Guide
Apostille or embassy attestation: which do your Indian documents need?
How NRIs can tell whether an Indian degree, marriage certificate or affidavit needs an apostille or embassy attestation, and how each works.
Updated 30 October 2026
If the country where you will use the document is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, you need an apostille from India's Ministry of External Affairs after state verification. If it is not a member, such as the UAE, you usually need MEA attestation followed by attestation from that country's embassy in India.
Step 1: check the country
The Hague Conference publishes the list of countries that accept apostilles. Many common destinations for NRIs are on it, including the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and most of Europe. Some others, including the UAE, use embassy attestation instead. Always confirm with the office that asked for the document.
How an apostille works
- The document is verified by the right state department, for example the education department for degrees.
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) adds the apostille.
- The apostilled document is accepted in every member country without further stamps.
How embassy attestation works
- State verification, as for an apostille.
- MEA attestation.
- Attestation by the embassy or consulate of the destination country in India, which charges its own fee.
What you will need
- The original document, in most cases
- A copy of your passport
- An authorisation letter if someone applies for you
- Sometimes a translation, if the destination country asks for one
If you need help
SafeNRI checks which one your country needs, handles state verification, the MEA step and couriers, and shares receipts for every official fee. See Apostille and attestation. SafeNRI is an independent private service; you can also apply yourself.