MEA Apostille
The single Apostille sticker from the Ministry of External Affairs, accepted in all Apostille Convention countries.
Apostille guide
New Delhi · Document legalization desk
Attestation and Apostille Services for Indian Documents
INFINITYGRO provides attestation and apostille services for degrees, marriage and birth certificates, police clearance certificates and export paperwork. We take each document from the state department to the Ministry of External Affairs and, where needed, the embassy, then send it back ready to use abroad.
- Own office in New Ashok Nagar, Delhi
- Documents from every Indian state
- 88 destination countries
- Translation in all major languages
Quick answer
Do you need an Apostille or embassy attestation? If the country where you will use the document is one of the 130 members of the Hague Apostille Convention, you need an MEA Apostille. If it is not, for example UAE, Qatar, Kuwait or Egypt, you need MEA attestation followed by legalization at that country's embassy in New Delhi. Either way the document is first authenticated by the state that issued it.
Services
Our attestation and apostille services
Pick the type of document. Each guide explains the route, the papers to send and what the final stamp looks like.
Embassy Attestation
MEA attestation followed by legalization at the destination country's embassy in New Delhi.
Embassy guideCommercial & Export Documents
Chamber of Commerce, MEA and embassy legalization for shipments and company papers.
Commercial guideEducational Documents
Degrees, diplomas, mark sheets and school certificates, through the state Education department or Notary and SDM.
Education guidePersonal Documents
Birth, marriage, police clearance and other civil documents for visas, residence and family matters.
Personal guideHRD Attestation
Authentication of educational certificates by the Human Resource Development or Education department of the issuing state.
HRD guide
First question
Apostille or embassy attestation: which one do you need?
The country where you will use the document decides the route, not the type of document. India has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention since 14 July 2005. For the 130 member countries, one Apostille from the Ministry of External Affairs replaces the old chain of embassy stamps.
When an Apostille is enough
Use the Apostille route for study, work or residence in most of Europe, the Americas, Japan, South Korea and Australia. It also applies to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and, from September 2026, Vietnam. No embassy visit is needed after the MEA step.
When you need embassy attestation
Countries outside the convention, such as the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq and Jordan, do not accept an Apostille. For them the MEA places an attestation stamp, and the country's embassy or consulate in New Delhi legalizes the document after that. China is a special case: it joined the convention in 2023, but India objected to its accession, so Indian documents for China still need MEA attestation and Chinese Embassy legalization.
Rules change. Countries join the convention from time to time, and embassies revise their requirements. We check the current rule for your country and document before you send anything.
Key facts about attestation and apostille in India
| Who issues an Apostille in India | The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) Division, New Delhi, and MEA branch secretariats. |
|---|---|
| India in the Apostille Convention | In force for India since 14 July 2005. |
| Countries that accept an Apostille | 130 contracting parties to the Hague Apostille Convention as of 30 June 2026. |
| First step before the MEA | Personal documents: state Home or General Administration Department. Educational: state Education department. Commercial: Chamber of Commerce. |
| What the MEA checks | The signature of the authenticating officer, not the contents of the document. Photocopies are not legalized. |
| MEA government fee | ₹50 per document for an Apostille. MEA normal attestation is free. Agency, embassy and courier charges are separate. |
| Countries that still need embassy legalization | Countries outside the convention, for example UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt. |
| Exceptions for Indian documents | China: India objected to China's accession (8 September 2023), so an Apostille is not valid between them. Germany: objected to India's accession in 2005 and verifies Indian documents through its embassy instead. |
By country
Attestation and apostille by destination country
Each card shows the route the country follows. Click a flag for that country's documents, steps and requirements.
Embassy legalization countries
UAEEmbassy legalization
QatarEmbassy legalization
KuwaitEmbassy legalization
ChinaEmbassy legalization
EgyptEmbassy legalization
IraqEmbassy legalization
JordanEmbassy legalization
LibyaEmbassy legalization
SudanEmbassy legalization
YemenEmbassy legalization
MalaysiaEmbassy legalization
Sri LankaEmbassy legalization
No country matches. Call us: we handle most embassies in New Delhi.
