Migration Certificate Apostille and Attestation
A migration certificate apostille is usually requested when you leave an Indian board or university to study or register somewhere else, and that place is abroad. The certificate is issued by the university or school board you are leaving, normally by its Registrar or Secretary. INFINITYGRO gets it apostilled or attested by the Ministry of External Affairs and, for embassy countries, legalized at the embassy in New Delhi.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Degree certificate apostille sample
Why would a foreign university want my migration certificate apostilled? A migration certificate tells the next institution that your old board or university has no objection to you leaving and joining elsewhere. Some universities abroad, and some Indian-linked institutions overseas, ask for it with your transcripts. A migration certificate apostille proves the Indian signature is genuine. Countries outside the Hague Convention need MEA attestation and embassy legalization instead.
A no-objection letter from your old university
Think of the migration certificate as a release. It says your current university or board is letting you go, and that you are free to enrol at another one. Indian universities ask for it during admission so that a student is not registered at two places at once.
The application usually goes through the principal of the college you last attended. Goa University's form, for example, is addressed to the Registrar and asks the student to name the university or board they plan to join. It also asks you to surrender your registration card and attach your transfer certificate. Other universities use similar forms, though the details and fees differ.
Key facts
| Issued by | The university or school board you are leaving, through its Registrar or Secretary |
|---|---|
| Typical trigger | Moving to another university or board, in India or abroad |
| Application | Usually through the last institution attended, with the transfer certificate |
| First step | Notary and SDM in Delhi, or the state Education / HRD department |
| Online option | e-Sanad, where the university or board is connected |
| MEA step | Apostille or normal attestation by MEA (CPV Division) |
| Embassy countries | UAE (then UAE MOFA), Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, China |
| Fees | MEA Apostille Rs 50 per document; our Delhi route Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, courier extra |
Why it matters for study abroad
Inside India, the migration certificate is routine paperwork. Abroad, its role is less fixed. Some foreign universities and education ministries ask for it, especially in countries that recognise Indian degrees through their own equivalence process. Others never mention it.
It is most often asked for when a student leaves an Indian programme part-way and continues abroad, or when the receiving body wants proof that the Indian registration has closed. If your checklist names it, plan for a migration certificate apostille or embassy attestation, the same legalization as your degree and transcripts.
Some universities ask you to return the certificate if you do not join the institution named on it. Keep the original safe and order a duplicate early if you have lost it.
School board or university: two kinds of migration certificate
School boards such as CBSE and the state boards issue a migration certificate after Class 10 or Class 12, when a student moves to a different board or to a university outside the state. Universities issue one when a graduate or student moves to another university.
Both can be legalized. The officer who signs it is different, so the route may change. A board certificate for a student going abroad often travels with the 12th certificate. A university one usually travels with the degree. If you also have a school leaving certificate, our transfer certificate page covers that document.
Migration 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
BahrainApostille
United KingdomApostille
United StatesApostille
ItalyApostille
FranceApostille
ChinaEmbassy legalization
MalaysiaEmbassy 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
How the migration certificate apostille is done
- Check the original. It must carry the issuing officer's original signature and the university or board seal. Photocopies are not stamped.
- Pick the verification route. In Delhi it is notary then SDM. On the state route it is the education or HRD department of the issuing state. If the institution is on e-Sanad, verification can happen online with your passport copy.
- MEA. The Ministry of External Affairs checks the authenticating signature and fixes the apostille, or a normal attestation stamp for embassy countries.
- Embassy, if needed. For non-Apostille countries, the embassy in New Delhi legalizes it next.
On the Delhi route we usually finish in 2 to 3 working days after your papers arrive. MEA does not check the content of the certificate, only the signature of the officer who verified it.
Which countries take the apostille
India joined the Hague Apostille Convention on 14 July 2005. In Hague countries such as the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Turkey, one MEA apostille is the final stamp. Vietnam joined the list from 11 September 2026.
The UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq and Jordan take the embassy route. For the UAE the paper then needs UAE MOFA attestation, which is now done online. China needs MEA attestation and Chinese Embassy legalization. Germany does not legalize Indian documents. Our UAE attestation fees page lists what that route involves.
Language, format and the documents that travel with it
Many migration certificates are printed in English. Some state boards and universities print them in Hindi or a regional language, or in two languages side by side. If the receiving country works in Arabic, French or Spanish, or the certificate is not in English, a certified translation may be asked for. We arrange that through our translation service, and the translation can be legalized with the original.
The certificate is a single page in most cases. It rarely carries marks or grades. That is why foreign bodies seldom ask for it alone. It usually sits in a file next to the degree, the transcript and the mark sheets, and each of those needs its own stamp. Planning the full set together saves a second round of courier and verification.
Your checklist for INFINITYGRO
A migration certificate apostille needs only a few items from you.
- Original migration certificate, unlaminated
- Copy of your passport
- Destination country and the name of the university or employer
- Any other documents in the same file, such as degree, transcript or mark sheets
You can drop the papers at our office in New Ashok Nagar, Delhi, or courier them from any state. We return them by Blue Dart or another tracked courier, and there is no home pickup. Every document gets its own stamp, so we quote per document in writing before you send anything.
Problems we see with migration certificates
The most common one is a certificate signed by the college rather than the university. For a university migration certificate, the signature should belong to a university officer. A second is a name that does not match the passport. A third is lamination, which blocks the stamp.
Some students also send a migration certificate that names an Indian university when they are joining one abroad. If the receiving body objects, ask your university whether it can issue a fresh certificate. Write to us with a photo of the document if you want us to check it first.
What the MEA stamps look like
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Migration Certificate apostille FAQs
Who issues a migration certificate?
The university or school board you are leaving. It is signed by the Registrar, Secretary or a similar officer, and usually applied for through your last college or school.
Is a migration certificate the same as a transfer certificate?
No. A transfer certificate comes from the school or college you leave. A migration certificate comes from the board or university and allows registration elsewhere.
Can I get a migration certificate apostille through e-Sanad?
Yes, if the issuing university or board is connected to e-Sanad. If not, we use the Delhi or state route with the paper original.
Do I need it for a job abroad?
Rarely. Employers usually ask for the degree and sometimes the transcript. Follow the checklist they give you.
How much does it cost?
MEA charges Rs 50 per document for an apostille. Our Delhi route costs Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, including notary, SDM, MEA fee and service. Courier and embassy fees are extra.
My migration certificate is lost. Can a duplicate be apostilled?
Yes, a duplicate issued and signed by the university or board can go through the same process.
How long does it take?
On the Delhi route we usually finish in 2 to 3 working days after the papers reach us. Embassy legalization and the state route take longer, and the time depends on the office.
Need your Migration Certificate legalized?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route and a written quote.