An apostille is an official certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document so that it can be presented in another country that participates in the Hague Apostille Convention. Indian documents commonly apostilled for overseas use include birth and marriage certificates, educational qualifications, court documents, affidavits, powers of attorney and certain commercial documents.
India has offered an online document-verification and apostille application system known as e-Sanad since 2017. However, applicants should understand an important distinction: e-Sanad provides an online method of submitting, verifying and paying for an apostille application, but India has not yet fully implemented a universally downloadable electronic apostille, or “e-Apostille.”
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs states that electronic Apostilles are still being developed and implemented. Under the present e-Sanad procedure, eligible documents are processed electronically, but the apostilled document is ordinarily sent to the applicant by Speed Post. Therefore, the service is more accurately described as an online apostille application service rather than a completely electronic Apostille system.
Confirm That You Need an Apostille
Before applying, confirm that an apostille is the appropriate form of authentication.
An Indian apostille is generally suitable when:
- the document was issued in India;
- it is considered a public document under Indian law;
- it will be presented in another country;
- the destination country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention; and
- the receiving authority requires the document to be apostilled.
India has been a party to the Apostille Convention since 2005. An apostille issued in India should generally remove the need for further embassy or consular legalisation in another Convention country.
If the destination country is not covered by the Convention, the document will usually require normal attestation by the Ministry of External Affairs and may then need legalisation by the relevant foreign embassy or consulate.
Applicants should check the current Convention status of the destination country on the Hague Conference on Private International Law website and ask the intended receiving organisation whether an apostille is actually required.
Check Whether Your Document Is Eligible for e-Sanad
The principal requirement for using e-Sanad is that the document must be available in a digital repository maintained by, or connected to, the relevant Document Issuing Authority.
The system can potentially cover:
- educational documents;
- personal documents; and
- commercial documents.
Nevertheless, online processing is not available for every document issued in India. Participation depends upon whether the particular school board, university, government department, registrar, state authority or commercial body has been integrated with e-Sanad.
For example, CBSE documents issued from 2014 onwards are supported through the CBSE digital repository. The Ministry states that physical copies of these CBSE documents are not accepted for apostille or attestation because they must be processed through the electronic system. Various institutions connected with the National Academic Depository or DigiLocker may also be supported.
Applicants should consult the list of participating Document Issuing Authorities on the official e-Sanad website. If the issuing authority is not integrated, the document will normally need to follow the conventional physical apostille procedure.
Step 1: Create an e-Sanad Account
Visit the official e-Sanad portal and select Online Attestation. New applicants must choose the sign-up option and create an account.
The registration process generally requires an email address and basic personal information. The applicant should use an email address that is regularly monitored because information about the application may be communicated electronically.
After registration, sign in using the registered email address and password. Applicants should use only the official government portal and avoid unapproved agents or websites that imitate government services.
Step 2: Select the Document Issuing Authority
After logging in, select the appropriate issuing authority or digital repository. The available choices depend on the institutions and state authorities participating in e-Sanad.
Enter the document information requested by the portal. For an educational certificate, this may include details such as the institution, year of examination, roll number, certificate number or other identifying information.
The information must exactly correspond with the record maintained by the issuing authority. Differences in names, certificate numbers, dates or spelling can delay verification or cause the application to be rejected.
Step 3: Upload the Required Documents
Upload clear, complete copies of the requested documents in the specified format and file size. Depending on the transaction, the portal may require:
- the document to be apostilled;
- proof of identity;
- passport details;
- details of the destination country;
- the applicant’s address; and
- any supporting authorisation if someone is applying on the document holder’s behalf.
Do not upload an altered, cropped or incomplete document. All signatures, seals, registration numbers and endorsements should be visible.
The Ministry of External Affairs generally apostilles original documents or properly certified true copies. It does not simply legalise an ordinary, unauthenticated photocopy.
Step 4: Choose Apostille Rather Than Normal Attestation
Select Apostille where the document will be used in a country to which the Apostille Convention applies.
Normal attestation is a different process intended principally for documents being sent to countries where an apostille is not accepted. Choosing the wrong service can result in wasted time or the document being unsuitable for its intended destination.
Step 5: Pay the Applicable Fees
Pay the prescribed fees through the payment facility provided by the portal. The costs may include:
- the Ministry of External Affairs apostille fee;
- a document-verification fee charged by the issuing authority;
- processing or service charges; and
- postage or delivery expenses.
The MEA’s published fee for a conventional apostille is currently ₹50 per apostille, although additional charges may apply depending upon the application channel and issuing authority. Applicants should rely on the amount displayed by e-Sanad at the time of payment, as charges and payment arrangements can change.
Save the payment confirmation and application number.
Step 6: Document Verification and MEA Processing
The relevant Document Issuing Authority verifies the document against its records. Once verification is completed, the application proceeds to the Ministry of External Affairs for apostille processing.
An apostille does not certify that every statement contained in the document is true. It authenticates the origin of the document, including the relevant signature, seal or official capacity of the person who executed it.
Processing may be delayed where the document cannot be located in the repository, the information is inconsistent, verification fees remain unpaid or the issuing authority requires additional information.
Step 7: Track the Application
Applicants can use the e-Sanad application-status page to check progress using either the application ID or document ID.
Once processing is complete, the apostilled document is generally dispatched to the applicant by Speed Post. Check the delivery address carefully before submitting the application.
The recipient overseas may also check the apostille through the portal’s electronic register by entering the apostille or attestation number.
What If the Document Is Not Eligible for e-Sanad?
A document that is not available through an integrated digital repository must normally follow the physical procedure described by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Depending upon the document, prior authentication may be required from a designated state or union-territory authority, an education department, a home department, a general administration department or a recognised chamber of commerce. The document is then submitted through an MEA-authorised outsourced service provider.
Applicants should not assume that scanning a document makes it eligible for e-Sanad. Eligibility depends upon the issuing authority’s participation and its ability to verify the document electronically.
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