# FAQs: Attesting Indian Documents > Frequently asked questions about obtaining Apostille in India and to legalize Indian documents for use in other countries - birth certificates, marriage certificates, criminal record certificates, academic documents and more. **Source** [India](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-attestation-FAQs)> **Related:** [Apostille Indian Documents for international use](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-Legalization-Services) · [Apostille Indian Birth, Death and Marriage Certificates](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-attest-birth-marriage-certificates) · [Apostille Indian Police Clearance Certificates](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-attest-background-checks) · [Apostille Indian Academic Documents](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-apostille-academic-documents) · [India Certificates of No Impediment](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-apostille-certificate-no-impediment) · [Get a Quotation](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/Document-Attestation-Inquiry) --- ## General Questions ### Can Indian documents be legalized by Apostille? Yes - India is a member of the Apostille Convention. Indian documents can be legalized for use abroad with an Apostille Stamp when destined for other signatory countries without additional certification by the destination country. When Indian documents are required for non-apostille countries, such as United Arab Emirates - Qatar - Thailand - Taiwan - Vietnam they need additional authentication by the embassy of the destination country. For further information about Apostille certification in India, see: [India Apostille Services](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-Legalization-Services) Exceptions to Apostille Convention (Documents required for Germany) Germany has objected to the accession of certain States to the Apostille Convention (including India), so that the Convention does not apply between Germany and India. Indian documents required for use in Germany may also require additional attestation by the German embassy or by the Indian embassy in Berlin. ### What types of documents can be legalized in India for use abroad? Official documents that can be attested with an Apostille in India from the Ministry of External Affairs include: - [India birth, death and marriage certificates](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-attest-birth-marriage-certificates) - [Indian Police Clearance Certificates](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-attest-background-checks) - [Indian university diplomas](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-apostille-academic-documents) - [Single Status Affidavits](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-apostille-certificate-no-impediment) - Divorce decrees - Incorporation certificates - Trade documents - Other documents, such as contracts, powers of attorney and affidavits can be legalized after certification by an Indian notary.To confirm whether your document is eligible for apostille authentication in India, please [Contact Isarey](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/contact-Isarey) and Isarey’ll check your document free of charge. For further information about Isarey's Indian apostille services and for assistance obtaining official copies of Indian documents, see: [India Apostille Services](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-Legalization-Services) ### How long does it take to obtain an apostille on a document in India? Apostilles on most Indian documents, including Police Clearance Certificates and birth and marriage certificates, can be obtained in **3 - 5 working days** (INDIA: Current processing time for apostilles from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs is 2-4 business days. NOTE: All processing times are estimated. Actual processing time is dependant on the authentication authority and is subject to change without prior notice.). Where additional attestation is required at the embassy or consulate of the recipient country (for example, documents required for the United Arab Emirates or Qatar), processing times vary depending on the embassy. For further information about authenticating documents issued in India, please see: [India Apostille Services](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-Legalization-Services) ### Where can I see reviews of Isarey's Indian Attestation and Apostille Services? You can see reviews from past clients who have used Isarey's attestation and apostille services: - [ISAREY reviews on Trustpilot](https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/isarey-document-attestation.com) - [ISAREY reviews on Google](https://goo.gl/maps/cuvbEYN25Xg5b8jg7) ### What is an Indian Apostille Stamp and why would I need one? A Indian Apostille is a certificate that is affixed to a public document. It certifies the authenticity of the signature appearing on the document as that of an authorized public official in India and confirms the capacity of that official. Indian Apostille stamps are often required when submitting an Indian document, such as a birth certificate, to the authorities of a foreign country or to a foreign embassy in India (for example, as part of a visa or citizenship application). Apostilles are recognised by the authorities and embassies of countries that are members of the [Hague Apostille Convention](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostille_Convention) For more information on Apostilles, see: [The ABCs of Apostilles (PDF)](https://assets.hcch.net/upload/abc12e.pdf) ### What is document legalization