Apostille :
What is Apostille?
Apostilles can only be used when public documents are transferred between countries that are members of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Almost around 124 countries have this service. Embassy attestation needs each embassy attestation where ever you travel. It seems to be difficult to attest from all country which you travel. So based on these consequences, the convention decided for apostille. This established in 1965. From 2005 onwards, India also a part of it.
Apostille is acceptable in all member-countries of the Convention (For more info please visit the website: http://www.hcch.net
As India is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, 1961, no further attestation or legalization of a document apostilled by a member country, should be required for using such apostilled document in India. An apostilled document should, therefore, be treated as legalized document for all purposes in India by all concerned, in accordance with the international obligation under the Convention.
Listed countries are on this link click: https://www.hcch.net/en/states/hcch-members
Attestation Section/Apostille Cell-India:
Ministry of External Affairs, Jawahar Lal Nehru Bhawan, Janapath Marg, New Delhi-110011.011-23088403 (Attestation)
011-23088404 (Apostille)
For more details you can check his website: https://www.mea.gov.in/apostille-menu.htm
An apostille must be issued by the country where the document originated. The apostille makes it easier for foreign countries to recognize documents. An apostille eliminates the need for further authentication of a document by embassies or consulates.
An apostilled document should, therefore, be treated as legalized document for all purposes in India by all concerned, in accordance with the international obligation under the Convention.
Each country decides which authorities are eligible to issue apostilles. The specific offices or authorities that can issue an apostille will vary by country.
- Government Offices:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Justice
- Department of State
- Secretary of State
- Courts or Judicial Authorities: In some countries, courts or judicial authorities have the authority to issue apostilles, especially documents related to legal or judicial matters.
The candidates those who are going for student visa, employment visa, and all need to do apostille.
List of the details found in an Apostille stamp:
- 1. Country Name: The name of the country that issued the Apostille.
- 2. Authority Name: The authority that issued the Apostille (usually the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a designated agency).
- 3. Reference number A unique identification number for the Apostille.
- 4. Seal or stamp of the authority issuing the Apostille.
- 5. Signature of the authority issuing the Apostille.
- 6. Date of issuance of the Apostille.
- 7. Convention Text: The standardized wording “Apostille (Convention of 5 October 1961)”, confirming the document’s status under the Hague Convention.
- 8. Signatory’s Title: The official title or position of the person who signed the Apostille (e.g., Secretary of State, Undersecretary, etc.).
MEA Apostille Attestation Procedure In India
- 1. Visit e-Sanad, introduced by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, is an electronic service for verifying and attesting Indian citizens’ documents. It can also be utilized by foreigners who obtained educational certificates or other official documents from issuing authorities within India.
- 2. As part of the application process, candidates must upload their documents along with the standard fee set by the organization providing the e-services.
- 3. A digital verification process is then conducted by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) and the General Administration Department (GAD) of the Government of India (GOI).
- 4. It will then be verified by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
- 5. In the final step, attested documents with Apostilles are sent to the applicant
Be aware: It is important to keep in mind that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is not accepting documents directly from applicants/individuals.
All documents for Attestation/Apostille by MEA must be submitted to and collected from apostille agencies. You can find more details on the official MEA, GOI website.
Personal Document Apostille
Personal document apostille is the legalization of documents that contain personal information. Apostille services provide apostille documents for the following personal documents:
- 1. Birth Certificate
- 2. Marriage Certificate
- 3. Divorce Certificate
- 4. Death Certificate
- 5. Adoption Deed
- 6. Medical Certificate
- 7. Police Clearance Certificate(PCC)
- 8. Experience Certificate
- 9. Migration Certificate
- 10. Passport Copies etc.
The personal document apostille process consists of the following steps
- 1. Notary Attestation
- 2. Home Department Attestation or SDM Attestation
- 3. Apostille from MEA
Educational Certificate Apostille
The most common educational documents of:
- 1. Degree Certificate
- 2. SSC Certificate
- 3. Transfer Certificate
- 4. Transcript Certificate
- 5. Mark Sheet
- 6. School Leaving Certificate
- 7. Engineering Certificate
- 8. Diploma Certificate
- 9. Nursing Certificate etc.
Depending on the origin or type of the document, the procedure for the attestation of educational certificates will vary. Following are given the different procedures that are specific to the place of issuance of the document and its kind.
Depending on the origin or type of the document, the procedure for the attestation of educational certificates will vary. Following are given the different procedures that are specific to the place of issuance of the document and its kind.
Commercial Document Apostille
Commercial documents provide proof of the business’s financial and legal structure. When expanding your business internationally, having a commercial document apostille may be required to verify these documents in other countries. To streamline the process, consider using apostille services that specialize in obtaining attestations. These apostille documents include documents like
- 1. Memorandum Of Association
- 2. Power Of Attorney
- 3. Authority Letter
- 4. Board Resolution
- 5. Article Of Association
- 6. Certificate Of Incorporation
- 7. Commercial Invoice
- 8. Bill Of Lading
- 9. Insurance Certificate
- 10. Invoice Bills etc.
The commercial document apostille process includes the following steps:
- 1. Chamber of Commerce Attestation
- 2. Apostille from MEA
Steps involved in Document Apostille Process:
- Notary Attestation :
The first step in the authentication of the educational documents attestation and personal document attestation is getting a Notary attestation. It is done at the regional level by a lawyer or at the collector’s office. (If you are living in any other state of India and your documents are from another state then your personal document attestation will come Delhi Notary or else local notary from the advocate). In case of confusion, any reputable apostille services can guide you. - Home Department Attestation:
Home Department, a state-level organization, provides home department attestation (for personal documents like birth certificates and marriage certificates). The Home Department is also known as Mantralaya in some states, so it’s also called Mantralaya Attestation. - HRD Attestation:
HRD Attestation is the certificate verification done by the Human Resource Department of the state. Education documents of all kinds are attested by the HRD.- Degree/PG Certificate, BE/B.Tech Certificate, Diploma Certificate, Nursing Certificate
- SSC Certificate, HSC Certificate, Inter Certificate
- MBBS Certificate, Pharmacy Certificate……etc
- SDM Attestation:
SDM or Sub-Divisional Magistrate Attestation is an attestation done by the Sub – Sub-Divisional Magistrate. SDM attestation is done as an alternative to Home Department Attestation ( HRD Attestation). - Chamber of Commerce Attestation:
Chamber of Commerce attestation is a process where the local Chamber of Commerce verifies and certifies certain documents or certificates. This is often required for international business transactions, especially for exporting goods to foreign countries. - The Chamber of Commerce attestation is the process of receiving the authentication results from the government, and it is called the Chamber of Commerce. After the successful verification and authentication of all the documents, the customers are given a stamp over the documents so that other Institutions can use them for various purposes.
- Stamping is done basically on the backside of the documents. Whenever you need to make any Overseas business transactions, you can use the authenticated documents already verified by the Chamber of Commerce award.
- When businesses need to trade with parties in another country, they require a Chamber of Commerce Attestation. This is to initiate business in foreign countries and provide assurance to foreign governments, customs officials, and other parties involved in international trade that the documents are genuine and accurate.
- MEA Attestation:
The MEA or Ministry of External Affairs of the central government manages foreign affairs. It offers MEA attestation as a sticker and MEA stamp as per the requirement. It is the final step of legalization when both the home country and destination country are members of the Hague Convention. Apostille services help you get MEA attestation in India.
For further information or assistance for Apostille attestation services, please feel free to reach out to Nursing Manthra via WhatsApp (+971 502 515 717) or click the link below: https://wa.me/971502515717
