12th Certificate Apostille for Study, Work and Visas Abroad
Universities abroad look at Class 12 before anything else, which makes a 12th certificate apostille one of the first documents students legalize. The certificate comes from your higher secondary board: a state board or council, CBSE, CISCE or NIOS. INFINITYGRO prepares it from New Delhi for clients in every state.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Degree certificate apostille sample
Where is a 12th certificate apostille done? The apostille itself is always added by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, through its authorised centres. Before that, the signature on the certificate must be verified. Most people use the Delhi route of a notary and the SDM (Delhi). Some use their home state's education department, or the online e-Sanad route if their board is connected to it.
Your Class 12 certificate goes by a local name
The old site had separate pages for each of these. They now point here, because the process is identical.
- HSC, Higher Secondary Certificate, used in Maharashtra, Gujarat and several other states.
- HSE, Higher Secondary Examination, the Kerala name.
- PUC, Pre-University Course, from Karnataka's pre-university department.
- Intermediate, from boards in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and others.
- Plus Two, the everyday name in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- Senior Secondary, used by CBSE, NIOS and boards such as Rajasthan's.
- ISC, the CISCE Class 12 certificate.
Key facts
| Regional names | HSC, HSE, PUC, Intermediate, Plus Two, Senior Secondary, ISC |
|---|---|
| Issuing body | State higher secondary board or council, PU department, CBSE, CISCE or NIOS |
| Typical use | Admission abroad, student visas, nursing and medical registration, Gulf work visas |
| Verification | Notary and SDM in Delhi, or the issuing state's Education/HRD department |
| Final authority | Ministry of External Affairs (CPV Division) |
| Apostille fee (MEA) | Rs 50 per document |
| INFINITYGRO Delhi route | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, usually 2 to 3 working days |
| Non-Apostille countries | UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, China and others need embassy legalization |
Who asks for it, and what they check
A foreign admissions office uses Class 12 marks to decide whether you meet entry rules. A visa officer may want it as proof that you completed school. Nursing and medical councils in the UK, Australia, Canada and the Gulf often ask for the full chain from Class 10 onward.
Almost every receiving office checks two things. The name and date of birth must match your passport, and the stamp must suit their country. An apostille is meaningless in Kuwait, and embassy attestation is not what Canada wants.
Study, nursing and technical careers: typical checklists
Checklists vary, but some patterns repeat.
Undergraduate admission
A bachelor's programme abroad is decided mostly on Class 12. Universities in Europe and parts of Asia often ask for the 12th mark sheet with an apostille before they issue a final offer or before the student registers. Some also want the school leaving or transfer certificate.
Nursing and paramedical registration
Regulators abroad often want proof that the applicant studied science subjects at Class 12. The 12th papers usually go in together with the nursing degree or diploma.
Gulf jobs
Employers in the Gulf usually focus on the highest qualification. Some still ask for Class 12, especially for trades or when the candidate has no degree.
12th Certificate route by destination country
Each card shows whether the country takes an MEA Apostille or embassy legalization. Click a flag for that country.
UAEEmbassy legalization
QatarEmbassy legalization
KuwaitEmbassy legalization
Saudi ArabiaApostille
OmanApostille
BahrainApostille
United KingdomApostille
United StatesApostille
ItalyApostille
FranceApostille
ChinaEmbassy legalization
MalaysiaEmbassy 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
Mark sheet and passing certificate are separate apostilles
Many state boards issue both a statement of marks and a passing or provisional certificate after Class 12. The MEA treats each as its own document. One apostille cannot cover two papers.
If the university wants grades, send the mark sheet. If an embassy or employer asks for the certificate, send that. When in doubt, do both. CBSE Senior School students generally receive a single marks statement cum certificate, which covers both purposes.
A provisional certificate issued before the final one may not be accepted abroad. See our provisional certificate page.
Three ways to get a 12th certificate apostille
- Delhi route. Notary in Delhi, then the SDM (Delhi), then the MEA. It works for a Class 12 certificate from any state and is accepted for most purposes. We usually finish it in 2 to 3 working days.
- State route. The education or HRD department of the issuing state verifies the certificate, and then it goes to the MEA. Use it when the authority abroad insists on state verification. A UAE employer may ask for this, but only if its checklist says so.
- e-Sanad. For boards whose records sit in a repository linked to the MEA's e-Sanad system, starting with CBSE. You apply online with a passport copy.
Corrections, duplicates and old certificates
A Class 12 certificate is often decades old by the time it is needed abroad. That brings a few predictable problems.
- Spelling errors. If your name is misspelt, the cleanest fix is a correction from the board. A foreign office may accept an affidavit, but not always.
- Lost originals. Boards issue duplicates. CBSE runs an online duplicate system called DADS. State boards have their own forms and offices.
- Renamed boards. A certificate from a board that has since changed its name is still valid. The signature must still be verifiable.
Sort these out before the attestation starts. Once a document has an apostille, changing it means starting again.
Countries that need more than an apostille
Apostille countries include the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, most of Europe, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Turkey, with Vietnam joining from 11 September 2026.
For the UAE, the MEA does a normal attestation, then the UAE Embassy, then MOFA in the UAE online. Qatar and Kuwait follow MEA attestation with embassy legalization. China needs embassy legalization because it does not accept Indian apostilles. Germany does not legalize Indian papers and may verify them through its embassy. Our embassy attestation service covers these steps.
Sending your Class 12 papers to us
- Original mark sheet, passing certificate, or both
- Passport copy
- Destination country and purpose (study, job, visa)
- Your 10th, degree or migration certificate, if the checklist asks for them
Bring the papers to our New Ashok Nagar office if you are in Delhi NCR, or courier them. We send them back by Blue Dart or a similar tracked courier. We do not offer home pickup.
The Delhi route costs Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document all-inclusive, including the Rs 50 MEA fee. Courier and embassy fees are extra. Ask for a quote on WhatsApp.
Avoiding delays
Do not laminate the certificate. Check that your name matches your passport. If the paper is in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil or another Indian language and the country wants English or Arabic, add a certified translation. If the original is lost, ask your board for a duplicate before starting.
Also confirm the country before we start. If you are applying to universities in two countries, one Apostille country and one embassy country, tell us at the start. The two routes use different MEA stamps, and planning the order saves repeat work. Send everything in one parcel where possible. Batching the 10th, 12th and degree together saves courier cost and keeps the names and dates consistent across the set.
What the MEA stamps look like
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
12th Certificate apostille FAQs
Is a PUC certificate the same as a 12th certificate?
Yes. Karnataka's PUC is the Class 12 qualification. It is apostilled the same way.
Can I get a 12th certificate apostille for Intermediate papers from Andhra Pradesh or Telangana in Delhi?
Yes. The Delhi route accepts certificates from any state board.
Do I need both the HSC mark sheet and the certificate?
Only if the receiving office asks. Each is a separate apostille, so check the checklist first.
Is NIOS Senior Secondary accepted abroad?
NIOS certificates are apostilled like other board certificates. Whether a university accepts the qualification is its own decision.
Is the 12th certificate enough for a UAE job?
It depends on the employer. Many ask for the highest qualification only. If they want Class 12, it needs MEA attestation, UAE Embassy and MOFA.
Can a 12th mark sheet with compartment results be apostilled?
Yes. Send both the original mark sheet and the supplementary result, because the university will usually want to see the final pass.
Can a 12th certificate apostille be done in one day?
We do not promise same-day service. The Delhi route usually takes 2 to 3 working days after we receive the original.
Need your 12th Certificate legalized?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route and a written quote.