Apostille MEA Apostille is the final stepEmbassy legalization MEA attestation, then the embassy in New DelhiGerman verification verified through the German Embassy
Apostille countries
Saudi ArabiaApostille
OmanApostille
BahrainApostille
VietnamApostille
IndonesiaApostille
PhilippinesApostille
TurkeyApostille
United KingdomApostille
ItalyApostille
SpainApostille
FranceApostille
NetherlandsApostille
No country matches. Call us: we handle most embassies in New Delhi.
Apostille MEA Apostille is the final stepEmbassy legalization MEA attestation, then the embassy in New DelhiGerman verification verified through the German Embassy
For exporters
Commercial document legalization for exporters
Importers in many Gulf, African and Asian markets will not clear goods until the commercial invoice and certificate of origin carry the right stamps. We handle the full chain in New Delhi for exporters and freight forwarders across India, so your shipment papers reach the buyer ready for customs.
- Chamber of Commerce attestation, MEA attestation or Apostille, and embassy legalization in one handover
- Repeat shipments to the same buyer country handled on a standing process
- Company documents for agency agreements, registrations and tenders: MOA, AOA, board resolution, power of attorney
Certificate of Origin
Issued by a Chamber of Commerce or export promotion council, then legalized for the buyer's country.
Commercial Invoice & Packing List
Attested together with the certificate of origin for customs clearance at destination.
Free Sale Certificate
Needed to register food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products in many importing countries.
By state
Apostille for documents from every Indian state
The issuing state decides the first step. Choose your region and state for state-specific guidance.
Real samples
What attestation and apostille stamps look like
Click any sample to see it full size. Personal details are masked.
How it works
How our attestation and apostille service works
Four steps from your desk to ours and back.
Tell us the document and country
WhatsApp a photo of the document and say where it will be used. We tell you the route, the papers needed and the total charge.
Send the originals
Courier them to our Delhi office, or drop them at New Ashok Nagar if you are in Delhi NCR.
We process it
We take the document through each office on the route and update you as each stamp is done.
Get it back
Finished documents travel back by Blue Dart or a similar tracked courier, or you pick them up at our office.
Questions
Attestation and apostille FAQs
What are attestation and apostille services?
They are the steps that make an Indian document legally valid in another country. The document is authenticated by the issuing state, then by the Ministry of External Affairs, which either places an Apostille or an attestation stamp. Countries outside the Apostille Convention also need their embassy's stamp.
What is the difference between Apostille and embassy attestation?
An Apostille is one certificate from the MEA that all 130 Apostille Convention countries accept. Embassy attestation is for countries outside the convention, such as UAE, Qatar and Kuwait: the MEA attests the document and the country's embassy in New Delhi then legalizes it.
Do Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain accept an Apostille from India?
Yes. Saudi Arabia (from 7 December 2022), Oman (from 30 January 2012) and Bahrain (from 31 December 2013) are Apostille Convention members, so most Indian documents for them need only the MEA Apostille. We still confirm each case, because some receiving offices ask for more.
Does China accept an Indian Apostille?
No. China became a member of the convention in November 2023. India, however, lodged an objection to its accession on 8 September 2023. Under Article 12 of the convention it does not apply between the two countries, so Indian documents for China need notarisation, MEA attestation and legalization at the Chinese Embassy.
Can you legalize documents issued outside Delhi?
Yes. We handle documents from every Indian state. Educational documents usually go through the Education or HRD department of the issuing state, or through Notary and SDM attestation in New Delhi where that route is accepted.
Do you handle commercial and export documents?
Yes. We legalize certificates of origin, commercial invoices, packing lists, free sale certificates, GST certificates, MOA, AOA and powers of attorney. These start at a Chamber of Commerce, then go to the MEA, and then to the embassy where the importing country requires it.
Do I have to visit your office?
No. Most clients courier their documents to our Delhi office and receive them back through Blue Dart or a similar tracked courier. Clients in Delhi NCR can drop off and collect documents in person.
How long does it take?
It depends on the document, the issuing state and the destination country. We give you a timeline for your exact case before you send anything and tell you if an urgent option exists.
Do you translate documents too?
We do. Certified translation into the language of the destination country is arranged by our team, and the translation can be attested together with the original.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Not sure which route your document needs?
Send a photo of the document and the country name on WhatsApp, and we will tell you the route and the price.