UAE: embassy plus MOFA
After the UAE Embassy in New Delhi or the UAE Consulate in Mumbai, the document is attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That last step is now online.
UAE guide
Non-Apostille countries
Embassy Attestation from India: Process, Countries and Fees
Embassy attestation is the last stamp an Indian document needs before it is accepted in a country that does not take an Apostille from India. INFINITYGRO handles every stage, from the first authentication to the embassy counter in New Delhi.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Quick answer
When do you need embassy attestation? When the destination country is not part of the Apostille Convention, or the convention does not apply between it and India. That covers 25 of the countries we serve, including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and China. The document is authenticated in India, attested by the MEA, and then legalized by that country's embassy in New Delhi.
What embassy attestation means
An embassy stamp tells the authorities of that country that their own diplomats in India have seen the document and confirmed the Indian signatures on it. It is the older system that the Apostille replaced for member countries, and it is still in use for every country outside the convention.
Embassy attestation is always the last of several steps. An embassy will only attest a document that already carries the MEA attestation stamp, and the MEA will only attest a document that an Indian authority has authenticated first. Skipping a step is not possible.
The process is also called embassy legalization, consular attestation or, in the Gulf, simply attestation. They all refer to the same chain.
The chain
The embassy attestation chain, by document type
| Educational documents | Notary → SDM (Delhi) → MEA → Embassy. State HRD verification is added when the employer or authority abroad asks for it. |
|---|---|
| Personal documents | Notary → SDM or state Home department → MEA → Embassy |
| Police clearance certificate | Passport Seva PCC → MEA → Embassy (no notary or SDM needed) |
| Commercial documents | Notary where needed → Chamber of Commerce → MEA → Embassy |
| Documents for China | Notary with red notarial sticker → SDM, state department or Chamber → MEA → Chinese Embassy |
Countries
Countries that need embassy attestation from India
Each card opens that country's guide with its documents, steps and embassy requirements.
AngolaEmbassy legalization
BhutanEmbassy legalization
CambodiaEmbassy legalization
ChinaEmbassy legalization
EgyptEmbassy legalization
EthiopiaEmbassy legalization
GhanaEmbassy legalization
IranEmbassy legalization
IraqEmbassy legalization
JordanEmbassy legalization
KenyaEmbassy legalization
KuwaitEmbassy legalization
LebanonEmbassy legalization
LibyaEmbassy legalization
MalaysiaEmbassy legalization
MyanmarEmbassy legalization
QatarEmbassy legalization
Sri LankaEmbassy legalization
SudanEmbassy legalization
SyriaEmbassy legalization
TaiwanEmbassy legalization
UAEEmbassy legalization
YemenEmbassy legalization
ZambiaEmbassy legalization
ZimbabweEmbassy 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
Special cases
Three countries with their own rules
China: red-sticker notary
Every document must first be notarised with the notary's red sticker, and multi-page documents must be bound and sealed across the pages. Without that, the Chinese Embassy returns the file.
Germany: verification instead
German missions stopped legalizing Indian documents in 2000. A German authority can ask the embassy to verify a document instead; the fee is ₹45,000 per application and a private person cannot start it.
German Embassy informationEmbassy attestation cost and time
| India-side stages through INFINITYGRO | ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 per document, including notary, SDM and the MEA stage |
|---|---|
| Embassy fee | Set by each embassy; differs by country and by document type |
| Commercial documents | Usually a higher embassy fee than personal or educational ones |
| UAE degree, Delhi route | About 5 to 7 working days |
| Other embassies | From a few days to a few weeks, depending on their counter days |
Why embassy fees vary so much
Each embassy sets its own fee schedule and changes it without much notice. Many Gulf embassies charge more for commercial documents than for personal ones, and some charge per page. A few accept payment only through their authorised collection centre.
That is why we do not publish a single price for embassy attestation. Send us the document type and country, and we give you a written total that includes the embassy fee on the day you send it.
Documents
Documents we legalize for embassies
Jobs and licensing
Family and residence visas
Trade and company
What the stamps look like
A finished file carries a sequence of stamps on the back of the original, one from each office. The notary and SDM stamps come first, then the MEA's attestation stamp with the officer's signature and a reference number, then the embassy's own stamp or sticker. Gulf embassies usually add a printed label with a barcode.
If any stamp in that sequence is missing or unclear, the next office refuses the document. That is why we check each stage before it moves on, and send you a photo once the embassy stamp is on.
The samples here show the MEA stamp and the authentication before it. Click to enlarge.
Questions
Embassy attestation FAQs
What is embassy attestation?
It is the legalization of an Indian document by the embassy or consulate of the destination country. It comes after MEA attestation and is needed only for countries that do not accept an Apostille from India.
Which countries need embassy attestation from India?
Countries outside the Apostille Convention, such as the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, and China, where the convention does not apply with India.
How much does embassy attestation cost?
The India-side stages through INFINITYGRO cost ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 per document. The embassy's own fee is added on top and differs by country and document type, with commercial documents usually charged more. We quote the total before you send anything.
How long does embassy attestation take?
It depends on the embassy. A degree for the UAE by the Delhi route usually takes about 5 to 7 working days. Some embassies take longer or accept documents only on certain days.
Is embassy attestation the last step?
Not always. Several Gulf countries also expect the document to be attested by their own Ministry of Foreign Affairs after it arrives. For the UAE this MOFA attestation is now done online.
Does Germany legalize Indian documents?
No. Germany stopped legalizing Indian documents in 2000 and objected to India joining the Apostille Convention. German authorities can instead ask the German Embassy to verify an Indian document; a private person cannot start that process.
Find out what your embassy needs
Tell us the country and the document. We reply with the full chain, the embassy fee and the time.