Apostille
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What is Apostille?
Apostille stamping is an endorsement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India, to confirm the authenticity of the document for the purpose of acceptance in a foreign nation. The MEA affixes the Apostille on the document with the details such as name of the document holder, nature of document and details of the designated authority, who has attested from the State / Union Territory. The authorized signatory also affixes their seal and signature above this endorsement.
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Is an Apostille the same as a notary attestation?
No, A Notary is different from an Apostille. Apostille will be endorsed by the Ministry of External Affairs in India whereas a Notary Attestation can be performed by any Notary Public. A Notary attestation is not enough for a document / certificate to be accepted in a foreign nation.
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How do I get an apostille in India?
Apostille is a two-step process in India. Initially, the document needs to be attested by the designated jurisdictional authority of the State, where the document is issued. After the State level attestation, the document needs to be submitted to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for an Apostille stamping. Apostilles are acceptable only if it is to be used / submitted in Hague Convention Countries. TTK GMS Specialist can assist you with this process across 28 States and 4 Union Territories in India. For the list of countries where Apostille is accepted, check here: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table
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Can I Apostille a document issued in a regional language?
Yes, it is possible but TTK GMS recommends that you first get the document translated to English by the issuing or a competent authority and then initiate for Apostille. This will ease your immigration process when the document is submitted for a work permit or residential permit processes.
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Can Apostille be performed on the document issued outside India?
The Ministry of External Affairs in India will perform Apostille on the documents issued within India or by Indian Missions abroad, after a due verification from the issuing authority. If you have a specific request that requires a discussion with our specialist, please contact TTK GMS.
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Which are the countries that accept an Apostille?
There are currently about 118 signatories to the Hague Convention, 1961 abolishing the requirement of legalisation for foreign public documents. These countries accept Apostilles and the list is available here: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table
Legalization
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What does legalization of documents mean?
The process of getting an official Indian document/certificate endorsed as genuine for acceptance in a foreign nation is called legalisation. This is a 3-step process of getting it authenticated first by the designated authorities of the State/Union Territory of the place of issuance, followed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India and finally by the Foreign Mission in India. Legalization of documents is usually required to comply with overseas legal /immigration norms.
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How can I legalise a document in India?
In this 3-step process, the document needs to be certified by the designated authorities in the State where the document was issued, followed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and then by the respective foreign mission in India (country where the document is to be used). The last step is exempted for all Hague Convention Countries because an Apostille is accepted. TTK GMS can assist you in the legalization of your documents anywhere in India.
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How do I authenticate an educational document or certificate?
Educational documents are authenticated by the State or Union Territory Authorities after verification from the respective University or Educational Institution. The document need to be submitted with the designated authority of the State to perform the Authentication. With over 2 decades of experience in documentation, TTK GMS can facilitate in the document authentication process across India.
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Do I need to submit the original document for legalisation?
Yes, the original document needs to be submitted to the designated authority for legalisation.
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Is a certified copy the same as an original?
Yes, it is the same as original. The authorities retrieve the information from the official records maintained and issue the document as a certified copy. This is required for the immigration requirements. However, some foreign missions or host country authorities do not accept certified copies. Please connect with our immigration specialist to understand the nuances related to the process you intend to file for.
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Will Indian Missions abroad legalize the documents issued in India?
No. For documents issued in India the Legalization needs to be performed within India through the Ministry of External Affairs after getting the document attested by the respective state authority in India. For non-Hague countries where legalization is applicable, the document needs to be further attested by the Foreign mission in India.
Document Attestation
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What is SDM attestation?
SDM means Sub-Divisional Magistrate Attestation in Delhi. This is applicable only for Delhi based document, as SDM is a competent authority to attest all Delhi based personal documents. For educational certificates issued from Delhi, the designated authority is the Higher Education Department (HED) in Delhi and not the SDM in Delhi.
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Can SDM in Delhi attest other state issued documents for immigration purposes?
No, SDM (Sub-Divisional Magistrate) is not the competent authority to attest other states or union territory issued documents in India. Also the SDM in Delhi is competent to only attest personal documents (not Educational documents) as per the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India. However, some agencies use this short cut method to get documents of other states also attested through the SDM route. This is not advisable and may result in long term implications for people going overseas on work permits.
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How can I get a certificate attested in India?
This is a 3-step process, where the certificate is authenticated first by the designated authorities of the State/Union Territory of the place of issuance, followed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India and finally by the Foreign Mission in India. For Hague Convention countries, the final attestation by the Foreign Mission is exempt and is referred to as Apostille. TTK GMS can assist you in all these steps in a compliant manner.
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Why is attestation required for documents or certificates?
Attestation or Apostille stamping of documents or certificates from designated authorities is required to prove its authenticity and for its acceptance in a foreign nation. This is usually required by host country immigration authorities or a foreign mission to process the work permit or dependent permit or residential permit of an applicant.
