As the world engrosses in globalization and national borders blur, moving abroad for education and better job opportunities has become a very common thing. If you are an Indian wanting to head towards Europe or any Middle East country, the first step is getting all the personal documents apostilled.
Now, you may be wondering what an apostille is. For the time being, just know that it is a certification issued by the Government when you need to travel or migrate to a foreign land.
This blog will discuss every essentials of apostille services in Bangalore, with special highlights on the document types you need to get apostilled for obtaining higher education and better employment scopes.
What is an Apostille?
An apostille is a certificate issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India that authenticates the signature and seal of documents for use in countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961. This reduces the need for further legalization by the embassy, thus simplifying the process of international documentation.
For nations like the USA, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, and so on, apostille is extremely essential for educational documents, personal certificates for birth, police clearance, etc.
Why Is It Important To Have Apostille Services?
Before you move to any foreign country, authorities in that particular country need to verify the genuineness of your documents. Apostille ensures your paperwork (be it for study or job purpose) holds validity and is completely verified by the issuing country.
Apostille Services in Bangalore
Bangalore is regarded as one of the biggest IT and educational hubs in India. Thousands of aspiring candidates from Bangalore look forward to moving abroad for better educational and employment purposes, every year. Thus, to cater to such a high demand, many MEA-authorized agents and private apostille firms across the city facilitate document collection, verification and certification services.
(Note: While the actual apostille operations are handled by the MEA in New Delhi, such local agencies help in proper coordination of all the associated steps, including state-level authentication and notarization.)
Documents That Require Apostille for Educational and Job-related Fields
1. Academic Documents
These become essential when any student is applying for international universities, or jobs that need qualification proofs. Some common documents are as follows:
- Degree Certificates
- Diploma Certificates
- Class XII Mark Sheets
- Class X Mark Sheets
- Pass Certificates
- School Leaving Certificates
- Bonafide Certificates
- Transfer Certificates
Example: If you are applying for a Master’s program in Germany, your Bachelor’s degree and transcripts will need to be apostilled.
2. Personal Documents
These are mostly needed during creation of dependent visas, immigration, and student accommodation purposes. Additionally, they are used as identity proofs and for understanding family relations. Here’s a list of some personal documents
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- Divorce Certificate (if applicable)
- Death Certificate (for claiming ancestral properties or pensions)
- Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
- Affidavits
- Aadhar Card
Example: To bring your spouse along with you on a dependent visa to the Netherlands, the marriage certificate needs to be apostilled.
3. Business or Work-related Documents
Individuals looking for employment abroad may require to validate the job offer, previous employment details and other certifications pertaining to work.
- Experience Letter
- Offer Letter
- Appointment Document
- Payslips (in certain cases)
- Company registration and similar financial documents (for getting business visas)
- Power of Attorney (for property or legal cases)
Example: Suppose you have got a software engineering job in Australia. You must apostille your experience letter and university certificates in that case.
How to Get Apostille in Bangalore? Steps Explained
Step 1: Notarization
Most of the documents mentioned above require a notary in order to ensure their genuineness.
Step 2: State Authentication
- For educational documents: These need to be authenticated by the HRD Department of Karnataka
- For personal documents: These must be verified by the Home Department or Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Karnataka
- For commercial documents: Authentication is done by the Chamber of Commerce
Step 3: Apostille from MEA
Once your document has been authenticated, the MEA affixes an apostille stamp over it. This seal represents that the document is now legally valid and can be used for other countries that fall under the Hague Convention.
How to Choose an Apostille Service Provider in Bangalore?
Among so many apostille service providers available in Bangalore, it can seem challenging to choose the best one. Thus, here we provide you some tips.
Ask:
- If the agency is MEA-authorized or partnered with a reliable, authorized provider?
- What is the delivery time?
- Whether they offer at-home pickup services for document delivery?
- Is there any real-time tracking and an additional customer support system?
- Whether they provide quick services for urgency cases?
Cost of Apostille Services in Bangalore
The government price for MEA apostille is ₹50 per document. However, private service providers can charge differently, based on the following factors:
- Document type
- The level of urgency
- Quantity of documents
- Home pick-up and delivery services
In general, the time required for apostille is:
- For standard service: 5 to 15 working days
- Express service: 2 to 5 days (additional costs included)
Some other factors such as, state department workload, precision and holidays can possibly affect the overall timeline.
Conclusion
Navigating the apostille process might seem overwhelming, but with the right information and a reliable service provider in Bangalore, it becomes smooth and stress-free. Whether you’re planning to study abroad, migrate for a job, or sponsor your family’s visa, ensuring that your documents are properly apostilled is a critical step.
So, plan ahead, verify document requirements for your destination country, and choose a professional apostille service provider to help you bridge the gap between your Indian credentials and global opportunities.
If you are tired of searching for reliable and affordable ‘apostille services near me’, your search comes to an end now. DigiiTechh Serviices India is here to help you with a professional team of apostille experts for your future prospects. For service related queries, mail us to info@digiitechhserviices.com. Get started today!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Which countries accept apostilled documents?
Apostille is valid for all the countries falling under the Hague Apostille Convention. This includes the USA, UK, Germany, France, Australia and the Netherlands.
Q2: Is it possible to self-apostille documents?
Technically, it is. However, the process can take a lot of time, and require you to visit multiple offices. Hence, it is better to hire a reliable apostille agency for document certifications – this will prevent hassles, errors, and long queues.
Q3: Is an apostille valid forever?
Although apostille does not expire by itself, the validity for certain documents such as, police clearance certificates can be time-bound, depending on the country.
Q4: Do I need to apostille original documents or copies?
Yes, you need original documents for apostille. However, for certain cases, a notarized copy of the actual document can also work (especially for academic transcripts).
Q5: What if my documents are laminated?
Apostille stamps cannot be applied over laminated documents. You will first require to remove the lamination from the original documents from a professional agency or apply for a fresh document from the issuing authority.
Q6: Can I apostille documents issued in another Indian state while in Bangalore?
Yes, you can. But you may need to send the document to the respective state department (like HRD of Maharashtra for a Mumbai university certificate) for initial authentication before MEA apostille.
