๐ FCDO Christmas & New Year Apostille Opening Times 2025: What You Need to Know
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has released its official Christmas and New Year 2025 opening schedule for the Apostille Next-Day and Apostille Same-Day counters. If you need documents legalised for visas, international work, overseas property, export documentation, or academic enrolment, it’s crucial to plan around these reduced hours.
Every year, December becomes the busiest period for the agents helping their customers with apostille requests — and this year’s restricted hours create a much tighter processing window than usual. Customers will need to act well before 16 December to avoid missing cut-off dates or facing delays due to holiday backlogs.
Below is a clear breakdown of the opening hours for the Apostille Agents submissions to FCDO.
🎅 Next-Day Service — Holiday Schedule 2025
Days with Reduced Hours (Collections Only — No Submissions):
- 17 December – 11:15am – 12:00pm
- 24 December – 11:15am – 12:00pm
- 31 December – 11:15am – 12:00pm
On these dates, the counter will not accept new submissions. It will be open for collections only.
Full Closures:
- 25 December
- 26 December
- 1 January 2026
Business as Usual:
- 29 December
- 30 December
- 2 January
🕒 Same-Day Service — Holiday Schedule 2025
Reduced Hours (Drop-Off & Collection):
- 17 December – 11:00am – 11:15am
- 24 December – 11:00am – 11:15am
- 31 December – 11:00am – 11:15am
Full Closures:
- 25 December
- 26 December
- 1 January 2026
Business as Usual:
- 29 December
- 30 December
- 2 January
“We’re already preparing for the seasonal surge in document Apostille requests. Our team can help applicants understand the fastest route for their documents, especially during the restricted holiday timetable announced by the FCDO.”
— Dominic Chia, Operations Manager at 2e Apostille Services
💡 How to Prepare
Here are some quick tips to stay ahead:
✔️ 1. Submit documents early (ideally by 10–13 December)
This avoids the risk of missing cut-off days.
✔️ 2. Avoid relying on 17, 24, or 31 December
No submissions will be accepted.
✔️ 3. Plan around postal delays
December is already slow for couriers.
✔️ 4. Use a professional apostille service if you’re short on time
A specialist service can help you navigate the reduced timetable and advise the fastest route for your situation.
✔️ 5. For urgent cases, ask about Same-Day options
Same-Day Service is still running — just with shorter hours.
📝 Need Help?
The team at 2e Apostille Services is already preparing for increased demand over the festive period. If you have tight deadlines or are unsure whether you can meet the cut-off dates, we’re here to help.