Apostille Attestation in India 2026: Complete Guide to Fees, Procedure & Required Documents

Written by: Dayanand Sutar |  Edited by: Swapnil Vyawahare

Reviewed by: Professional Attestation & Apostille Consultants team of PEC Attestation

1. What is Apostille Attestation?

Apostille attestation is an international certification that authenticates public documents for use in foreign countries. The term "apostille" comes from the French word meaning "certification" or "authentication." This certification is issued under the authority of the Hague Convention of 1961, officially known as the "Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents."

India has been a signatory to the Hague Convention since 1961, making apostille certification a standardized process recognized by over 120 member countries worldwide.

"Apostille is done for personal documents like birth/death/marriage certificates, Affidavits, Power of Attorney, etc. and educational documents like degree, diploma, matriculation and secondary level certificates etc." — Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

What the Apostille Contains:

• Country of Issue (India)
• Document Type
• Issuing Authority
• Date of Apostille
• Unique Identification Number
• Official Seal and Signature

2. Why is Apostille Attestation Required?

Common Scenarios Requiring Apostille:

Scenario	Documents Required	Example Destinations
Higher Studies Abroad	Degree Certificates, Transcripts, Mark Sheets	USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Europe
Employment Visa	Degree, Experience Certificates, PCC	USA, UK, Germany, UAE
Immigration/PR	Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, PCC	Canada, Australia, New Zealand
Business Expansion	MOA, Partnership Deeds, Board Resolutions	USA, UK, Singapore, Dubai
Property Transactions	Power of Attorney, Sale Deeds	UAE, Saudi Arabia, UK

3. Documents Required for Apostille

Personal Documents:

• Birth Certificate
• Marriage Certificate
• Death Certificate
• Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
• Affidavits
• Power of Attorney
• Divorce Certificate
• Single Status Certificate
• Medical Certificates
• Experience Certificates

Educational Documents:

• Degree Certificates (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctoral)
• Diploma Certificates
• Mark Sheets
• Academic Transcripts
• School Leaving Certificates (10th/12th)
• Transfer Certificates
• Bonafide Certificates
• Provisional Certificates
• Professional Qualifications (CA, CS, CMA)

Commercial Documents:

• Certificate of Incorporation
• Memorandum of Association (MOA)
• Articles of Association (AOA)
• Partnership Deeds
• Board Resolutions
• GST Registration Certificates
• Import-Export Licenses
• Commercial Invoices

Supporting Documents Required:

Document Required	Purpose
Original Document	For apostille stamping
Passport Copy	Identity verification
Passport-size Photographs	Application processing
Completed Application Form	Official application
Authorization Letter	If applying through representative

4. Step-by-Step Procedure for Apostille Attestation

Phase 1: Document Verification and Notarization

1. Document Collection - Gather all original documents
2. Notarization - Get documents notarized by registered notary public
3. Document Verification - Verify information with issuing authority

Phase 2: State-Level Pre-Attestation

Document Type	Attestation Authority	Timeline
Personal Documents	State Home Department OR SDM	SDM: 3-7 days, Home Dept: 10-20+ days
Educational Documents	State HRD Department OR University	15-30 days
Commercial Documents	State Chamber of Commerce	2-5 days

Phase 3: MEA Submission and Processing

1. Submit to MEA through authorized agencies
2. MEA verification of state-level attestation
3. Apostille sticker affixed with QR code

Phase 4: Document Collection and Delivery

• Self Collection
• Courier Delivery (India)
• International Shipping (for NRIs)
• eSanad Digital Delivery

5. Complete Fee Structure (2026)

Official MEA Government Fees:

Service Type	Government Fee (₹)
Apostille per Document	₹50
Normal Attestation	Free
Emergency Apostille	₹90

Outsourced Service Provider Charges:

Service Component	Fee (₹)
Service Fee (per document)	₹84
Scanning Fee (per page)	₹3
Pickup & Delivery	₹1,100+

Pre-Attestation Charges:

Authentication Type	Fee (₹)	Processing Time
Notary Attestation	₹160	Same day
SDM Attestation	₹4,110	3-7 working days
HRD Attestation	₹6,160 - ₹13,000	5-30 working days
Chamber of Commerce	₹2,360	2-5 working days
Home Department	₹3,500 - ₹7,000	10-20+ working days

Embassy Legalization Fees (Non-Hague Countries):

Document Type	Embassy Fee (₹)
Educational Documents	₹1,200 - ₹1,500
Personal Documents	₹1,500 - ₹2,000
Commercial Documents	₹2,000 - ₹2,500

Total Cost Examples:

Document Type	Route	Total Cost (₹)	Includes
PCC	SDM + MEA	₹5,000 - ₹7,000	Notary + SDM + MEA
Birth Certificate	SDM + MEA	₹5,000 - ₹7,000	Notary + SDM + MEA
Degree Certificate	SDM + MEA	₹8,000 - ₹12,000	Notary + SDM + MEA
Degree Certificate	HRD + MEA	₹10,000 - ₹18,000	Notary + HRD + MEA
Degree (UAE)	HRD + MEA + Embassy	₹15,000 - ₹25,000	Full chain + Embassy

6. Processing Time & Timeline

Processing Time Overview:

