PCC Apostille in Kerala for Jobs, Study and Migration
Kerala workers and students heading abroad often need a PCC apostille in Kerala before a visa is granted. The path depends on whether your certificate came from one of the three Regional Passport Offices or from Kerala Police through the Thuna portal. INFINITYGRO Attestation handles both kinds from our Delhi office.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
PCC apostille sample
Can a Kerala Police clearance certificate be apostilled? Yes. A Kerala Police certificate from the Thuna portal or a police station is a personal document, so it goes through notary and SDM in Delhi before the MEA. A passport office PCC is different. It goes straight to the MEA. Either way, PCC apostille in Kerala through us costs Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, plus courier.
Three passport offices, one state
Kerala has three Regional Passport Offices. Your address decides which one handles your PCC.
- Cochin covers Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, Palakkad and Thrissur, plus the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.
- Kozhikode covers Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod, and the Mahe region of Puducherry.
- Thiruvananthapuram covers the southern districts.
You apply on passportindia.gov.in and visit the Seva Kendra given in your appointment. Before the certificate is issued, the passport office may ask the local police to confirm your address. The PCC is then printed and signed by a passport officer. Keep it flat and clean, because the apostille sticker goes on the back of this same sheet.
Applicants in the Mahe region of Puducherry also go to RPO Kozhikode, so a PCC from that office may carry a Mahe address.
Key facts
| Regional Passport Offices | Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kozhikode |
|---|---|
| RPO Cochin covers | Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, Palakkad, Thrissur and Lakshadweep |
| RPO Kozhikode covers | Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragod and Mahe |
| Police PCC portal | Thuna (Kerala Police citizen portal) and Pol-App |
| Police PCC issued by | District Police Office or police station, depending on purpose |
| Authenticity check | Kerala Police certificates carry a QR code |
| MEA fee | Rs 50 per document |
Kerala Police clearance through Thuna
Kerala Police offers a police clearance certificate on its Thuna citizen portal and on the Pol-App mobile app. You apply, upload papers and pay online by UPI, card or net banking. A police order explains that the certificate may come from the District Police Office or from a police station, depending on why you need it.
If an outside body gave you its own format, you scan and attach that form when applying. All Kerala Police certificates carry a QR code that anyone can scan to confirm they are genuine.
PCC apostille in Kerala: picking the right path
Passport office PCC
This is signed by a central officer. We submit it straight to the MEA through an authorised centre. No notary or SDM step is needed.
Kerala Police certificate
This is a state document. We first get it notarised and verified by an SDM in Delhi, then submit it to the MEA. The state route through the Home Department in Thiruvananthapuram is also possible if a foreign office asks for Kerala government verification.
If the receiving office has not said which kind it wants, ask them before you apply. Getting the wrong one costs time.
Applying while you are abroad
Non-resident Keralites already living overseas usually get their PCC from the Indian embassy or consulate in that country. That certificate follows the mission's rules. If a foreign office still wants a Kerala Police certificate, you can apply on Thuna and ask a family member to collect any signed copy.
A relative in Kerala can then courier the original to us. We return it to any address in India by tracked courier.
Checks before you courier the PCC
A few simple checks avoid most delays. Read the name on the PCC against your passport, letter by letter. Make sure the passport number on a passport office PCC is your current one. Check the date of issue as well. A PCC issued against an old passport can confuse the receiving office.
- Send the original, never a scan or colour copy.
- Do not laminate or staple the certificate.
- Add a passport copy and a note with your phone number.
- Use a tracked courier and keep the receipt.
For any PCC apostille in Kerala, a WhatsApp scan to us first lets us confirm the route and spot problems early.
Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur clients
Applicants in Kochi fall under RPO Cochin and can use Seva Kendras such as Aluva or Thrippunithura. Thrissur also comes under RPO Cochin and has its own Seva Kendra.
Thiruvananthapuram residents use the Trivandrum Regional Passport Office. Kerala Police certificates for city residents are processed by the city police.
From any of these cities, send the original PCC by a reputed courier to our New Ashok Nagar office. There is no pickup service.
Gulf and Western destinations
The UAE, Qatar and Kuwait are outside the Apostille Convention. A PCC for those countries needs MEA attestation followed by embassy legalisation. We handle this through our embassy attestation service.
Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, the UK, Canada, Australia and the USA accept apostilled PCCs. Immigration offices usually ask for the passport PCC, while some employers accept a police certificate. Most want a recent one, so check their validity window.
Medical and nursing councils abroad, a common goal for Kerala nurses, often set their own rules on which PCC they accept. Read their checklist closely, and ask us if any wording is unclear.
Real police clearance certificate apostille samples
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Kerala police clearance certificate apostille FAQs
I live in Palakkad. Which passport office do I use?
Palakkad is under RPO Cochin. Book your PCC there through passportindia.gov.in.
Is a QR-coded Kerala Police certificate enough for the MEA?
The QR code proves authenticity, but the MEA still needs the notary and SDM chain first for a state police document.
How long does it take?
On the Delhi route, the apostille usually takes 2 to 3 working days after we receive the original. Courier time is extra. A passport office PCC can move a little faster because it skips the notary and SDM step.
Can I send a printout from the Thuna portal?
Send the copy as issued. If the receiving office or verifying officer wants a signed copy, collect it from the issuing police office.
I am in Lakshadweep. Which office issues my passport PCC?
Lakshadweep falls under RPO Cochin. Applications are accepted at the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra at the Kavaratti Head Post Office.
Where can I read about PCC apostille rules in general?
See our PCC apostille hub, or the Tamil Nadu PCC page for a neighbouring state.
Other documents from Kerala
- Marriage Certificate apostille
- Birth Certificate apostille
- Degree Certificate apostille
- Diploma Certificate apostille
- PCC apostille
PCC apostille in other states
Getting a Kerala police clearance certificate ready for abroad?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route, the timeline and one total price.