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Who can attest documents in India?
It depends on the purpose. While a notary public can attest documents in India, with respect to documents used for immigration or for use in a foreign nation, only designated authorities in India can attest/legalise/apostille the documents and it has to undergo certain steps. Depending on the nature of document, TTK GMS can facilitate with whole process to make your immigration, a hassle-free experience.
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Is degree certificate attestation required for UAE visa?
Yes, the degree certificate attestation is required if you intend to work in UAE. It depends on the type of permit applied for with the UAE Immigration office. TTK GMS team can assist you in getting the degree certificate attested for UAE.
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What attestation is required for UAE?
The 3-Step process of attestation is required for UAE, which starts with attestation by the State / Union Territory authorities, followed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and finally the UAE Embassy in India. TTK GMS can facilitate document attestation with all these offices.
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What is the difference between attestation, legalisation and apostille?
Attestation or Legalisation means one and the same and refers to the 3-Step process of attestation for non-Hague Convention countries. Only for Hague Convention countries, the last step of foreign embassy / mission attestation is discarded and it is referred to as Apostille. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Govt of India is the designated authority to do the Apostille stamping in India.
Birth Certificate
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How can I get old birth certificate in India?
The birth certificate can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar of Births and Deaths at the place of your birth, provided it was registered. If your birth was not registered, then check for the existence of records with the competent authority and then apply for a Birth Certificate. TTK Global Mobility can facilitate in procuring a Birth Certificate from any place in India.
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How long will it take to get birth certificate in India?
It depends on the availability of your Birth records in the Births & Deaths Registrar maintained at the place of your birth. If the birth records are available in the Birth Registry, then it can be obtained within 3 to 15 days depending on the place. If the birth is not registered or if you were to be born at home, then the process may take longer time. Reach out to the TTK Global Mobility team to get an expert opinion and further assistance.
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What if I don’t have a birth certificate in India?
If you don’t have one, you can apply for it now. You need to apply for the Birth Certificate with the Registrar of Births & Deaths at the place of your birth. You need to check for the existence of the birth records with the competent authority. Records of people born in hospital are usually present with the Registrar, while those that occurred at home may not be. A Birth Certificate is a vital document for all your long term immigration requirements and for even for some domestic purposes. TTK can facilitate in procuring the birth certificate in a compliant manner on your behalf from the competent authority.
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How can I get a copy of my birth certificate in India?
You can approach the Registrar of Births & Deaths at the place of birth and request for a reissuance of Birth Certificate as per the records. Please do double check the accuracy of the name, parent’s name, and date of birth in the record once you receive. If you need any assistance including correcting an error, TTK can facilitate it on your behalf.
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Can I get a birth certificate from the Indian Consulate?
Yes, Birth Certificates can be issued to NRIs by the Indian Consulate in a foreign country on the basis of details in their Indian passport. The Indian Mission will process your request if your passport is presented in Original. However, it is recommended that you procure the Birth Certificate from the Competent Authority in India (Registrar of Births & Deaths) for all your immigration matters. TTK can assist in document procurement services from 28 States and 4 Union Territories in India.
Marriage Certificate
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How can I get a copy of Marriage certificate in India?
If the marriage is already registered, then a true extract (certified copy) or a reissuance of marriage certificate can be obtained from the Registrar of Marriages. Most of the states, do mention “True Copy/ Extract” when they issue the copy of the marriage certificate. TTK can facilitate in obtaining the copy of the marriage certificate on your behalf from any place in India.
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What are the documents required for a marriage certificate?
• Address Proof of the Bride and Bridegroom at the time of marriage.
• Identity proof of the Bride and Bridegroom.
• Marriage Invitation.
• Certificate issued from Church or Mosque or Temple.
Additional documents may be requested by the competent authority at the time of filing. TTK can facilitate in registration of your marriage certificate across any place in India.
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Can I apply for marriage certificate online in India?
Yes, you can fill the online form and apply in some of the states of India, but some others do insist on doing it offline. For the purpose of filing the marriage registration, it is mandatory for you and your spouse to be physically present in front of the Registrar of Marriages along with the witness.
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How long does it take to get marriage certificate in India?
3 to 15 days from the date of filing a request with the Registrar of Marriages. An application for a marriage certificate will be accepted when all the mandatory documents of the bride and bridegroom are submitted. Along with the bride and groom, a witness will also be required at the time of registration. Reach out to the TTK Global Mobility team for expert opinion and assistance.
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Can parents be witnesses for the marriage registration in India?
No, the parents cannot not be taken as witnesses. Friends or relatives are acceptable. Basically, the witness should not be a close family member and they should have been present at the time of marriage. On validation of the identity and address proof document of the witness, the Marriage Registrar will accept the application. If you need any assistance with the marriage registration process anywhere in India, the TTK Global Mobility team can help you with it.
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