Good Standing Certificate Apostille for Indian Companies
A good standing certificate apostille is often requested by foreign banks and registries that are used to company registries issuing a single standing certificate. India's Registrar of Companies, under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, does not issue a standard certificate of good standing in that form as a routine service. Indian companies usually show good standing through MCA company records and a certificate from a practising Company Secretary or Chartered Accountant, and those documents are then legalized.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
MEA attestation stamp and Apostille sticker
Can I get a good standing certificate apostille for an Indian company? Yes, by legalizing the document that serves as your proof of standing. Most companies use a certificate from a practising Company Secretary or Chartered Accountant confirming the company is active on the MCA record and up to date with filings. That certificate is notarised, authenticated by a chamber and given a good standing certificate apostille by the MEA, or embassy legalization for non-Hague countries.
Why the request and the Indian system do not line up
In the UK, many US states and several other countries, the company registry issues a short certificate confirming a company exists and is up to date. Foreign compliance teams expect the same from India. The Indian registry works differently. As far as we have been able to verify, the Registrar of Companies does not offer a standard certificate of good standing as a routine public service. Some private websites describe such a certificate, so ask your company secretary if you see a claim of this kind.
What the MCA does provide is the public company record. It shows the company's status, its CIN, its date of incorporation and the dates of its last annual filings. The ROC also issues certified copies of filed documents. These records, interpreted by a professional, form the usual proof of standing.
Key facts
| Registry position | MCA / ROC does not routinely issue a standard certificate of good standing |
|---|---|
| Usual evidence | CS or CA certificate on letterhead confirming status and compliance |
| Supporting record | MCA company master data showing company status |
| Registry documents | ROC-certified copies under Section 399, Companies Act 2013 |
| First step | Notary attestation, then recognised Chamber of Commerce |
| MEA step | Apostille (Hague members) or normal attestation (embassy route) |
| Embassy countries | UAE (then UAE MOFA), Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, China |
| MEA fee | Rs 50 per apostille; normal attestation free |
Three ways Indian companies show good standing
1. Professional certificate
A practising Company Secretary or Chartered Accountant issues a certificate on their letterhead. It typically states the company name, CIN, date of incorporation and registered office, confirms that the company status is active on the MCA record, and confirms that annual returns and financial statements have been filed up to a given year. It carries the professional's signature, membership number and seal.
2. MCA master data printout
The company master data on the MCA portal shows the current status. A printout, certified as a true copy by a director, is sometimes accepted as support. On its own it is a screen record, so it is usually paired with a professional certificate.
3. ROC-certified documents
Under Section 399 of the Companies Act 2013, the Registrar can certify copies of the certificate of incorporation and filed documents. A recent certificate of incorporation copy shows the company exists, though not that filings are current.
Ask the receiving office what it will accept
Before you prepare anything, write to the foreign bank, registry or buyer. Explain that India does not issue a classic good standing certificate and ask whether a Company Secretary or Chartered Accountant certificate, legalized in India, is acceptable. Most foreign offices that deal with Indian companies already know this. A short confirmation in writing saves a second round of legalization.
If they want specific wording, such as confirmation that there are no winding-up proceedings, pass that to your professional so it appears in the certificate. They should state only what they can verify from records.
Good Standing Certificate 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
Good standing certificate apostille: the route
- Notary. The signature of the Company Secretary, Chartered Accountant or director is attested by a notary.
- Chamber of Commerce. A recognised chamber such as FICCI, ASSOCHAM, PHD Chamber or the Delhi Chamber of Commerce authenticates it. We confirm beforehand that the chamber accepts this type of certificate.
- MEA apostille. The MEA CPV Division applies the apostille through its authorised outsourced centres, at a government fee of Rs 50.
The MEA confirms the authenticating officer's signature only. It does not certify that the company is in good standing. Read more on MEA apostille in India.
Non-Hague destinations
The UAE needs chamber authentication, MEA attestation, the UAE Embassy in New Delhi and the UAE MOFA in the UAE. Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Sudan and Yemen need chamber, MEA attestation and embassy.
China requires a red-sticker notary, chamber, MEA attestation and the Chinese Embassy. India objected to China's accession to the Apostille Convention in 2023, so no apostille applies. Germany does not legalize Indian documents and may verify them through its embassy. See our embassy attestation page.
Keep the evidence recent
Standing can change. A company that misses filings can face penalties, and the ROC can strike off companies in some situations. For this reason foreign parties often want proof dated close to the submission. Ask your professional to date the certificate shortly before you send it to us, and make sure the filings it refers to are up to date.
If you are also sending audited financial statements, check that the year in the certificate matches the year of the accounts.
Where good standing requests go wrong
- The certificate states the company is compliant, but the MCA record shows overdue annual filings. Foreign reviewers do check the public record.
- The company name or CIN differs from the certificate of incorporation sent with it.
- The professional's membership number or seal is missing, so the chamber cannot accept it.
- A good standing certificate apostille is prepared for a UAE or Qatar authority that needs the embassy chain.
- A director signs a self-certification when the foreign office asked for an independent professional.
We review the certificate against your other papers before submission and point out gaps while they are still cheap to fix.
What to courier to INFINITYGRO
- The signed and sealed CS or CA certificate, one original per country.
- Any supporting printout or ROC-certified copy you plan to send with it.
- The destination country and the receiving office.
- Any wording the receiving office has asked for.
Send by courier to our New Ashok Nagar office in Delhi, or drop off in Delhi NCR. Return is by Blue Dart or another tracked courier, with no home pickup. We quote each document in writing before you send it, plus courier. Chamber and embassy fees are their own. Contact us for a quote.
What the MEA stamps look like
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Good Standing Certificate apostille FAQs
Does the MCA issue a certificate of good standing?
We have not found a routine MCA service that issues one in the format used in the UK or US. Indian companies normally rely on a CS or CA certificate supported by MCA records. Confirm with your company secretary if a registry option has become available.
Who can sign a good standing certificate for my company?
A practising Company Secretary or Chartered Accountant is the usual signatory. A director can certify true copies of MCA records, but foreign offices generally prefer an independent professional.
Is a CS certificate accepted abroad?
Many banks and registries accept it once legalized, but acceptance is their decision. Ask the receiving office in writing first.
Will a good standing certificate apostille work in Dubai?
No. The UAE needs MEA attestation, UAE Embassy legalization and UAE MOFA attestation.
How old can the certificate be?
There is no Indian rule on this. Foreign offices set their own limits, so date the certificate close to submission.
Can you arrange a translation?
Yes. We arrange certified translation into Arabic, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and other languages. See our translation service.
Need your Good Standing Certificate legalized?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route and a written quote.