How can I apostille my document from India?

An apostille is a type of attestation in which the legalisation of documents is accomplished in a certain format that is recognised by all parties to the Hague Convention. Apostille is essentially an international attestation that is accepted in 92 nations, and it is recognised throughout the majority of the western world.

The authentication of official documents used abroad is made incredibly straightforward and easy by an apostille. 

India, since 2005, is a member of the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961, which abolished the requirement for the legalization of foreign public documents. All of the Convention's member nations accept apostille.

Personal documents like birth, death, and marriage certificates, affidavits, powers of attorney, etc., and educational documents such as degrees, diplomas, matriculation, and secondary level certificates, are all subject to apostille. India is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, no further attestation or legalization of a document apostilled by a member country, should be required for using such apostilled document in India. In accordance with the international requirement under the Convention, all parties involved should accept an apostilled document as legalised for all purposes in India.

Apostille Procedure

The central government of India recently decentralised the apostille process. The Ministry of External Affairs is the primary organisation responsible for performing document apostille (MEA). With effect from January 1st, 2019, the MEA has regionalized the apostille procedure to Branch Secretariats and RPOs in 15 cities.

The cities of operation include - Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, New Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Panaji, Raipur, and Thiruvananthapuram. The process typically starts with the local notary where the paper was signed, is then authenticated by the state, and finally is stamped with the MEA apostille.

Regarding various document kinds, the method makes differences. Personal, educational, and commercial legal documents are the three main categories. The steps are described in detail below:

Personal Document Apostille

The title "personal document apostille" makes it very apparent that it is the legalising of documents that contain personal data. It includes the apostille for both the marriage and birth certificates.

• 1. Marriage Certificate

• 2. Birth 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

Educational documents are records of your academic accomplishment and the courses you have completed over time. They serve as evidence of your educational history. 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.

The process for attesting educational certificates will differ depending on the origin or nature of the document. The several steps that depend on the type of document and the location where it was issued are listed below.

1. For Maharashtra-issued documents

2. For out of Maharashtra issued documents

3. As per the country's requirement where HRD is compulsory

Commercial Document Apostille

Commercial documents are those that authorise any entrepreneur's ownership of business capital. These consist of records such as wills, partnership agreements, and memoranda of associations, among others.

• 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 following steps are part of the commercial document apostille procedure:

• 1. Chamber of Commerce Attestation

• 2. Apostille from MEA

Steps involved in Document Apostille Process:

• Notary Attestation

• Home Department Attestation

• HRD Attestation

• SDM Attestation

• Chamber of Commerce Attestation

• MEA Attestation:

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