Apostille Services in India for Hague Convention Countries
An apostille is a certificate issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that makes an Indian public document valid in other Hague Apostille Convention countries, such as the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain. It replaces embassy legalization, so no embassy stamp is needed.
Do you need an apostille or embassy attestation?
The route depends only on the country where the document will be used. Convention status changes when countries join. We check the HCCH status table and the destination authority's current rule before we start your file.
| Destination | Hague Apostille Convention? | Route from India |
|---|---|---|
| USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain | Member | State attestation, then MEA apostille. No embassy stamp. |
| UAE, Kuwait, Qatar | Not a member (per MEA list) | State attestation, MEA attestation, then embassy attestation. |
How the apostille process works in India
- Document check: we confirm the document type, issuing authority and destination country.
- Notarization where required, for copies, affidavits and similar documents.
- State-level attestation: State HRD or Higher Education Department for educational documents, State Home Department or SDM for personal documents, Chamber of Commerce for commercial documents.
- MEA apostille: the MEA affixes the apostille through eSanad or its designated outsourced agencies. The MEA does not accept documents directly from individuals at its counter.
- Delivery: the apostilled original is couriered back, with tracking.
Documents we apostille
- Degree certificates, diplomas and mark sheets
- Birth, marriage and death certificates
- Police clearance certificates (PCC)
- Affidavits and powers of attorney
- Company documents, invoices and certificates of origin
Fees and timelines
The MEA publishes its apostille fee per document, and agency service charges, state fees and courier costs are added on top. Timelines depend on the state department and document type. We give you an itemised quote and an estimate after checking your documents, and we list government fees separately from our service fee.
Common reasons for rejection
- Name or date of birth mismatch with the passport
- Missing state-level attestation before the MEA step
- Unregistered marriage certificates
- Damaged, altered or poorly scanned originals
- Using an apostille for a country that is not in the Convention
Last reviewed: . Rules, fees and Convention status change, so we re-check procedural pages regularly. We are a private facilitator, not the MEA, a state department or an embassy.
Frequently Asked Questions
An apostille is a single MEA certificate accepted by Hague Convention countries. Attestation, meaning MEA attestation followed by embassy attestation, is used for countries outside the Convention. The route depends on the country where the document will be used.
The MEA's published procedure says documents are not accepted directly from individuals at its counter. Submissions go through designated outsourced agencies, or through the eSanad portal where your document is eligible. We handle the submission and collection for you.
No. The MEA lists these countries as not being members of the Apostille Convention, so documents need MEA attestation followed by embassy attestation.
The apostille itself has no expiry date, but the receiving authority may require the underlying document, such as a police clearance certificate, to be recent. Check the authority's validity rule.
Related Guides
Not sure which route applies to your document?
Tell us the document and the country. We confirm the exact steps, fees and timeline before you pay.