in India? Document legalization (or attestation) is a procedure which authenticates a public Indian document so that it can be submitted in another country for official or legal purposes - for example, if you need to submit an Indian birth certificate to the authority or embassy of another country, it will often need to be legalized. Legalizing a document in India certifies the authenticity of the signature appearing on the document as that of an authorized public official in India and confirms the capacity of that official. - Because India is a member of the Apostille Convention, Indian documents can be legalized by means of an Apostille Stamp when being submitted to countries that are also members of the [Hague Apostille Convention](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostille_Convention) - If an Indian document is required for a country that is not a member of the Apostille Convention, it will need to be legalized both by Indian authorities and by the embassy of the recipient country (embassy in India or non-resident embassy accredited to India). See: [Document legalization - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Document_legalization) ### What services does Isarey Certification Services provide in India? Isarey Certification Services provides a range of services in India including Apostille and legalization services, notarization services, certified translation services and document retrieval services. ### What do India Apostilles and legalizations look like? India Apostilles follow the standard format laid down in the Apostille Convention. Some examples of Indian documents certified with Apostille stamps: - [Indian Birth Certificate with Apostille](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/dc/India-birth-certificate-Apostille) - [Indian Police Clearance Certificate with Apostille](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/dc/Indian-Police-Clearance-Certificate-Apostille) - [India University Degree with Apostille](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/dc/Indian-university-degree-Apostille) - [Indian Marriage Certificate with Apostille](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/dc/Indian Marriage Certificate with Apostille) See [What does an Apostille look like?](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/FAQs-Document-Attestation#faq_236_s) ## Birth, death and marriage certificates ### How can I obtain an Indian Apostille on a Certificate of Single Status? Apostilles on Affidavits and Certificates of Single Status issued in India can be obtained from the Ministry of External Affairs. Certificates requiring an Apostille stamp should be certified before an Indian notary. They can then be attested by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and authenticated by the Ministry of External Affairs. Certificates of single status required for submission in countries which do not have English as their official language will need to be translated. Translations can be certified in India with an additional Apostille stamp or certified in the destination country.For further information about Isarey's Indian Apostille services for Affidavits of single status, please see: [Single Status Affidavits](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-apostille-certificate-no-impediment) ### How can I obtain a copy of an Indian birth, marriage or death certificate? New copies of Indian Birth, Death and Marriage Certificates can be obtained from the municipal corporation office, often online. - [List of municipal corporations in India](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_municipal_corporations_in_India) - [New Delhi - Birth Certificates](https://eservices.ndmc.gov.in/birth/) - [Kolkata - Birth Records](https://www.kmcgov.in/KMCPortal/jsp/KMCBirthRecordSearch.jsp) - [Goa - Birth and Death Certificates](https://services.goaonline.gov.in/AllServices?cat=citizen) - [Hyderabad - Birth and Death Certificates](https://www.ghmc.gov.in/Birth.aspx)[Mumbai - Birth and Death Certificates](https://portal.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous/qlhealth) - [Chennai - Birth and Death Certificates](https://chennaicorporation.gov.in/gcc/online-services/birth-death/) - If you need assistance obtaining an Indian certificate from outside India, please [Contact Isarey](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/contact-Isarey). For further information on Apostilles for Indian Birth, Death and Marriage Certificates, see: [India birth, death and marriage certificates](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-attest-birth-marriage-certificates) ### How can I obtain an apostille for an Indian birth, death or marriage certificate? Apostilles can be obtained for Indian birth, marriage and death certificates from the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi. If the original certificate is in English, an attested true copy of the certificate can be made from a good quality scan. This copy is then attested by the Magistrate and an Apostille affixed. The whole procedure takes less than one week.For further information, see: [India birth, death and marriage certificates](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-attest-birth-marriage-certificates) Exceptions to Apostille Convention (Documents required for Germany) Germany has objected to the accession of certain States to the Apostille Convention (including India), so that the Convention does not apply between Germany and India. Indian documents required for use in Germany may also require additional attestation by the German embassy or by the Indian embassy in Berlin. ### I need an apostille for my Indian birth, death or marriage