Divorce Decree Apostille and Attestation for Remarriage and Records Abroad
A divorce decree apostille proves to an office abroad that your Indian divorce is genuine. The decree is passed by a family court, or a district court where no family court exists, and you legalize a certified copy issued by that court. INFINITYGRO then takes it through the notary, SDM and Ministry of External Affairs, and the embassy where one is needed.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Birth certificate apostille sample
How do I use an Indian divorce decree in another country? Apply to the court that granted the divorce for a certified copy of the decree and, ideally, the judgment. For Hague countries, a divorce decree apostille from the MEA after notary and SDM verification is enough. For the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait, the MEA attests it and the embassy legalizes it. Translation is common for non-English countries.
Decree, judgment or divorce deed: know what you hold
People use three different names for divorce papers, and they are not the same thing.
- Divorce decree: the formal order of the court dissolving the marriage. This is what most foreign offices want.
- Judgment: the court's reasons. Some registries ask for it with the decree, especially in a contested case.
- Divorce deed: a written settlement signed by the couple, often under customary or community practice, sometimes on stamp paper. In a mutual consent case, the terms may also appear in the court record.
A divorce deed signed only by the parties is a private document. It is legalized like an affidavit, through a notary. Many registries abroad will not treat it as proof of divorce without a court decree. Ask before you spend money on it.
Key facts
| Issued by | The family court that passed the decree, or the district court where there is no family court |
|---|---|
| Copy to legalize | A certified copy from the court's copying section, not a photocopy or online printout |
| Laws commonly involved | Hindu Marriage Act 1955, Special Marriage Act 1954, Divorce Act 1869 and other personal laws |
| First step | Notary and SDM verification on the Delhi route; state Home Department where the office abroad asks |
| MEA step | Apostille for Hague countries; normal attestation for embassy countries |
| Apostille countries | UK, USA, Canada, Australia, most of Europe (not Germany), Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Turkey |
| Embassy countries | UAE (then UAE MOFA), Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and others |
| MEA fee | Rs 50 per Apostille; normal attestation is free |
Getting a certified copy from the court
Apply to the copying section of the court that passed the decree. Your lawyer can usually do this. The certified copy carries the court's seal and the signature of the copying officer, and that signature is what the chain verifies.
- Ask for the decree and the judgment together.
- Check the case number, both names and the date of the decree.
- Make sure every page is sealed or certified, not only the last one.
- Order two or three copies. Foreign registries often keep one.
A downloaded copy from an e-courts website is useful for reference. It is not a certified copy and should not be sent for legalization.
Why offices abroad ask for it
The most common reason is remarriage. A registry in the UK, Europe or the Gulf will not marry you until it sees that the earlier marriage has ended. Others include changing a surname back on a foreign passport or residence card, updating marital status with an employer or pension fund, child custody or visitation in a foreign court, and immigration files for a new spouse.
If you are remarrying abroad, the registry may also ask for a single status certificate. It may want the earlier marriage certificate too.
Divorce Decree 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
Wait until the decree is final
A foreign registry wants to know that the divorce cannot be undone. Indian law gives the losing party a period to appeal a contested decree. Until that time passes, a new marriage can be risky. In mutual consent cases, the appeal question rarely arises. A contested decree should be used only once the appeal period has run out, or once any appeal is decided.
Some offices ask for a court certificate or a lawyer's letter saying no appeal is pending. We do not give legal advice on this point. Your family lawyer is the right person to confirm finality.
Divorce decree apostille and the embassy route
On the Delhi route the certified copy goes to a notary and then the SDM, and then to the MEA. Where the foreign office asks for state authentication, the state Home or General Administration Department is used instead. The MEA checks the authenticating officer's signature only.
- Apostille countries: the divorce decree apostille is final. This covers the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, most of Europe, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Turkey, and Vietnam from 11 September 2026.
- UAE: MEA attestation, UAE Embassy in New Delhi, then UAE MOFA online. Fees are explained on our UAE attestation page.
- Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan: MEA attestation, then the embassy.
- China does not accept Indian Apostilles. Germany does not legalize Indian documents and may verify through its embassy.
Translation for non-English registries
Spain, Italy, France, Latin America and most Arab countries want a translation into their language. Translate the decree and the judgment together, so the reader sees the full picture. We arrange certified translation through our translation service. Some offices want the translation legalized as well. Others accept a translation made in their own country. Send us the registry's instructions and we follow them.
Mistakes that hold up a divorce file
The most frequent problem is sending the wrong paper. A lawyer's photocopy, an e-courts printout or the petition itself cannot go through the chain. Next comes a name mismatch: the decree uses a maiden name or an old spelling, and the passport uses another. Bring a supporting affidavit if that applies to you.
Other delays come from a missing court seal on inner pages, a decree for one country being reused for another route, and a contested decree sent before the appeal period has passed. A short call before you courier the papers usually prevents all of these. Once a divorce decree apostille is added, it cannot be converted into embassy attestation for a Gulf country.
What to send and what it costs
- The certified copy of the decree (and judgment, if needed).
- A copy of your passport.
- The country and the office asking for it.
Delhi clients may drop documents at our New Ashok Nagar office; others courier them in, and we return by Blue Dart or a similar tracked courier. On the Delhi route our all-inclusive fee is Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, with the Rs 50 MEA fee included, and it usually takes 2 to 3 working days. Embassy fees are extra. Ask for a written quote on the contact page.
What the MEA stamps look like
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Divorce Decree apostille FAQs
Can I apostille a divorce deed instead of a decree?
A notarised divorce deed can be legalized like any private document. Whether the office abroad accepts it as proof of divorce is its decision. Most registries want the court decree.
Is the decree enough, or do I need the judgment too?
Many offices are happy with the decree alone. Some, especially in Europe, ask for the full judgment. Legalizing both at once avoids a second trip through the chain.
My divorce was granted by a court outside Delhi. Can you still do it?
Yes. Send us the certified copy. The Delhi route is widely accepted for documents from any state. If the receiving office wants state authentication, we tell you first.
The decree is in Hindi or another Indian language. What happens?
It can still be legalized. The office abroad will almost always need a certified English or local-language translation. We arrange that.
How long does a divorce decree apostille take?
The Delhi route usually takes 2 to 3 working days once we have the certified copy. Getting the copy from the court is separate and depends on that court.
We divorced by mutual consent. Is the process any different?
No. A mutual consent decree is legalized the same way as a contested one. Get a certified copy from the court, and check that both names match your passports before sending it.
Can my lawyer send the papers to you directly?
Yes. Your lawyer can courier the certified copy to our office. We need your passport copy and instructions from you.
Need your Divorce Decree legalized?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route and a written quote.