What exactly does an MEA apostille certify?
An apostille is a standardised certificate defined by the 1961 Hague Convention. Once the Ministry of External Affairs affixes it, the country receiving your document is legally required to accept it as genuine — no further legalisation by that country’s embassy or consulate is needed.
This is different from regular attestation, which is a chain of stamps ending at an embassy. Apostille replaces that final embassy step with one MEA sticker, which is why it only applies when your destination country is a Hague signatory.
Before MEA will apply the apostille, your certificate still needs to clear the same state-level checks as attestation — notarisation and HRD or Home Department verification, depending on the document type. We handle that full chain for you.
Everything you need to know, at a glance
Convention
Hague Convention, 1961
Issuing authority
Ministry of External Affairs, India
Validity
Valid for the document’s lifetime
Format
Security sticker with QR verification
Certificates we apostille, by category
Every document takes a slightly different route to MEA — we already know which one yours needs.
Educational
Degree, diploma, marksheet, school leaving certificate.
Personal
Birth, marriage, single-status and death certificates.
Police clearance
PCC for long-stay visas, PR and citizenship applications.
Commercial
Invoices, certificate of origin, power of attorney, MOUs.
From your doorstep to an MEA-apostilled certificate
The same four counters every apostille must clear — we walk it for you.
Notary / Home Dept.
Initial verification at the notary or state Home Department, depending on document type.
HRD / SDM Verification
State-level authentication — HRD for education certificates, SDM for personal documents.
MEA Apostille
The Ministry affixes the Hague apostille sticker directly onto your certificate.
Ready to use abroad
No embassy step required — the apostille alone is valid in any member country.
An apostille chain with no guesswork
Genuine, tracked
Every certificate is logged and safeguarded until it’s back with you.
Fast turnaround
Priority counters at Patiala House keep your timeline short.
Real-time updates
SMS, email and WhatsApp status at every checkpoint.
Transparent pricing
One clear quote upfront, covering every stage to MEA.
MEA apostille, answered
What’s the difference between apostille and attestation?
Attestation ends with embassy legalisation in Delhi for the specific destination country. Apostille replaces that embassy step with one MEA sticker, valid across every Hague Convention member country — but only if your destination has signed the convention.
How long does MEA apostille take?
Typically 3–5 working days once notarisation and state-level verification are complete, though timelines vary by document type and state processing load.
Which countries accept apostille instead of attestation?
Any of the 120+ Hague Convention member countries, including most of the EU, the UK, Australia and Japan. Countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are not members and still require embassy attestation.
Do I need embassy attestation after getting an apostille?
No. For Hague member countries, the MEA apostille is the final step — no embassy or consulate stamp is required afterward.
Ready to get your certificate apostilled?
Share your document details and we’ll map the exact counters it needs — today.