Certificate of Registration Apostille for Firms, LLPs, Societies and Trusts
A certificate of registration apostille confirms abroad that your Indian firm, LLP, society or trust is legally registered. The issuer depends on the entity: the state Registrar of Firms for partnerships, the Registrar under the LLP Act 2008 through the MCA portal for LLPs, and the state Registrar of Societies for societies. INFINITYGRO identifies which certificate you hold and takes it through notary, chamber, MEA and embassy steps.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
MEA attestation stamp and Apostille sticker
Which registration certificates can be apostilled? Registration documents of partnership firms, LLPs, societies and trusts can usually be legalized. A certificate of registration apostille starts with a signed or certified copy, notarised where needed, then authentication by a recognised chamber of commerce, then the MEA apostille. Countries outside the Apostille Convention, such as the UAE, need MEA attestation and embassy legalization instead.
First, which registration do you have?
Foreign authorities often write "certificate of registration" when they mean whatever proves your organisation exists. In India, that proof differs by entity type. Getting this right at the start avoids legalizing the wrong paper.
- Private or public limited company: this is a certificate of incorporation. See our certificate of incorporation page.
- Partnership firm: registration with the state Registrar of Firms.
- LLP: incorporation certificate from the Registrar under the LLP Act.
- Society or NGO: registration certificate from the Registrar of Societies.
- Trust: registered trust deed, or a certificate from a state public trust authority where one exists.
Key facts
| Partnership firm | Registrar of Firms of the state, under the Indian Partnership Act 1932 |
|---|---|
| LLP | Registrar under the LLP Act 2008, via the MCA portal (mca.gov.in) |
| Society | Registrar of Societies, under the Societies Registration Act 1860 |
| Trust | Registration of the trust deed, or a state public trust authority where applicable |
| Who signs the copy | Partner, designated partner, secretary or trustee with authority |
| First step | Notary where needed, then Chamber of Commerce |
| MEA step | Apostille at Rs 50 per document, or free normal attestation |
| Embassy route | UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, China and others |
Partnership firms and the Register of Firms
Under section 58 of the Indian Partnership Act 1932, a firm registers by filing a statement with the Registrar for the area of its place of business. All partners sign it. Under section 59, the Registrar records the statement in the Register of Firms.
Section 68 makes a certified copy of an entry in the Register admissible to prove that the firm is registered. Many states issue an acknowledgement or certificate, and some have moved filing online. Section 69 also limits what an unregistered firm can enforce in court, which is one reason foreign partners ask for proof.
For legalization we usually work with the state's certificate or a certified copy of the register entry, depending on what you hold.
LLPs, societies and trusts
LLPs
An LLP is incorporated by the Registrar under the LLP Act 2008 through the MCA portal. The incorporation certificate is generally issued electronically and carries the LLP Identification Number. A printout signed by a designated partner is the usual starting point.
Societies
Section 3 of the Societies Registration Act 1860 provides that the Registrar certifies under his hand that the society is registered. Several states have their own societies acts with similar certificates.
Trusts
Private and many public trusts are created by a registered trust deed. Some states also require public trusts to register with a state authority. We check which document you hold before advising.
Certificate of Registration 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
Why it is needed abroad
- Opening a branch, liaison office or bank account outside India.
- Signing distribution or agency agreements where the foreign party verifies the Indian entity.
- Grant applications and partnerships for NGOs and trusts.
- Supplier registration with foreign ministries and tender boards.
Often a power of attorney or resolution is legalized alongside it, so the person acting abroad can show their authority.
Preparing the document
Original registration certificates are valuable, and many are printed from a portal anyway. Attestation is usually done on a copy that has been signed and stamped by a person with authority.
- Make a clear copy of the full certificate, including any schedules.
- A partner, designated partner, society secretary or trustee signs and stamps it.
- A notary attests it where the chamber or destination requires.
Older paper certificates should be legible and unlaminated. If the entity's name or address has changed since registration, carry the amendment record with it. We confirm what your chamber and destination expect in writing before you courier anything.
Certificate of registration apostille: the route
For Hague Convention countries, including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, most of Europe other than Germany, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Turkey, the certificate of registration apostille runs as follows.
- Notarisation, if required.
- Authentication by a recognised Chamber of Commerce such as FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHD Chamber or the Indian Chamber of Commerce.
- MEA Apostille by the CPV Division, through its authorised outsourced centre.
MEA verifies only the authenticating officer's signature. The government fee is Rs 50 per document. Our MEA apostille page explains the ministry step.
UAE, Qatar, China and other embassy routes
Non-Apostille destinations need MEA normal attestation, which is free, and then the embassy.
- UAE: chamber, MEA attestation, UAE Embassy, then UAE MOFA in the UAE.
- Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan, Yemen: chamber, MEA attestation, embassy.
- China: red-sticker notary, chamber, MEA attestation, Chinese Embassy.
- Germany: no legalization of Indian documents; verification may be requested through the German Embassy.
Embassy fees are set by each mission. See our embassy attestation service.
State rules differ, so expect variation
Firms and societies are registered under state systems, and the paperwork is not uniform across India. Maharashtra, for example, adds its own requirements to the Partnership Act, such as filing a copy of the partnership deed. Uttarakhand has moved firm filing online with digital signatures. Several states have their own societies acts.
For a certificate of registration apostille, this means the document from Gujarat may look quite different from one issued in Delhi or Kerala. Chambers and MEA handle both, as long as the copy is clear and properly signed. Send us a scan first if you are unsure which document you hold, and we will tell you how to prepare it.
What to send, and what to avoid
- Signed and stamped copy of the registration certificate.
- Any amendment record for name, address or partner changes.
- Destination country and purpose.
- Letterhead authorisation for embassy-route countries.
Avoid copies signed by someone who has left the firm or society, mismatched names between the certificate and the deed, and apostilles taken for embassy-route countries. We arrange certified translation where the destination needs it.
Delhi NCR clients can drop off at our New Ashok Nagar office; others courier documents in. We return them by Blue Dart or a similar tracked courier, with no home pickup. You get a written per-document quote first.
What the MEA stamps look like
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Certificate of Registration apostille FAQs
Is a certificate of registration the same as a certificate of incorporation?
Not quite. Companies receive a certificate of incorporation. Firms, societies and trusts have registration documents, and LLPs receive an incorporation certificate under the LLP Act.
Can a certified copy from the Registrar of Firms be apostilled?
Usually yes. Section 68 of the Partnership Act recognises certified copies of register entries as proof, and they can go through the commercial route.
Can an NGO's society registration be legalized for a foreign grant?
Yes. The society registration certificate is commonly legalized for foreign donors and partner organisations.
Does MEA check if my firm is still active?
No. MEA verifies the signature of the authenticating officer, not the registration status.
Is a certificate of registration apostille valid in Turkey?
Turkey is an Apostille country, so the apostille route normally applies.
Do you register firms or societies?
No. INFINITYGRO is a private legalization agency. Registration is done by the relevant Registrar; we handle attestation afterwards.
What does it cost?
MEA charges Rs 50 per apostille. Chamber and embassy fees are separate. INFINITYGRO quotes each document in writing before you send it.
Need your Certificate of Registration legalized?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route and a written quote.