Apostille
Also called: MEA apostille
A certificate issued under the Hague Apostille Convention that authenticates an Indian public document for use in other member countries. In India, apostilles are issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.
An apostille is a stamp or certificate that confirms the signature and seal on a public document, so that another country accepts it without further legalisation. India is a party to the Hague Convention of 1961 abolishing the requirement of legalisation for foreign public documents.
Who issues it in India
The Ministry of External Affairs issues apostilles, usually through authorised outsourced centres. Before that, the document must be authenticated by the State government department concerned (for example, the State education department for degrees or the home department for personal documents), or by the relevant central body.
Apostille or embassy attestation
- Countries that are members of the Hague Convention accept an apostille.
- Countries that are not members need the MEA's attestation followed by legalisation at their embassy or consulate.
- Always check the requirements of the receiving country or institution.
Documents commonly apostilled
- Birth, marriage and death certificates.
- Degrees and mark sheets.
- Affidavits, powers of attorney and commercial documents, usually after notarisation and State authentication.
Its limits
An apostille confirms the signature and seal on the document. It does not confirm that the contents are true.
A general power of attorney for use abroad or a marriage affidavit may need an apostille.
Checked against the sources below on 7 November 2026 IST. General information about Indian law, not legal advice for your case.