Service Level	Duration
SDM Route (Urgent)	2-5 working days
State/HRD Route (Normal)	7-15 working days
MEA Processing	1-3 working days
Embassy Legalization	3-10 working days

Detailed Timeline by Document Type:

Document Type	Pre-Attestation	MEA Processing	Total Timeline
Birth Certificate (SDM)	3-7 days	1-3 days	5-10 days
Birth Certificate (Home)	10-20 days	1-3 days	12-23 days
PCC (RPO Issued)	1-2 days	1-2 days	2-4 days
Degree Certificate (SDM)	3-7 days	1-3 days	5-10 days
Degree Certificate (HRD)	15-30 days	1-3 days	17-33 days
Commercial Document	2-5 days	1-3 days	4-8 days

Case Study Example (UAE Employment Visa):

• Notarization + SDM: 4 days
• MEA Apostille: 5 days
• UAE Embassy Legalization: 7 days
• Total: 16 working days (faster than HRD route which can take 30+ days)

7. Apostille vs Attestation: Key Differences

Criteria	Apostille	Attestation
Applicability	Hague member countries	Non-Hague countries
Format	QR-coded sticker	Multiple stamps/signatures
Government Fee	₹50 per document	Free (₹0)
Embassy Legalization	Not required	Mandatory
Processing Time	5-15 days typically	15-30+ days
Total Cost	₹5,000-₹15,000	₹10,000-₹25,000+

Countries Requiring Apostille vs Attestation:

Apostille (Hague Members)	Attestation (Non-Hague)
USA, UK, Canada, Australia	UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar
Germany, France, Italy, Spain	Kuwait, Iran, Iraq
Japan, South Korea, Singapore	China, Vietnam

8. eSanad Digital Platform (2025-2026)

eSanad is an MEA initiative for online document attestation with digitized 40% of verification processes.

Key Features:

• Online Application Submission
• Digital Document Verification
• Real-Time Status Tracking
• QR Code Authentication
• Secure Payment Gateway
• Doorstep Delivery

Documents Supported by eSanad:

Document Category	eSanad Status
CBSE Certificates (2014+)	✅ Fully Supported
Birth/Death Certificates	✅ Partially Supported
University Documents	✅ Partially Supported
Other Documents	⏳ Manual Processing

9. Hague Convention Countries

Major Member Countries:

Region	Countries
North America	USA, Canada
Europe	UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria
Asia-Pacific	Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong
Latin America	Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Ecuador

Non-Hague Countries (Require Embassy Legalization):

• UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait
• Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon
• China, Vietnam

10. Common Mistakes to Avoid

🚫 Critical Mistakes:

1. Laminated Documents - Apostille cannot be affixed
2. Wrong Pre-Attestation Authority - Using SDM instead of HRD
3. Applying to Wrong Country - Not checking Hague membership
4. Missing Original Documents - Certified copies not accepted
5. Incomplete Applications - Missing signatures/photographs
6. Expired Documents - Document must be valid
7. Last-Minute Applications - Start 2-3 months early
8. Unverified Service Providers - Use only MEA-authorized agents

✅ Best Practices:

• Start 2-3 months before deadline
• Verify documents are original and in good condition
• Use only MEA-authorized service providers
• Keep copies of all documents
• Track application status online

11. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is apostille attestation and why is it required?

Apostille attestation is an international certification under the Hague Convention of 1961 that validates Indian documents for use abroad. It is required when documents need to be presented in Hague Convention member countries (120+ nations). The apostille stamp from MEA confirms authenticity without requiring embassy legalization.

Q2: What is the complete procedure?

1. Document verification and notarization
2. State-level attestation (Home/HRD/SDM/Chamber)
3. Submission to MEA through authorized agencies
4. MEA verification and apostille sticker
5. Document collection or delivery

Q3: What are the fees?

• MEA: ₹50 per document
• Service Provider: ₹84 + ₹3 per page scanning
• Pre-attestation: ₹160-₹13,000 depending on type
• Total: ₹5,000-₹25,000 depending on document

Q4: How long does it take?

• SDM Route: 2-5 working days
• HRD Route: 7-15 working days
• Embassy (if required): 3-10 additional days

Q5: What documents are required?

Original document, passport copy, photographs, completed application form, authorization letter (if applicable), and supporting documents based on type.

Q6: What is the difference between apostille and attestation?

Apostille is for Hague countries (QR sticker, ₹50, no embassy needed). Attestation is for non-Hague countries (multiple stamps, free, embassy legalization required).

Q7: What is eSanad?

eSanad is MEA's online platform for document attestation, allowing online submission, payment, and tracking. It has digitized 40% of verification processes.

Q8: Can I apply directly at MEA?

No, all documents must be submitted through MEA-designated outsourced agencies.

Q9: What documents cannot be apostilled?

Laminated documents, commercial contracts, invoices, customs papers, diplomatic documents, ID cards, and documents with unreadable signatures.

Q10: How long is an apostille valid?

Apostille itself has no expiration, but receiving countries may require documents to be recently issued (within 6-12 months).

Q11: SDM vs HRD route?

SDM route is faster (3-7 days) for personal documents. HRD route is mandatory for educational documents (15-30 days) but more widely accepted.