certificate - do I need to provide an original certificate? Apostille stamps on Indian birth, death and marriage certificates can often be obtained from good-quality scans. True copies are attested by a notary and sub-divisional magistrate before submission to the Ministry of External Affairs. To obtain replacement copies of Indian vital records, contact the Municipal Corporation Office. If you need a birth certificate, but the birth was never registered, you can apply for a Non-Availability of Birth Certificate.For further information about obtaining Apostille stamps on Indian marriage, death and birth certificates, please see: [India birth, death and marriage certificates](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-attest-birth-marriage-certificates) ## Criminal record certificates ### How can I obtain an Indian Police Clearance Certificate for use abroad? An Indian Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) can be obtained to prove a clean criminal record in India, often required for visa and foreign residency applications. Police Clearance Certificates can be authenticated for official use abroad at the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi after being attested by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. Apostille stamps can be obtained by submitting the original certificate or a good-quality scan (but if using a scan, you should confirm that the recipient authority does not require the Apostille to be applied to the original PCC) Police certificates required for countries which have not acceded to the Apostille Convention, such as the UAE, Qatar, Taiwan and Kuwait, will require additional attestation by the recipient country's embassy in Delhi. - Indian citizens resident abroad are eligible to apply for a PCC using the Passport Seva System through Indian embassies and Consulates: [Passport Seva at Indian Embassies and Consulates](https://embassy.passportindia.gov.in/) - Foreign citizens abroad requiring an Indian Police Clearance Certificate may contact the respective Embassy/ Consulate of India office directly: [Embassies of India](https://eoi.gov.in/) - Applicants in Spain can apply to [BLS International](https://www.eoimadrid.gov.in/miscellaneous-consular-services.php ) - Indian nationals in India can apply online through Passport Seva [Passport Seva - Police Clearance Certificate](https://www.passportindia.gov.in/psp/ApplyPCC) - Foreign national in India can obtain an Indian Police Clearance Certificate by applying online through the Foreigners Regional Registration Office [FRRO - Police Clearance Certificate](https://indianfrro.gov.in/frro/menufrro.jsp) - For further information about Isarey's Indian PCC Apostille services, please see: [Indian Police Clearance Certificates](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-attest-background-checks) ### Do Indian Criminal Record Certificates have an expiry? Indian Police Clearance Certificates do not have a specified expiry date, but you should check with the authority or embassy that has asked for the certificate that they do not require a recently issued certificate. Indian PCCs are valid for one destination country only. A new certificate may be required if needed for a country not named on the original certificate. ### I need an apostille for my Indian criminal record certificate - do I need to provide an original certificate? It is often possible to obtain an Indian Apostille stamp on a Police Clearance Certificate by presenting a good-quality scan, by making a true copy attested by a notary, but check that the recipient authority does not require the Apostille stamp affixed to the original. ### How can I obtain an apostille for an Indian Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)? The Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi issues apostilles to certify Police Clearance Certificate (PCC). The process normally takes **3 - 5 working days** (INDIA: Current processing time for apostilles from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs is 2-4 business days. NOTE: All processing times are estimated. Actual processing time is dependant on the authentication authority and is subject to change without prior notice.). Isarey need to submit the original certificate in Delhi. PCCs can usually be obtained outside India through an Indian Embassy or Consulate.For further information about obtaining Apostilles on Indian Police Certificates, please see: [Indian Police Clearance Certificates](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-attest-background-checks) ## Academic documents ### How can I obtain an apostille for my Indian University Degree and Transcripts? Isarey can obtain Apostilles on Degree Certificates issued by Indian Universities for presentation abroad. Apostilles are obtained by presenting the original certificates to the Ministry of External Affairs. Additional procedures and criteria apply when certifying Indian higher education documents for presentation in [United Arab Emirates](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/United-Arab-Emirates-diplomas-attestation) and [Qatar](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/Qatar-diplomas-attestation)For further information about obtaining Apostille stamps on Indian university diplomas and other academic certificates, please see: [Apostille Indian university degrees](https://www.isarey-document-attestation.com/India-apostille-academic-documents) ## Notarized documents ### How can I obtain an apostille for an Indian Power of Attorney? Powers of Attorney that have have been attested by an Indian notary can be authenticated with an Apostille stamp from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.