Certificate of Incorporation Apostille and Attestation for Indian Companies
A certificate of incorporation apostille lets a foreign bank, ministry or business partner accept that your Indian company legally exists. The certificate itself is issued by the Registrar of Companies under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), in Form INC-11 for companies formed under the Companies Act 2013. INFINITYGRO Attestation prepares it, sends it through the chamber and MEA, and handles embassy legalization where the destination needs it.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
MEA attestation stamp and Apostille sticker
How do I get my company's certificate of incorporation apostilled in India? For a certificate of incorporation apostille, the document is first authenticated by a recognised Chamber of Commerce, usually on a notarised or registrar-certified copy. The MEA then adds the apostille for Hague Convention countries. Countries outside the Convention, such as the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and China, need MEA attestation followed by embassy legalization. INFINITYGRO quotes the full route in writing before you courier anything.
The document that proves your company exists
When a company is registered in India, the Registrar of Companies issues a certificate of incorporation. Since 2017 the format is Form INC-11, issued under Rule 18 of the Companies (Incorporation) Rules 2014 and Section 7(2) of the Companies Act 2013. New applications go through the SPICe+ web form on the MCA portal and are processed at the Central Registration Centre on behalf of the jurisdictional ROC.
The certificate states the company name, the date of incorporation, whether it is limited by shares or guarantee, and its Corporate Identity Number (CIN). Where the Income Tax Department has allotted a PAN, the certificate shows that too. Companies formed before 2013 hold certificates issued under the Companies Act 1956 by the regional ROC. Those older certificates remain valid and can be legalized in the same way.
If the company later changes its name, the ROC issues a fresh certificate for the new name. Foreign parties usually want both the original and the name-change certificate so the link is clear.
Key facts
| Issuer | Registrar of Companies (ROC), Ministry of Corporate Affairs |
|---|---|
| Official form | Form INC-11 under Rule 18, Companies (Incorporation) Rules 2014 |
| Legal basis | Section 7(2), Companies Act 2013 (older companies: Companies Act 1956) |
| Key identifiers | Corporate Identity Number (CIN); PAN shown on newer certificates |
| First step | Notarised or ROC-certified copy, then Chamber of Commerce authentication |
| MEA step | Apostille (Hague countries) or normal attestation (embassy route) |
| Embassy countries | UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, China and others |
| MEA fee | Rs 50 per apostille; MEA normal attestation is free |
Why foreign parties ask for it
Abroad, nobody can check an Indian ROC record easily, so they rely on legalized paper. Typical requests come from:
- Overseas banks opening an account for an Indian exporter or its foreign branch.
- Ministries and free zones registering a subsidiary, branch or liaison office.
- Government tenders asking for proof of legal existence of the bidder.
- Distributors and importers completing supplier onboarding.
- Product registration bodies, for example health or food regulators, that register the manufacturer.
The certificate is often requested together with the memorandum of association, the articles of association and a board resolution naming the person who will act for the company abroad.
Which copy to legalize: original, certified copy or e-certificate
Most companies hold only a digitally signed PDF of the INC-11 downloaded from the MCA portal. A plain printout carries no wet signature or stamp, so it cannot go straight to a chamber or the MEA. There are two practical ways to prepare it.
Notarised copy
A director or authorised signatory signs and stamps the printout as a true copy on company letterhead, and a notary attests it. This is the common route for commercial use. Acceptance can vary by chamber and embassy, so we confirm the format for your destination first.
Certified copy from the ROC
Under Section 399 of the Companies Act 2013, any person can obtain a copy of a company's incorporation certificate certified by the Registrar. The MCA portal offers this through its Get Certified Copies service, which sends a physical certified copy. Some destinations prefer this version because the certification comes from the government registry itself.
Never laminate the certificate or any copy. Laminated documents cannot be stamped and will be refused.
