Commercial Documents Apostille Process, Step by Step
Exporters, founders and HR teams often know they need an apostille but not what happens to the papers once they leave the office. Here is the commercial documents apostille process as it runs in Delhi: who checks what, in which order, what each stage needs from you, and where the route changes for countries that do not accept the apostille.
Quick answer: how a company paper gets apostilled
Commercial documents apostille process in India has two fixed stages. A Chamber of Commerce first attests the signature of the person who signed for the company, and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) then issues the apostille on the strength of the Chamber’s signature. A notary is added at the start only for documents that need it, such as some copies and declarations.
The apostille is enough only in Hague Convention countries. For the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and China, and for commercial papers going to Oman or Vietnam, the MEA attests instead of apostilling and the embassy in New Delhi legalises the document afterwards. INFINITYGRO runs every stage from Delhi and quotes commercial files in writing after seeing them.
Which documents follow this route
Any paper issued by or for a business, rather than to a person, usually takes the commercial route. Typical examples:
Company and legal papers
- Certificates of incorporation and registration
- Memorandum and articles of association
- Board resolutions and powers of attorney
- Agreements, contracts and letters of authority
Trade and product papers
- Commercial invoices and packing lists
- Certificates of origin and free sale certificates
- Certificates of analysis and GMP certificates
- Audit reports and financial statements
The commercial documents apostille process in five stages
- 1Company preparationThe document is finalised, printed on letterhead where relevant, signed by an authorised signatory and stamped with the company seal.
- 2Notary, where requiredCopies, affidavits and some declarations are notarised first. Original company documents usually skip this stage.
- 3Chamber of Commerce attestationThe Chamber attests the signatory’s signature and stamps the document. This is the signature the MEA relies on.
- 4MEA apostilleFor Hague countries the MEA fixes an apostille sticker with a unique number on the document.
- 5Embassy legalisation, non-Hague onlyFor countries outside the Convention, the MEA attests instead, and the embassy in New Delhi then legalises the document.
Each stage builds on the one before it. The MEA will not act on a business paper the Chamber has not attested, and an embassy will not legalise a document without the MEA’s stamp.
What gets checked at each step
| Chamber of Commerce | That the signatory belongs to the company and that the signature, seal and company details are in order |
|---|---|
| MEA | That the Chamber’s signature and seal are genuine; it does not judge what the document says |
| Embassy, non-Hague only | That the MEA attestation is in place, plus its own rules, which can include a translation |
| Receiving office abroad | Whether the document meets its own requirements |
That last row matters. An apostille confirms the origin of a signature and seal, not that a contract is fair or an invoice correct, so a foreign buyer or registry can still question the content.
What to send for the process to begin
- The signed original documents, or the copies the Chamber will accept
- An authorisation letter on company letterhead
- A copy of the signatory’s ID or passport
- The destination country and the name of the receiving office
- Any checklist the buyer, bank or registry has given you
Delhi companies can drop the file at our New Ashok Nagar office. Others courier it in, and the finished papers go back by Blue Dart or another secure courier. We do not collect documents from your premises.
Our full service page for commercial document apostille lists the papers we handle and how they are quoted.
Where the route changes by country
Ends at the MEA apostille
Hague parties such as the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Japan and the USA.
Commercial documents apostille process: fees and time
| Commercial document | Chamber of Commerce + MEA (+ embassy where needed), quoted in writing after we see the document |
|---|---|
| Embassy legalisation fee | Extra where the country needs it; confirmed in your written quote |
| Courier | Extra, both ways |
| Translation | Quoted by language and page |
Every commercial file is quoted in writing after we see the documents. The quote states the expected time and lists any embassy fee separately.
FAQs: Commercial Documents Apostille Process, Step by Step
What is the first step in the commercial documents apostille process?
Getting the document signed and stamped correctly by the company. The Chamber of Commerce attests the signature of an authorised signatory, so a paper signed by someone without clear authority, or without the company seal, stops at the very first office.
Does the MEA apostille company documents directly?
Not without a prior attestation. The MEA acts on signatures it can verify, and for business papers that is the Chamber of Commerce’s signature. That is why the Chamber stage always comes before the MEA for commercial documents.
Do I need to visit a Chamber of Commerce myself?
No. We arrange the Chamber stage in Delhi as part of the file, together with the MEA stage. If your buyer insists on attestation by a particular Chamber, tell us before you send the documents so we can confirm whether that is possible.
Is the process different for a company and a proprietorship?
The stages are the same. What changes is how the signatory’s authority is shown: a director for a company, a partner for a firm, the proprietor for a proprietorship. The Chamber may ask for supporting proof such as a registration certificate.
What happens for a country outside the Hague Convention?
The MEA attests the document instead of apostilling it, and that country’s embassy in New Delhi then legalises it. The embassy fee is extra and confirmed in your written quote. For the UAE, MOFA attestation follows online after the embassy.
Can a director’s personal documents go in the same file?
They follow a different route. A director’s degree, passport copy or marriage certificate is a personal document and goes through the notary, SDM and MEA. It can still travel in the same courier and come back with the company papers.
Does the apostille prove my contract or invoice is correct?
No. An apostille confirms the origin of the signature and seal it relates to. It does not check the content. The foreign buyer, bank or authority still decides whether the document itself meets its requirements.
How long does the whole process take?
It depends on the document, the Chamber and the MEA’s workload, and on whether an embassy stage is needed. We state the expected time in your written quote with the price, after seeing the document, rather than giving a figure that may not hold.
Official sources
Start your company file with a photo check
WhatsApp a photo of your document and the country it is for. We confirm the route, time and total in writing before you send anything.
Office: C – 5 A/2 New Ashok Nagar, Delhi – 110096 · Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM · office drop-off or courier, no home pickup
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Disclaimer: INFINITYGRO is a private document facilitation service, not a government office or embassy. Apostilles and attestations are issued only by the Ministry of External Affairs and the embassies concerned; we do not issue, correct or verify certificates. Rules and fees can change, so check the requirements of the authority that will receive your document.
Last reviewed: October 2026