Certificate apostille is an internationally recognized process for legalizing documents, primarily used by countries that are part of the Hague Convention to simplify verification and prevent unauthorized endorsements of foreign certificates.

What Is Certificate Apostille?

A certificate apostille is a method of document authentication intended for use in Hague Convention countries, making international processes like studying, working, or relocating easier and legally valid. The procedure involves affixing a computer-generated square sticker (apostille stamp) on the reverse side of the document, which is provided by the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) department in India.

Process and Requirements

The apostille process includes MEA apostille attestation and may involve SDM or SDM-WNR verification, depending on the destination country. The Hague Convention established this process to maintain international coherence and safeguard the use of foreign public materials.

Required documents typically include:

• The original certificate to be legalized
• A copy of the passport

Types of Apostille Services

There are three main categories for apostille services:

• Educational certificates (for academic and qualification documents)
• Non-educational certificates (for personal documents like birth, marriage, etc.)
• Commercial certificates (for business-related documents)

Key Points About Apostille

• Over 92 countries use the apostille procedure for document verification.
• The process is generally simpler and less involved than traditional attestation.
• Apostille is mandatory for anyone intending to travel, study, or work in a Hague Convention member country.
• Non-Hague countries require a different attestation process.

Why Apostille?

The main objective is to prevent unauthorized endorsements, ensure the authenticity of public documents, and meet personal or professional requirements abroad as defined by the Hague Convention Treaty.