Certificate of Incorporation 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
EgyptEmbassy legalization
IraqEmbassy legalization
ChinaEmbassy legalization
VietnamApostille
IndonesiaApostille
United KingdomApostille
United StatesApostille
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
Certificate of incorporation apostille: the step-by-step route
For countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention, the route is short:
- Preparation. Notarised true copy or ROC-certified copy, signed by an authorised signatory where needed.
- Chamber of Commerce. A recognised chamber in Delhi, such as FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHD Chamber or the Delhi Chamber of Commerce, authenticates the document. Not every chamber handles every document type, so we pick one that accepts company registration papers.
- MEA apostille. The CPV Division of the Ministry of External Affairs affixes the apostille through its authorised outsourced centres. The government fee is Rs 50 per document.
India joined the Convention on 14 July 2005. The MEA verifies the signature of the authenticating officer. It does not check whether the company details are correct, so accuracy is your responsibility before submission. Read more on how the MEA apostille works.
When the destination needs embassy legalization
Countries outside the Convention, or countries where India's apostille is not accepted, follow a longer chain.
- UAE: chamber, then MEA attestation, then the UAE Embassy in New Delhi, then the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs inside the UAE.
- Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, Yemen: chamber, MEA attestation, then the relevant embassy.
- China: India objected to China's accession on 8 September 2023, so no apostille applies between the two. The route is a red-sticker notary, the chamber, MEA attestation and the Chinese Embassy.
- Germany: Germany does not legalize Indian documents. A German authority may ask for verification through the German Embassy instead.
Embassies set their own fees and these are often higher for commercial papers. Our embassy attestation service page explains the process in more detail.
What to courier to INFINITYGRO
- A clear printout of the INC-11 or older certificate, or the ROC-certified copy if you have one.
- Any name-change certificate issued after incorporation.
- A covering letter on company letterhead naming the destination country and purpose.
- Name, designation and specimen signature of the authorised signatory.
- Copies of any companion documents going to the same country.
Clients across India send documents by courier to our New Ashok Nagar office in Delhi. Delhi NCR clients may drop off in person. We return the finished papers by Blue Dart or another tracked courier. We do not offer home pickup.
Errors that send company certificates back
- The company name on the certificate differs from the name on the invoice, contract or power of attorney sent with it, usually after an unrecorded name change.
- The true copy is signed by an employee who is not an authorised signatory.
- An apostilled certificate is sent to the UAE or Qatar, which follow the embassy route.
- An embassy-attested set is sent to a Hague member that only wanted an apostille, adding cost without benefit.
- The printout is unsigned or unstamped.
If the destination wants the certificate in Arabic, French or another language, we arrange certified translation as part of the same job.
Fees and how we quote
The MEA charges Rs 50 per apostille and nothing for normal attestation. The chamber and any embassy add their own fees. INFINITYGRO sends a written quote per document before you courier anything, and courier charges are extra. For a certificate of incorporation apostille or a full set of company documents, contact us with your destination country.
What the MEA stamps look like
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Certificate of Incorporation apostille FAQs
Is a downloaded INC-11 PDF enough for an apostille?
Not on its own. The printout needs a signature and stamp from an authorised signatory and usually a notary, or you can use a copy certified by the ROC. We confirm the accepted format before you send it.
Who issues the certificate of incorporation in India?
The Registrar of Companies under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. For new companies it is issued from the Central Registration Centre in Form INC-11.
Does the MEA check my company details?
No. The MEA verifies only the signature of the officer who authenticated the document. You must make sure the details are correct before submission.
My company was registered under the 1956 Act. Can that certificate be legalized?
Yes. Certificates issued under the Companies Act 1956 remain valid and follow the same chamber and MEA route.
Is a certificate of incorporation apostille valid in Dubai?
The UAE follows the embassy route. Your certificate needs chamber authentication, MEA attestation, UAE Embassy legalization and then UAE MOFA attestation.
Can you also handle the MOA, AOA and board resolution?
Yes. These are often sent as one set to the same country, and we process them together so names and signatures stay consistent.
Need your Certificate of Incorporation legalized?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route and a written quote.