Affidavit Apostille and Attestation for Use Outside India
An affidavit apostille is the MEA stamp that lets a foreign office accept a sworn statement you made in India. The affidavit itself has no government issuer: you write it, sign it on stamp paper and swear it before a notary. INFINITYGRO then takes it through the SDM and the Ministry of External Affairs.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Birth certificate apostille sample
Can an Indian affidavit be apostilled? Yes. An affidavit apostille is possible once the affidavit is on valid stamp paper, signed by the deponent and attested by a notary. On the Delhi route the SDM then verifies the notary, and the MEA adds the Apostille for Hague countries. For the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait the MEA attests it instead and the embassy stamps it.
A sworn statement with no issuing office
Most documents we legalize come from an office: a registrar, a university, a passport office. An affidavit is different. You are the author. The legal weight comes from your oath and from the notary who watched you sign.
That is why the chain starts with the notary. The MEA only checks the signature of the officer who authenticated the document before it. It does not read your statement for truth. If the wording is weak, the stamps will not fix it. So spend a little time on the draft before it is printed.
Key facts
| Who issues it | Nobody. The deponent drafts and swears it; a notary attests the oath |
|---|---|
| Paper | Non-judicial stamp paper or e-stamp under the stamp law of the state where it is sworn |
| Who signs | The deponent in person before the notary, with photo ID |
| First step | Notarisation, then SDM verification on the Delhi route |
| State route | Home or General Administration Department of the state, used when the foreign office asks |
| MEA step | Apostille for Hague countries; normal attestation for embassy countries |
| INFINITYGRO fee | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document on the Delhi route, all-inclusive; courier extra |
| MEA fee | Rs 50 per Apostille; normal attestation is free |
Affidavits people send abroad most often
The same format serves many purposes. These are the ones we see week after week:
- Name affidavit, when a name is spelt differently on a passport, degree or birth certificate.
- Single status or unmarried affidavit for marriage abroad. We cover that on the single status certificate page.
- Address or residence affidavit for a bank, school or visa file.
- Parental consent affidavit for a minor travelling or studying abroad.
- Income or support affidavit backing a visa sponsor.
- Gap or education affidavit explaining a break in studies.
- Spouse or relationship affidavit where no marriage record exists yet.
Each one is a separate document for legalization, with its own stamps. Two affidavits for two purposes mean two affidavit apostille stickers, even if they are signed on the same day.
Drafting the affidavit so it survives scrutiny
Write in short, numbered paragraphs. Start with your full name as it appears on your passport, your parent's or spouse's name, age and full address. State the facts plainly in the first person. End with a verification clause saying the contents are true to your knowledge.
- Use the exact spelling from your passport throughout.
- Quote passport number and date of birth where the purpose needs them.
- Say what the affidavit is for, for example "for submission to the civil registry in Italy".
- Sign every page, and leave space for the notary seal on the last page.
If the receiving office gave you its own wording, use it word for word. A translator can then render it into the required language through our translation service.
Affidavit 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
United KingdomApostille
United StatesApostille
ItalyApostille
SpainApostille
FranceApostille
ChinaEmbassy legalization
OmanApostille
BahrainApostille
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
Stamp paper, the notary and you in person
The affidavit goes on non-judicial stamp paper or an e-stamp certificate. The value is set by your state's stamp law and is usually small for a simple affidavit. Ask the stamp vendor; we do not set or quote stamp duty.
You must appear before the notary yourself, with photo ID. The notary records the oath and adds a seal, signature and register entry. A notary who never saw you sign has not attested an oath. If you live outside Delhi, you can swear the affidavit before a local notary and courier it to us. We then check whether that notary's seal can be verified on the route your destination needs.
Do not laminate the affidavit or staple extra papers to it. Every officer in the chain needs space on the document itself.
Affidavit apostille or embassy attestation: which route applies
On the Delhi route the notarised affidavit goes to the SDM, then to the MEA. Most foreign offices accept this for an affidavit made by a resident of any state. Some ask for the state Home or General Administration Department instead; we follow that when the checklist says so.
The country you are sending it to decides the last step:
- Apostille countries such as the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, most of Europe, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Turkey: the affidavit apostille from the MEA is final. Vietnam joins from 11 September 2026.
- UAE: MEA attestation, UAE Embassy in New Delhi, then UAE MOFA, which is completed online. See our UAE attestation page.
- Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and similar: MEA attestation and then the embassy.
- China: no Apostille between India and China. Ask us about the notary and embassy route.
- Germany: Indian documents are not legalized; German offices may verify through their embassy.
What to send us
- The original notarised affidavit on stamp paper.
- A clear copy of your passport (front and back pages).
- The destination country and the office that asked for it.
- Any wording or checklist that office gave you.
Delhi clients can drop it at our New Ashok Nagar office. Others courier it in; we return it by Blue Dart or a similar tracked courier. There is no home pickup. Our all-inclusive Delhi route fee is Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, covering notary verification, SDM, the Rs 50 MEA fee and our service. The Delhi route usually takes 2 to 3 working days. Embassy fees are extra. Write to us through the contact page for a written quote.
Why affidavits come back unstamped
Most returns trace to a handful of faults. The name on the affidavit does not match the passport. The stamp paper is torn, photocopied or in a third person's name without explanation. The notary seal is faint or the register number is missing. The affidavit was made for one country and is now being sent to another that wants different wording.
An affidavit that has already been apostilled cannot be redirected to an embassy-route country, or the reverse. If plans change, it is usually quicker to swear a fresh affidavit.
What the MEA stamps look like
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Affidavit apostille FAQs
Can I swear the affidavit in my home state and send it to Delhi?
Yes. Swear it before a notary in your city and courier the original to us. We check the notary details before it goes to the SDM. If your destination wants state authentication, we tell you before starting.
Is an e-stamp acceptable?
Generally yes, where your state issues e-stamp certificates. The affidavit text is printed on or attached to the e-stamp and signed in front of the notary.
Does the MEA check what I wrote?
No. The MEA verifies only the signature and seal of the authenticating officer. The content is your responsibility, so check names and dates carefully.
How long is an apostilled affidavit valid?
The Apostille has no expiry. Many foreign offices, though, want an affidavit sworn within the last few months. Check with the office that asked for it.
Is an affidavit apostille enough for a marriage abroad?
Sometimes. Many registries abroad want a single status certificate from the SDM or registrar, or an affidavit plus that certificate. Ask the registry which it wants before you swear anything, so the right document is legalized the first time.
Can someone else sign the affidavit for me?
No. An affidavit is your own sworn statement. Only you can sign it before the notary. If you are abroad, the Indian mission there can usually help with a sworn statement.
I need the affidavit in Arabic or Spanish. Can you help?
Yes. We arrange a certified translation. Whether the translation itself needs legalization depends on the receiving office, so send us its instructions.
Need your Affidavit legalized?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route and a written quote.