MEA Apostille Services in India
MEA apostille services for degrees, birth and marriage certificates, PCCs, affidavits and company documents from every state of India. We get your document authenticated and apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs and send it back, usually in 2 to 3 working days by the Delhi route.
What is MEA apostille?
MEA apostille, also called Ministry of External Affairs apostille, is the apostille that the MEA, Government of India, fixes on an Indian document so that it is accepted in all countries of the Hague Apostille Convention. It is one sticker on the back of the document, issued by the MEA’s Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) Division in New Delhi, and no embassy stamp is needed after it.
The MEA apostilles a document only after it has been authenticated by the state government, a Union Territory or a Chamber of Commerce. Since 2012 the MEA no longer accepts documents at its counter: they are deposited through its authorised outsourced centres, or online through e-Sanad for some universities and boards.
INFINITYGRO is a private apostille service in Delhi. We arrange the authentication, deposit the document for MEA apostille and return it to you.
Video: the two routes to an MEA apostille
State HRD route or the Delhi route (notary, SDM, MEA), and how to choose between them.
MEA apostille services we offer
One office handles every kind of document, from a school certificate to a company’s power of attorney.
How MEA apostille works: three routes
Every MEA apostille rests on one rule: an Indian authority must first confirm the signature on your document. The route decides which authority does it.
| Route | Who authenticates | Then | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi route | Notary and SDM in Delhi | MEA apostille via an authorised outsourced centre | Most personal and educational documents; usually 2–3 working days |
| State route | The issuing state’s HRD (education) or Home / GAD department | MEA apostille | When the receiving country, university or employer asks for state verification first |
| e-Sanad | The university or board, online | MEA apostille issued online | Educational documents of institutions linked to e-Sanad |
| Commercial | A recognised Chamber of Commerce | MEA apostille | Invoices, certificates of origin, company papers |
Delhi route, step by step
- 1Notary (Delhi)The document, or its true copy, is notarised, with names checked against your passport.
- 2SDM attestation (Delhi)The Sub-Divisional Magistrate authenticates the notary’s signature.
- 3MEA apostilleWe deposit it at an MEA-authorised outsourced centre; the MEA fixes the apostille sticker.
- 4Courier backWe send the apostilled document to your address, or you collect it from our office.
What the MEA checks
- The authenticating officer’s signature and seal, not the content of your document
- The original or a properly authenticated true copy; photocopies are not apostilled
- A copy of the applicant’s passport with the document
- One apostille per document; a set of three certificates gets three stickers
MEA apostille sample
This is a real MEA apostille completed by INFINITYGRO on a degree certificate through the Delhi route. When your document comes back, check for:
- Notary stamp and signature
- SDM attestation with the officer’s name and seal
- The MEA apostille sticker headed “Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 octobre 1961)”
- The apostille number and date, needed if the receiving office verifies it
Documents we apostille, with a guide for each
Open the guide for your document to see its exact route, the papers to send and the common mistakes.
Educational documents (37)
Degrees, diplomas, mark sheets and school certificates. The Delhi route or the state HRD route, depending on the country.
Personal documents (21)
Civil-status records, affidavits and ID copies, apostilled through notary and SDM in Delhi or the state Home / GAD department.
Commercial documents (26)
Company and export papers, attested by a Chamber of Commerce before the MEA apostille.
Does your country accept an MEA apostille?
An apostille works only in countries that have joined the Hague Apostille Convention. Others need MEA attestation followed by their embassy’s stamp. Check the HCCH status table for the full list.
Apostille services near me: Delhi office or courier
In Delhi NCR
Drop off and collect your documents at our office: C – 5 A/2 New Ashok Nagar, Delhi – 110096, Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Call before you come so the file is ready when you arrive.
Anywhere else in India or abroad
Send the original document by a reputed courier with tracking. We process it in Delhi and return it by Blue Dart or another secure courier. There is no home pickup.
