MEA Attestation | MEA Apostille | Ministry of External Affairs Apostille

The full form of MEA Attestation is Ministry of External Affairs Attestation.

MEA attestation is carried out by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the central government authority. This process, also known as MEA apostille, is required for various reasons when a person is going abroad.

Want to learn about MEA Attestation and Apostille? Discover all the details here.

You might have heard this word of MEA from your employer who you are traveling for an employment visa. Plus, there is a possibility that you get an email from a university to get it done when you are traveling on a student visa.

The ministry of external affairs is a central department of India. Only this department has the authority to legalize the documents.

We provide MEA attestation services in major cities of India like Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata and Mumbai and other small cities of India.

MEA Attestation and Apostille

What is MEA Attestation and its meaning?

MEA Attestation means the legalization of all the documents and certificates. The Ministry of External Affairs legalizes your educational and non-educational documents like degree, birth and marriage certificates.

MEA Attestation is only possible when your documents have already been attested by the state department.

MEA Attestation is a process conducted by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India to verify the authenticity of documents intended for use abroad. This attestation is essential for a variety of purposes, including employment, higher education, and migration.

For example, if your documents are issued from Maharashtra then local authentication from Mumbai is necessary before you go through the MEA Attestation process. After the authentication from Mumbai, the MEA department will attest your documents.

Why do you need to go through the MEA Attestation procedure?

People are required to go through the process because it is a law of the Hague Convention. As per this law, whenever you are traveling to other countries for employment or study then your documents need to be verified by MEA so that foreign countries can believe that all your documents are genuine.

How to Apply for MEA Attestation Apostille Online?

The Indian government has launched the e-Sanad online attestation portal, where you can submit clear scanned copies of your documents along with your passport as supporting proof. You need to pay the required government fees, upload your documents online, and provide your address. The MEA department will verify your documents, and once the apostille is done, they will send the hard copy to your address.

Please note, this process is available only for certain documents like PCC (Police Clearance Certificate) and not for all types of documents.

Where you can get MEA Document Attestation in India?

The branch to attest the documents is located in New Delhi.

CPV Division Ministry of External Affairs, Patiala House Court, Tilak Nagar, New Delhi-110001.

On the date of 1st March 2012, MEA gave the authority to the agencies to submit and collect documents. But only MEA has the final authority to attest and apostille the documents.

What is The Procedure for MEA Stamp Attestation in India?

The most common process for getting an MEA attestation stamp on your certificate is as follows. You can either complete the process yourself or have it done through ND Universal

  • Authentication by State Authorities: Documents must first be authenticated by the relevant state authorities (e.g., HRD for educational documents, Home Department or SDM Attestation for personal documents).
  • Submission to Outsourced Agencies: The MEA has outsourced the collection and delivery of documents to agencies like ND Universal Pvt Ltd
  • Verification and Attestation by MEA: The MEA verifies and attests or apostilles documents based on state authentication.

Types of Certificates Accepted for MEA Attestation

Here is the list of certificates that can be apostilled or attested by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India.

Educational Certificates

  • Degree Certificate
  • Diploma Certificate
  • HSC (12th) Certificate
  • SSC (10th) Certificate
  • Mark Sheets / Transcripts
  • Provisional Degree Certificate
  • Nursing Certificate
  • Engineering Certificate
  • Medical Certificate

Personal Certificates

  • Birth Certificate
  • Marriage Certificate
  • Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
  • Single Status Certificate
  • Unmarried Certificate
  • Divorce Certificate
  • Death Certificate
  • Medical Certificate
  • Affidavit

Commercial Documents

  • Certificate of Incorporation
  • Memorandum of Association (MOA)
  • Articles of Association (AOA)
  • Power of Attorney
  • Commercial Invoice
  • Certificate of Origin
  • Board Resolution
  • Free Sale Certificate

How long does the process take?

The process typically takes a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the document type and state of origin.

If you get your document attested through an MEA-authorized agency like ND Universal, the process is usually faster than applying individually and can often be completed within 2 to 3 working days.

Which countries accept MEA Apostille?

Countries that are members of the Hague Apostille Convention. A complete list is available on the Hague Conference website.

For most Gulf countries like the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Embassy Attestation is required after MEA Attestation.

What process do we do after getting all the documents at our Office?

Trying to understand how we provide the most dependable services? Here you can get all the details.

We will review all your documents after receiving them. We make sure that you have submitted all the supportive documents or not. Our executives will ensure that they are as per the law.

We also provide an internal tracking system in which our executives will put a barcode sticker on all the documents. By using this barcode you can easily see the current status of your documents.

After that, we will do the process of MEA. As the documents are verified our executives will double-check if all the documents are containing the stamp on them or not. Plus, we will also check the spelling and other minor things.

If there are any corrections then we will do the procedure again. At last, after the completion of the MEA Attestation and Apostille procedure, we will send you a scanned copy and dispatch the physical documents to your address.

Major cities we cover

Chennai Delhi Hyderabad Mumbai

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How can I get an MEA attestation on my certificate?

    To get an MEA attestation on your certificate, it must go through several verification stages, such as Notary attestation, SDM/Home Department or HRD attestation (depending on the document type), followed by attestation from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA attestation process is carried out through the MEA’s authorized system in New Delhi (Patiala House) or through authorized agencies such as ND Universal.

  • Which agencies are approved for MEA Apostille services?

    The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has authorized only a limited number of agencies to process apostille services in India. ND Universal is one of the most preferred authorized agencies, offering apostille services across major metro cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Bengaluru. It also provides free document pickup and delivery from your address across India, making the process convenient and hassle-free.

    Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Bengaluru. It also provides free document pickup and delivery from your address across India, making the process convenient and hassle-free.

  • What is the meaning of an MEA Apostille?

    An MEA Apostille is the official authentication of a document by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India. It verifies the authenticity of the document.The Ministry of External Affairs is the only authority in India authorized to issue an apostille certificate, which is why it is known as an MEA Apostille.

  • How to get an MEA seal on a passport?

    To get an MEA seal on your passport, the required document is a clear copy of your passport (front and back) with the round seal of the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK). You can either send us a clear PDF scan or a photocopy of your passport. We will submit it to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). After verification, the MEA will affix its official seal on your passport copy

  • Is it possible to get an MEA Apostille online?

    Yes, it is possible to get an MEA Apostille online. However, not all documents are eligible for online apostille. Only certain documents can be apostilled through the e-Sanad portal.

  • What is MEA verification?

    MEA verification means your documents will be verified by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). After verification, they put an official MEA seal on the back side of the certificate, which is known as MEA verification. This process is carried out with the help of the concerned State Government as well as the Central Government.

  • Does MEA Attestation have an expiry date?

    MEA Attestation is generally valid for a lifetime in most countries. However, some countries or authorities may require a recently issued MEA Attestation, especially if the document was attested many years ago.

  • What is the difference between MEA Attestation and Apostille?

     

    If you are traveling to the European and Hague Convention countries then you need to go through the MEA Apostille procedure. While you are traveling to the Gulf countries like UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi, and Bahrain you need to go through the MEA Attestation procedure before you submit your documents to the respective embassy.

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