage
If you cannot find what you are looking for you can contact the British consulate.
Book an appointment for a notarial act or certificate
On the day of your appointment you must provide proof of identity with a photograph and signature (this can be your passport or ID) together with proof of your current address (this can be a utility bill with your name and address on it for example). For information about fees involved please click here.
Follow the step-by-step instructions below to use the British Consulate’s online booking appointment system:
Click British Consulate’s online booking appointment system
Select the service you require.
Select a date from the calendar (available days are shaded in green) or click on “next available” and then select a time.
To register as a new user, enter your details (name, email address and telephone number) on “New Customer Registration Form”. You only need to register once. For future appointments use “Customer sign-in” and enter your email address and the password you used when registering for the first time.
Once your appointment has been booked, a confirmation email will be sent to your email address with an event calendar attachment to save the date on your outlook calendar or on your mobile phone (the latter will apply if you open the booking confirmation email on your mobile).
Should you need to cancel your appointment, you can sign in and follow the link ‘cancel appointment’.
The telephone number for the British consulates in Argentina is (011) 4808 2200 (from Argentina) or (+54) 11 4808 2200 (outside Argentina).
Legalising a signature or seal
Some Commonwealth countries require that Argentine documents are legalised by the British Embassy before they can be presented to them. We can only legalise Argentine documents once they have been legalised by the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Preparing a certificate in English or Spanish
We are able to issue Standard and Non-standard certificates which might be requested from you by local authorities. These can only be issued through submission of appropriate supporting documentation and after agreement by London. They can be issued in English or in Spanish. Please contact the British consulate to find out whether we can issue the certificate you are looking for and to find out about waiting times.
Administering oaths, declarations or affirmations
We are able to administer oaths, declarations or affirmations as long as you bring your document already prepared. We are only able to accept documents which have been prepared using certain templates. Email the British consulate to request these. We are unable to draft documents for you. Documents which are longer than one page must be printed on both sides of the paper leaving no blank sheets in between. We will be unable to provide the service if all the above hasn’t been complied with.
Please be sure not to sign the document before coming to see us, as you will be requested to sign in front of a Consular Officer.
Witnessing a signature
We are able to witness your signature on a document presented by you.
Please be sure not to sign the document before coming to see us, as you will be requested to sign in front of a Consular Officer.
Making or Verifying copies of documents
We are able to certify photocopies of the following documents:
British Passports
British (ie issued in the UK) educational documents
Home Office Registration certificates
British driving licences
British divorce decrees
utility bills (cannot be downloaded from the internet)
We cannot certify photocopies of:
foreign IDs and passports
marriage, birth and death certificates (these should be applied for through the GRO)
foreign driving licences
foreign documents including educational, notarial etc.
Uniting documents
Please note we will charge a Uniting Documents Fee if the document to be photocopied consists of more than one page and the pages have to be united.
Data protection
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office holds and uses data for purposes notified to the Information Commissioner under the Data Protection Act 1998 (which may be viewed at ICO.GOV.UK). Such personal data may be disclosed to other UK government departments and public authorities.