Apostille services by state and city
MEA apostille fees
| Total per document (our all-inclusive charge) | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500, depending on the document |
|---|---|
| Notary fee (Delhi) | Included |
| SDM attestation | Included |
| MEA apostille fee (Rs 50 government fee) | Included |
| Our service charge | Included |
| Courier | Extra, both ways |
| Translation (if needed) | Quoted by language and page |
The MEA’s own government fee is only Rs 50 per document, but an apostille also needs the notary and the SDM attestation before it. Our Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document covers all three fees and our work, so there are no hidden charges at the counter. Each document is a separate apostille: a degree and its mark sheet are two. Document-wise details are on the degree, diploma and birth certificate apostille pages.
6 mistakes that delay an MEA apostille
Laminated document
The sticker cannot be fixed on lamination. Keep originals unlaminated.
Name mismatch
Spelling on the document and the passport must match, or the file is queried.
Apostille for a non-Hague country
The UAE, Qatar and Kuwait do not accept it; they need embassy attestation.
Wrong route for the country
Some universities and employers abroad ask for the state HRD route for degrees; check your checklist first.
Missing pages
Send every page of a multi-page document, such as a transcript or a deed.
Using touts
The MEA warns against unauthorised agents. Ask any service how and where your document is deposited.
Official links for MEA apostille
FAQs: MEA apostille services
What is MEA apostille?
MEA apostille is the apostille issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, on an Indian public document. It is a sticker fixed on the back of the document that makes it valid in every country that has joined the Hague Apostille Convention, with no further embassy legalisation. India has been a member since 2005.
Who issues the apostille in India?
Only the Ministry of External Affairs issues apostilles in India, through its Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) Division in New Delhi and its branch secretariats. Documents are first authenticated by the state government, a Union Territory or a Chamber of Commerce, and are deposited through the MEA’s authorised outsourced centres.
Can I submit documents directly at the MEA?
No. Since July 2012 the MEA does not accept documents from individuals at its counter. Documents are deposited at the MEA’s authorised outsourced service providers, and educational documents of some universities and boards can go through e-Sanad online.
What is the MEA apostille fee?
The MEA’s own government fee for an apostille is Rs 50 per document. With us, the total for one document is Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500, which includes the notary fee, the SDM attestation, the MEA apostille fee and our service charge; only courier is extra. We confirm the total in writing before starting.
How long does MEA apostille take?
Through the Delhi route (notary, SDM and MEA apostille) it usually takes 2 to 3 working days once we have the document. The state HRD route takes longer because the state’s own verification comes first.
Which documents can be apostilled by MEA?
Personal documents such as birth, death and marriage certificates, affidavits and powers of attorney; educational documents such as degrees, diplomas, mark sheets and 10th and 12th certificates; and commercial documents after Chamber of Commerce attestation.
Is there an apostille service near me?
Our office is at C-5 A/2 New Ashok Nagar, Delhi 110096. If you live in Delhi NCR you can drop off and collect your documents there; from any other city or from abroad, send them by courier and we return them by Blue Dart or another secure courier.
Can I get an MEA apostille online?
Partly. For universities and boards linked to e-Sanad, educational documents can be verified and apostilled online. Other documents need the original to be authenticated and stamped, so the paper document has to reach Delhi.
Is MEA apostille valid in the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait?
No. These countries are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention, so they need MEA attestation followed by embassy attestation instead of an apostille. See our UAE embassy attestation guide for the route.
Is HRD attestation needed before apostille?
Not always. If your employer or university only asks for an apostille, the Delhi route (notary, SDM, MEA) is accepted. Some universities, employers or countries ask for the state HRD route for educational documents; check your checklist before you start.
Does the MEA apostille a photocopy?
No. The MEA does not apostille photocopies. It apostilles the original document or a properly authenticated true copy.
What is the difference between apostille and attestation?
An apostille is one MEA stamp accepted in all Hague Convention countries. Attestation is a chain of stamps, MEA attestation followed by the embassy of the destination country, used for countries that are not in the Convention.
Get your MEA apostille done
WhatsApp a photo of your document and the country it is going to. We confirm the route, the time and the cost in writing.
Office: C – 5 A/2 New Ashok Nagar, Delhi – 110096 · Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Disclaimer: INFINITYGRO is a private document facilitation service, not the Ministry of External Affairs or one of its outsourced centres. Apostilles are issued only by the MEA, Government of India; we arrange authentication and deposit through the MEA’s authorised channels. Rules and fees can change; check the receiving country’s requirements before applying.
Last reviewed: October 2026