Power of Attorney Apostille and Attestation for Use Abroad
A power of attorney apostille lets an authority abroad accept that the notary who attested your Indian power of attorney is genuine. In India the document is drafted privately, printed on stamp paper under the relevant state stamp law and executed before a notary under the Notaries Act, 1952. INFINITYGRO then takes it through the Chamber, MEA and, where needed, the embassy.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
MEA attestation stamp and Apostille sticker
Can a power of attorney made in India be used in another country? Yes, once it is legalized for that country. For Apostille members such as the UK, USA or Saudi Arabia, the notarised deed goes for a power of attorney apostille from the MEA. For the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait or China, it needs MEA attestation and then the embassy stamp. The executant must sign in person before the notary first.
Why the executant has to be there in person
A power of attorney is only as good as its execution. The notary must see the person who grants the power sign the deed, check identity and then attest it. Section 8 of the Notaries Act, 1952 lists this as a core notarial function: to verify, authenticate, certify or attest the execution of an instrument.
This is why we cannot notarise a power of attorney that arrives already signed by someone who never met the notary. If the signatory lives in another city, they should visit a local notary there and send us the executed deed. A notary who attests without the executant present creates a document that may later be challenged abroad, after you have paid for every stamp.
Key facts
| Who prepares it | The principal (person or company), usually through a lawyer; it is a private deed |
|---|---|
| Paper | Non-judicial stamp paper or e-stamp under the stamp law of the state where it is executed |
| Who signs | The executant in person before a notary; a company signs through an authorised director backed by a board resolution |
| First step | Notarisation under the Notaries Act, 1952 (section 8 allows a notary to attest execution of an instrument) |
| Commercial POA | Recognised Chamber of Commerce authentication before MEA |
| MEA step | Apostille for Hague countries; normal attestation for embassy-route countries |
| Apostille countries | UK, USA, Canada, Australia, most of Europe (not Germany), Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Turkey |
| MEA fee | Rs 50 per document for Apostille; normal attestation is free |
Stamp paper and the state stamp law
Stamp duty on a power of attorney is set by the stamp law that applies in the state where it is executed. Many states use e-stamp certificates; some still sell physical non-judicial paper. The duty differs by state and by the type of power given. A general power over property usually costs more than a single-purpose authority.
We do not quote stamp duty, because it is not ours to set. Your lawyer or the stamp vendor will tell you the right value. What matters for legalization is simple. The deed should be on valid stamp paper, the first page should carry the stamp, and every page should be signed or initialled.
If the deed will be used for property in India, local registration rules may also apply. That is a separate question from foreign legalization.
Personal and company powers of attorney
Two kinds reach our desk. A personal power of attorney lets someone abroad act for you: sell a car, operate a bank account, handle a court case or sign a lease. A company power of attorney lets an agent, distributor or local lawyer act for an Indian business abroad. Typical uses are product registration with a ministry, tender filing, trademark work or opening a branch.
The company version should be signed by a director or officer named in a board resolution. Many Gulf ministries ask for the resolution to be legalized along with the deed. Commercial powers usually go through Chamber of Commerce authentication before the MEA, as described on our commercial documents page.
Power of Attorney 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
Power of attorney apostille or embassy attestation: picking the route
The destination country decides the route. A power of attorney apostille from the MEA is final for Hague Convention members. The UK, USA, Canada, Australia, most of Europe, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Turkey fall here. Vietnam joins from 11 September 2026.
- UAE: notary, Chamber (for company deeds), MEA attestation, UAE Embassy in New Delhi, then UAE MOFA inside the UAE.
- Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and similar: MEA attestation, then that country's embassy.
- China: red-sticker notary, Chamber, MEA attestation, Chinese Embassy. India objected to China's accession in 2023, so there is no Apostille between the two.
- Germany: no legalization of Indian documents. German offices may verify through their embassy instead.
Read more on the MEA Apostille and embassy attestation pages.
A different case: POA signed abroad for use in India
Many enquiries come from NRIs who want to sign a power of attorney overseas for property or bank work in India. That is the reverse direction, and it follows different rules. Section 33 of the Registration Act, 1908 says a principal living outside India may execute the deed before a notary public, a court, judge or magistrate, an Indian Consul or Vice-Consul, or a representative of the Central Government.
In practice, NRIs sign at the Indian Embassy or consulate, or before a local notary followed by an apostille in that country. The document then arrives in India and may need stamping and registration here. Indian MEA apostille plays no part in that flow. This page deals with deeds signed in India for use abroad.
Your courier packet for a power of attorney
- The original executed and notarised deed on stamp paper, unlaminated.
- For a company deed: the board resolution and a copy of the certificate of incorporation.
- Passport copy of the executant, and of the attorney if the destination asks.
- The country of use and, if you have it, the receiving office's checklist.
- A note if you need a translation into Arabic, French, Spanish or another language.
Delhi NCR clients can drop the deed at our New Ashok Nagar office. Others courier it to us. We return it by Blue Dart or another tracked courier. We do not offer home pickup. Translation is arranged through our certified translation service.
Execution slips we see most often
- The executant signed before meeting the notary.
- Names spelt differently from the passport, or the attorney's passport number missing when the country expects it.
- A company deed signed by a manager with no board authority.
- Pages not initialled, or loose sheets stapled after notarisation.
- An apostilled deed sent to the UAE, or an embassy-attested deed sent to an Apostille country.
- Lamination, which hides the paper and makes stamping impossible.
Most of these are cheaper to fix before notarisation than after. Send us the draft first and we will flag issues we see.
Government fees and our written quote
The MEA charges Rs 50 per document for an Apostille. MEA normal attestation is free. Chambers and embassies charge their own fees. Embassy fees are usually higher for commercial deeds than for personal ones. INFINITYGRO quotes per document in writing before you send anything, and courier charges are extra. For UAE costs, see our UAE attestation charges page, or contact us for a quote.
What the MEA stamps look like
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
Power of Attorney apostille FAQs
Do I need to come to Delhi to sign?
No. Sign in front of a notary in your own city and courier the original deed to us. The notary must see you sign.
Can a scanned or photocopied power of attorney be apostilled?
The MEA works on originals bearing a verifiable signature and seal. A plain photocopy will not do. Send the executed original.
Is a power of attorney apostille accepted in the UAE?
No. The UAE is on the embassy route. The deed needs MEA attestation, the UAE Embassy stamp in New Delhi and then UAE MOFA attestation.
Does the MEA check what powers I have given?
No. The MEA confirms the signature and seal of the authenticating officer. It does not review the content of the deed.
Our company is giving a POA to a distributor in Oman. What else is needed?
Usually a board resolution naming the signatory, plus the notarised deed. Oman is an Apostille country, so after the Chamber step the MEA Apostille completes the chain.
I am an NRI in Canada. Can you apostille my POA for an Indian property?
No. A deed signed in Canada for use in India is executed before the Indian mission or a Canadian notary as section 33 of the Registration Act allows. Indian MEA apostille is not part of that process.
Can you translate the deed into Arabic?
Yes. We arrange certified translation. Check with the receiving office whether they want the translation legalized too.
Need your Power of Attorney legalized?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route and a written quote.