MEA document Apostille and Attestation Services
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) provides the service of Apostille Service in Mumbai and Attestation of Documents for use in countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Authentication of Foreign Public Documents. The service is provided through a network of Missions/Posts abroad and select Mantralaya satellitet Offices in India.
Documents that require Apostille are those that have been executed in one country and need to be produced in another country that is a signatory to the Hague Convention. These include personal documents such as birth, death, marriage and educational certificates, as well as commercial documents such as Power of Attorney, Affidavits, Memorandum and Articles of Association.
To obtain an Apostille on a document, the first step is to get the document attested by an authorised official in the country where it was executed. Once this is done, the document can be submitted to any MEA office along with two passport-size photographs and prescribed fees. The list of designated officials who can attest documents for apostille purposes can be found on our website or from our offices. Please note that notarised documents also require prior attestation from an authorised Indian embassy or consulate before being submitted for apostille at an MEA office.
After submission, it usually takes around three working days to process an application for apostille/attestation. For more information on this service, please visit our website or contact our offices during working hours.
What is an Apostille?
An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a document for use in another country. Documents that require an Apostille are those that have been executed in one country and need to be produced in another country that is a signatory to the Hague Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Authentication of Foreign Public Documents.
How do I obtain an Apostille?
To obtain an Apostille, the first step is to get the document attested by an authorised official in the country where it was executed. Once this is done, the document can be submitted to any MEA office along with two passport-size photographs and prescribed fees. The list of designated officials who can attest documents for apostille purposes can be found on our website or from our offices. Please note that notarised documents also require prior attestation from an authorised Indian embassy or consulate before being submitted for apostille at an MEA office. After submission, it usually takes around three working days to process an application for apostille/attestation.
Please note that the requirements for each document and destination country vary. Please consult your receiving authority to determine if an Apostille or Attestation is required and what specificRequirements apply. The U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentications does not make these determinations for our customers.
What is an Apostille?
An Apostille is a certification provided under the Hague Convention of 1961 for authenticating documents for use in foreign countries. An Apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature on the document, the capacity in which the person signing the document acted, and identifies the seal/stamp which was affixed to the document.
How do I get an Apostille?
The process for obtaining an Apostille or Certificate of Authentication depends on whether your document originates from a federal, state, local government office, or other entity such as a university or hospital. If you are unsure of where your document originated, please Contact Us before proceeding with your request as this will impact processing time and fees. All supporting documentation must be included with your request; otherwise it will be returned to you unprocessed along with a letter explaining what additional information is needed
What is an Attestation?
An Attestation is a certification provided under the Hague Convention of 1961 for authenticating documents for use in foreign countries. An Attestation certifies the authenticity of the signature on the document, the capacity in which the person signing the document acted, and identifies the seal/stamp which was affixed to the document.
How do I get an Attestation?
The process for obtaining an Apostille or Certificate of Authentication depends on whether your document originates from a federal, state, local government office, or other entity such as a university or hospital with Mea India. If you are unsure of where your document originated, please Contact Us before proceeding with your request as this will impact processing time and fees. All supporting documentation must be included with your request; otherwise it will be returned to you unprocessed along with a letter explaining what additional information is neededIf you are looking to get a document notarized for use in a foreign country, you may be wondering if you need an Apostille or Attestation. These terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two services. Both an Apostille and Attestation certify the authenticity of the signature on the document, the capacity in which the person signing acted, and identify the seal/stamp that was affixed. The main difference is that an Apostille is provided under the Hague Convention of 1961 specifically for authenticating documents while an Attestation can be provided for any number of reasons including authenticating documents.
So how do you know if you need an Apostille or Attestation? It depends on your destination country as requirements vary. The best way to determine what service you need is by consulting with your receiving authority as they will be able to tell you what specific requirements apply. Keep in mind that the U.S. Department of State's Office of Authentications does not make these determinations for customers- this is something you will need to figure out on your own or through another party.
For more information on this service, please visit our website or contact our offices during working hours.
