If you want to go abroad, outside of India, it will benefit you to get your official documents apostilled. This is because an apostille verification will make the documents acceptable and legally valid in all the Hague nations. That way, you do not have to worry about proving your legitimacy and authentication in a foreign land. This applies to all the documents you might put in for studying or working abroad. However, it would be best to remember that it is only in those countries that were part of the Hague convention in 1961. This means if you are planning to a country that is not part of the Hague nations, then the apostille will not be valid.
Getting an apostille is just a sticker on the back of all the legal documents. This is highly beneficial for you if you are also planning to apply for citizenship. With an apostille, your documents will automatically become legal and verified in those countries. In the convention held in Hague, the need to legalize these certificates and documents is removed if you get them apostilled. However, if you do not know how to apply for the apostille, do not worry. In this article, we will discuss the two methods through which you can use the apostille service in India and get your document verified.
Apostille with state attestation
Before we begin, it is crucial to remember that the apostille will only be done by the ministry of external affairs (MEA). This means that the document will be sent to the headquarters of the church, which is located in the country’s capital. However, in the case of getting an apostille through the state attestation method, before it reaches there, the certificate or any other documents will go through several government bodies and a lot of verification. This may take a lot of time, so it is better to start early if you want to apostille your document. Otherwise, you will face many issues regarding your visa and other formalities to go abroad. Therefore, getting a head start at least a few months before you plan to go overseas is recommended.
Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) attestation
This method has fewer steps in the verification process before the document reaches the ministry of external affairs. This is a more time-effective way if you are in a hurry. However, state attestation is the more popular method of the two. In SDM attestation, the sub-divisional magistrate conducts all the verification instead of the state government and is sent to the MEA for the apostille. You can take up online apostille services in India for a more straightforward process.
Several platforms online offer services to get your document apostille since the ministry receives a lot of documents for the stamp. Moreover, it will be easier for you since the services guide you and resolve any queries you may have. Although you might have to pay a small amount, it will be worth it.
