Introduction

With the globalized world, individuals and companies prefer to legalize documents in a foreign state. Education, employment, business, or immigration work necessitates a document to be apostilled. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rules over apostille services and authenticates documents for use in Hague Convention member states. In this blog, the entire procedure to get an apostille services is elaborated.

Understanding Apostille

An apostille is an authentication certificate to confirm that a document for use abroad is legitimate. The apostille is only used in countries that are parties to the Hague Convention of 1961 and therefore nullifies further embassy or consulate authentication. The apostille is evidence that the document has been checked and confirmed by law and is valid elsewhere.

Types of Documents that Require Apostille

Apostille is necessary on three types of documents:

Personal Documents – Birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate, and affidavits.

Educational Documents – Degree certificates, diplomas, mark sheets, and school-leaving certificates.

Commercial Documents – Business agreements, company registrations, bills, and export documents.

On each of these types of documents, there is a different authentication procedure before the apostille is obtained, thereby necessary checks are performed at varying levels.

Step-by-Step Procedure to Obtain an Apostille

Step 1: Determine the Category of Document

To begin with, the document has to be categorized into commercial, educational, or personal. This has to be ascertained because the verification and authentication process differs accordingly. Knowing the category beforehand, placing the document accordingly in preparation for the level of authenticity prior to shipping off is convenient.

Step 2: Get the Document Notarized

Certain documents must be notarized before initiating the apostille process. A public notary signs the document and applies a notary signature and seal. Notarization is particularly necessary for personal and educational documents, thus making them legally valid.

Step 3: State-Level Authentication

The documents must be authenticated by the relevant state agencies before being submitted for an apostille. The relevant companies for various types of documents are:

Educational Documents – Certified by the respective State Education Department (HRD attestation).

Personal Documents – Certified by the state Home Department or General Administration Department (GAD).

Commercial Documents – Certified by the Chamber of Commerce.

State-level authentication allows local-level authentication prior to apostille processing.

Step 4: Submission to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

After the state-level authentication is done, the documents are forwarded to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the last department to affix an apostille. MEA stamps an apostille sticker with a serial number that makes the document valid for all Hague Convention member countries. The document is legally acceptable in member countries without additional authentication.

Step 5: Collection of Apostilled Document

Once the apostille process of MEA is completed, the document is handed over to the applicant or his/her representative. This is the final step in the process of apostille, and the document is valid for use in foreign countries. Based on the mode of submission, the document can be collected in person or through courier agency.

Important Points to Remember

Apostille holds good only for Hague Convention nations.

No further embassy attestation is needed once an apostille is acquired.

Ensure the document is in good shape with all the necessary stamps and signatures.

Apostille can be done personally or by authorized companies like La Classe’s Apostille in India.

Why Choose La Classe’s Apostille in India?

La Classe Translation Pvt. Ltd. is a tried and tested name in apostille services as over 22 years. Dependability with La Classe in apostille services ensures:

Professional Assistance: Our professionals provide step-by-step assistance right from the whole process of apostille.

Timely and Trustworthy Processing: We understand the importance of processing documents within a specific time and delivering timely solutions.

Complete Service: We ensure from notarization to submission in MEA and complete the entire process.

Hassle-Free Service: No queueing and waiting with our expert services.

How Long Does It Take to Get an Apostille?

The time it takes to get an apostille depends on several factors:

State-Level Authentication: This typically takes a couple of days up to two weeks.

MEA Processing Time: MEA takes on average 2-5 working days to apostille after state authentication.

Urgent Processing: Expedited service is provided by agencies for same-day and rush needs.

Conclusion

Apostille is one of the major processes for rendering documents legal for foreign use. With the process stepped as mentioned above, people and organizations can enjoy hassle-free. In professional assistance, full-chain apostille service is provided by La Classe’s Apostille in India so that the process becomes convenient and within time limits. For study, work, or business intention, the process can be problem-free and silky smooth with proper direction from a right organization.