CBSE Certificate Apostille: Paper, Digital and Duplicate Documents
CBSE was the first education board to join the Ministry of External Affairs' e-Sanad system, which makes a CBSE certificate apostille a little different from a state board one. The Central Board of Secondary Education issues the marks statements, pass certificates and migration certificates. INFINITYGRO helps CBSE students in India decide between the paper route and the digital one, and handles the paper route end to end.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Degree certificate apostille sample
Can a CBSE certificate apostille be done online? Sometimes. CBSE keeps digitally signed records in its academic repository, Parinam Manjusha, which is linked to the MEA's e-Sanad portal. Where your record is in that repository, the apostille can be applied for online. Where it is not, or the receiving office wants a stamped paper, the original goes through the Delhi route of notary, SDM and MEA for a CBSE certificate apostille.
CBSE and e-Sanad: what changed in 2017
Before 2017, a CBSE student who needed an apostille had to have the certificate verified by a state education department and then take it to the MEA. In 2017 CBSE linked its digital repository, Parinam Manjusha, to the MEA's e-Sanad software. CBSE's own press note said it was the first board to do so.
At launch, about 25 lakh digitally signed Class X and XII records from 2014, 2015 and 2016 were in the system, including marks statements, pass certificates and migration certificates. The plan was to add older data gradually.
Under e-Sanad, the apostille is applied to the digitally signed document and delivered to the applicant. No one visits a state office.
Key facts
| Issuing board | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) |
|---|---|
| Common documents | Class X and XII marks statements, pass certificates, migration certificates |
| Digital repository | Parinam Manjusha, accessible to students through DigiLocker |
| Online route | MEA e-Sanad, linked to CBSE records since 2017 |
| Paper route | Notary (Delhi), SDM (Delhi), then MEA |
| Lost documents | Duplicates through CBSE's DADS portal |
| MEA apostille fee | Rs 50 per document |
| INFINITYGRO Delhi route | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, all-inclusive |
Which CBSE documents get apostilled
- Secondary School (Class X) marks statement. From 2019 onward, CBSE has issued Class X students a single marks statement cum certificate.
- Senior School (Class XII) marks statement and certificate. Usually requested for admission abroad.
- Migration certificate. Some foreign universities ask for it with Class XII. See our migration certificate page.
- Pass certificate for older batches where the board issued it separately.
Every paper is a separate apostille. A combined marks statement cum certificate counts as one.
Students outside India and private candidates
CBSE has affiliated schools in several Gulf and other countries. Their students receive the same board documents as students in India, so the same apostille rules apply. The MEA's e-Sanad note said overseas applicants would be added in phases, so families abroad should check current availability or send the paper original to India.
Private candidates who sat CBSE exams receive board documents too. These are apostilled the same way as regular school candidates' papers. If you are in another country and cannot courier the original yourself, a family member in India can send it to us with a copy of your passport and a short note naming the destination.
CBSE 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
DigiLocker copies and the paper original
Many CBSE students now only look at their results in DigiLocker. CBSE has said that records in its repository can be accessed through DigiLocker and verified online by universities and employers who register.
A DigiLocker download is not automatically an apostilled document. For the MEA to stamp a digital record, it goes through e-Sanad. For the paper route, we work from the original printed certificate issued by the board or school.
If you only have a DigiLocker copy and the receiving office insists on a stamped paper, speak to us before printing anything. The right answer depends on your batch year and what the office will accept.
Choosing a route for your CBSE certificate apostille
Ask two questions.
- Is my record in the repository? e-Sanad only works for documents the board has uploaded. Recent batches are more likely to be there.
- Does the office abroad want paper? Many foreign consulates, universities and employers still expect a physical document with the apostille sticker.
If both answers point to digital, e-Sanad is sensible. The applicant applies online and needs a passport copy. If either points to paper, we use the Delhi route. A notary in Delhi certifies the copy, the SDM (Delhi) verifies the notary, and the MEA adds the apostille. That usually takes 2 to 3 working days with us.
Lost or damaged CBSE papers: the DADS portal
CBSE launched its Duplicate Academic Document System, DADS, in June 2021. It lets students apply online for duplicate marks statements, pass certificates and migration certificates. The regional office prints the approved document and posts it, and students can track the application. The press release says a digital or printed copy can be chosen.
A duplicate issued by CBSE can be apostilled like an original. Make sure the duplicate is the final document before you send it to us, because we cannot add an apostille to an application receipt.
Destination rules
For the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, most of Europe, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Turkey, the MEA apostille is enough. Vietnam joins from 11 September 2026.
The UAE wants MEA attestation, UAE Embassy attestation and MOFA in the UAE. Read our UAE page. Qatar, Kuwait and other Arab states need MEA attestation and embassy legalization. China needs embassy legalization. Germany verifies documents through its embassy instead of legalizing them.
Where CBSE applications go wrong
Most delays we see with CBSE documents come from a handful of avoidable issues.
- Sending a school printout. A result printed from a website or a school-issued copy is not the board document. We need the marks statement the board issued, or a CBSE duplicate.
- Mixing routes. Starting on e-Sanad and then asking for a paper apostille on the same document causes confusion. Pick one route for each paper.
- Name mismatches. A short form of the name on the marks statement and a full name on the passport can trigger questions abroad. An affidavit may help, but the receiving office decides.
- Laminated originals. A sticker cannot be fixed properly to lamination. Talk to us first.
- Language. CBSE documents are bilingual in Hindi and English. Some countries still ask for a certified translation into their own language.
How to send CBSE documents to INFINITYGRO
- Original CBSE marks statement or certificate
- Passport copy
- Destination and purpose
- Any checklist from the university or employer
Delhi NCR students can drop off at New Ashok Nagar. Others courier the papers, and we return them by Blue Dart or a similar tracked courier. There is no home pickup. The Delhi route costs Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, including the Rs 50 MEA fee, notary, SDM and our service. Courier and embassy fees are extra. Message us for a quote.
What the MEA stamps look like
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
CBSE Certificate apostille FAQs
Is a CBSE certificate apostille valid for any country?
An apostille is valid in Hague Convention countries. Non-member countries such as the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait need embassy attestation instead.
My CBSE result is from before 2014. Can I use e-Sanad?
Older data was to be added gradually, so check whether your record is available. If not, the paper route works.
Is my CBSE Class X marks statement also my passing certificate?
For Class X students from 2019, CBSE issues one combined marks statement cum certificate. Older batches may have separate papers.
Can a CBSE migration certificate be apostilled?
Yes. It is a separate document with its own apostille.
Does CBSE need state education department verification?
Not on the Delhi route or e-Sanad. State verification is only needed if the receiving office insists on it.
Can you also do my degree?
Yes. Most students send CBSE papers with their degree certificate or other 12th documents.
Do I need my school to sign anything?
No. The CBSE marks statement is signed by the board. School documents such as a transfer certificate are a separate matter.
Need your CBSE Certificate legalized?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route and a written quote.