Attestation of the documents from the Ministry of External Affair (MEA), Government of India is very mandatory to make the document valid for its use all over India and in foreign countries as well. MEA attestation is the only important body having the full authority to attest or legalize the documents that are issued from India. It attests the issues and document Apostille stamp depending on the needs of the applicant.
The signature, as well as the stamp of the MEA personnel, basically means that all your documents are legal and can be used in a foreign country that accepts MEA attestation. Furthermore, the central department deals with the external affairs that are concerning the foreign nations, and therefore when you consider certificate legalization in India, it is compulsory to get all your documents verified and attested from the MEA. Always remember that unless MEA attestation is performed, the authenticity of your certificates and documents can’t be proved.
The procedure for MEA attestation:
The procedure mainly involves two steps.
- Documents authentication:
All the original documents that need attestation from MEA should first be authenticated by the authorities of the concerned State or Union Territory from where the documents are issued.
For non-educational documents: The documents such as marriage certificates, birth or death certificates, driving licenses, affidavits, etc. all are needed to be attested by the State Home Department of the issuing State or Union Territory. The authentication of documents should be done with the name as well as the designation seal of the concerning department or officer.
For educational documents: For every educational document, it should be attested by the State Education Department or the Human Resource Department (HRD) of the concerned State or the Union Territory. Here, the authentication should be done with the name, designation seal and the seal of the concerning department.
For commercial documents: The commercial documents must be pre-authenticated by the Chambers of Commerce before they are sent to the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. Also, the rubber stamp of the Chamber of Commerce should be affixed on every document with the name as well as the designation of the authorized signatory.
- Legalization or attestation of documents by MEA:
MEA legalizes or attests the documents only when they have been authenticated by the seal, stamp, or signature of the designated authorities of the State Government, Union Territory, or Chambers of Commerce from where they have been issued. Bear in mind that MEA attest the documents or certificates depending on the signs of the concerning authorities, and thus, it is not responsible for any content of the documents.
Documents required:
For MEA attestation, people need to submit the given documents:
- Original documents that have to be attested
- One photocopy of the passport
- One photocopy of the document
- Service charges
Processing MEA attestation in India can be quite a time-taking and difficult task. But, with the help and assistance of a reputed and experienced attestation agency, it can become much easier to get it completed, that too in just a few days.