Getting a PCC Apostille in Maharashtra Right the First Time
Arranging a PCC apostille in Maharashtra begins with one question: did a passport office or the state police issue your certificate? RPO Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur issue passport PCCs, while Maharashtra Police issues character certificates through its online Police Character Certificate Service. INFINITYGRO takes either kind to the MEA.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
PCC apostille sample
Is a Maharashtra Police character certificate the same as a passport PCC? No. The passport PCC comes from a Regional Passport Office and goes straight to the MEA. The character certificate from pcs.mahaonline.gov.in is issued by the police and needs notary and SDM attestation in Delhi, or Home Department attestation in Mumbai, before PCC apostille in Maharashtra. Ask the receiving office which one it wants.
The Passport Office Certificate
Maharashtra has Regional Passport Offices in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. You apply on passportindia.gov.in, attend a Passport Seva Kendra, and the RPO issues the PCC after police verification. The RTI disclosure for RPO Mumbai on the passport portal lists Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar and Aurangabad in its area. Offices can be reorganised, so confirm your RPO on the portal.
Because a passport officer signs it, this PCC does not need a notary or SDM.
The passport PCC uses your passport details and your current address. If you moved recently, police verification happens at the new address, so give an address where you can be reached.
Key facts
| Regional Passport Offices | Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur |
|---|---|
| Passport PCC application | passportindia.gov.in |
| State police service | Police Character Certificate Service, pcs.mahaonline.gov.in |
| Passport PCC route | Straight to MEA |
| Police certificate route | Notary, SDM Delhi, MEA; or Home Dept Mumbai, MEA |
| RPO Mumbai area (RTI list) | Includes Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Aurangabad districts |
| MEA fee | Rs 50 per document |
The Maharashtra Police Character Certificate
The Maharashtra Police lists its Police Character Certificate Service at pcs.mahaonline.gov.in. You apply online, and police verify your record before the certificate is generated. Employers and some foreign offices accept this certificate, but it is signed by a police officer, so the MEA needs it attested first.
On the Delhi route, a notary and an SDM in Delhi attest it. On the state route, the Home Department in Mumbai attests it. The MEA then adds the apostille.
Keep the application number from the portal. If the receiving office later asks whether the certificate is genuine, that number helps us and you answer quickly.
Steps for PCC Apostille in Maharashtra With Us
- Share a scan on WhatsApp so we can confirm the certificate type.
- Courier the original and a passport copy to our Delhi office.
- We send a passport PCC to the MEA through an authorised outsourced centre.
- A police character certificate goes through notary and SDM first.
- The apostilled certificate returns to you by tracked courier.
The Delhi route usually takes 2 to 3 working days. INFINITYGRO charges Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, courier extra.
If anything is missing or unclear, we call you before sending the certificate onward. That avoids a rejection at the MEA stage, which would cost both time and a second courier trip.
Serving Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Aurangabad
Mumbai clients usually hold PCCs from RPO Mumbai. Pune residents deal with RPO Pune, and Nagpur residents with RPO Nagpur. The RTI list places Nashik and Aurangabad under RPO Mumbai, although local Passport Seva Kendras handle the visits.
For police character certificates, all of these cities use the same state service. Whichever certificate you hold, courier it to us. There is no home pickup. Delhi NCR visitors may drop it at our office.
Clients in Thane, Navi Mumbai and Kolhapur follow the same process. Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg addresses also appear under RPO Mumbai in the RTI list, so a passport PCC from those districts is normally signed there.
What Different Destinations Tend to Ask
Requirements vary, so treat this as a rough guide. Immigration and long-term visa files usually ask for the passport PCC. Jobs, studies or volunteering abroad sometimes accept a police character certificate. If the request says the certificate must cover all of India or be issued by a passport authority, choose the passport PCC.
The UAE, Qatar and Kuwait are outside the Hague Convention and need embassy legalization. See embassy attestation.
Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia and most of Europe accept the apostille. China does not, and Germany verifies Indian documents through its embassy instead.
How Recent Must It Be
Many offices want a recently issued police certificate. They set the limit, not the MEA, so ask them for the exact window. Apply for the PCC only when your other papers are nearly ready, so it is still fresh when it arrives abroad.
The name on the certificate must match the passport. A spelling difference may need an affidavit before attestation.
If you are applying for more than one country, check each one's rule separately. One country may accept a PCC that another considers too old.
Papers to Include With Your PCC
- The original PCC or police character certificate
- A clear copy of your passport's front and back pages
- The request letter or checklist from the receiving office, if you have one
- Your phone number and the destination country on a note
For a PCC apostille in Maharashtra, the request letter matters most. It tells us which certificate type was asked for and whether a translation is needed. If you are applying for a spouse or parent as well, send their certificates in the same packet. Each one gets a separate apostille, but they can travel together and come back in a single tracked parcel.
Real police clearance certificate apostille samples
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Maharashtra police clearance certificate apostille FAQs
Which Maharashtra RPO issues my PCC?
It depends on your address. The passport portal assigns your RPO and Passport Seva Kendra when you apply.
Do you apply on pcs.mahaonline.gov.in for me?
You apply yourself, because the police verify you personally. We handle attestation and apostille once you have the certificate.
Is an apostilled PCC accepted in China?
No. China does not accept the Indian apostille, and Germany verifies Indian documents through its embassy.
Can I send a printout of an online police certificate?
Send us a scan first. We will tell you whether it can be attested as it is. If it carries a verifiable digital signature, it may be accepted for attestation. If not, you may need a signed copy from the police.
How do I reach you?
WhatsApp +91 85955 58517 or the contact page.
Can a police character certificate be translated?
Yes. We arrange certified translation in all major languages if the receiving office wants one. Ask whether the translation needs its own apostille.
Other documents from Maharashtra
- Marriage Certificate apostille
- Birth Certificate apostille
- Degree Certificate apostille
- Diploma Certificate apostille
- PCC apostille
PCC apostille in other states
Getting a Maharashtra 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.