Apostille for USA
Need an Indian document accepted by a US court, county recorder, bank, state licensing board or attorney? The United States has applied the Hague Apostille Convention since 15 October 1981, so the authentication a US office expects on an Indian public document is the MEA apostille – not a stamp from the US Embassy or a US consulate in India. INFINITYGRO completes the apostille for USA in Delhi, and tells you plainly when your US file does not need one.
- Power of attorney
- US courts & divorce
- Property & estates
- Name change
- Adoption
- State licensing boards
- US bank & company
- Marriage records
apostille
An apostille for USA is the MEA apostille placed on an Indian public document after the competent Indian authority has verified it – a notary and SDM for powers of attorney and affidavits, the home department or SDM for birth and marriage certificates, the state education department for degrees, a chamber of commerce for company papers. US courts, county offices, banks and licensing boards accept it without any US Embassy legalisation. Most USCIS immigration filings, however, use copies and a certified English translation, not an apostille.
USA embassy attestation is not needed – the apostille for USA is
The US Embassy and consulates in India do not legalise Indian public documents for use in America. Both countries are parties to the Apostille Convention, so when a US attorney, court clerk or county recorder asks for an “authenticated” Indian document, the MEA apostille is the answer.
It is just as important to know when you do not need it. Green-card, citizenship and most visa filings with USCIS are made with photocopies of Indian documents plus a certified English translation where needed. The apostille for USA is typically required for powers of attorney, property and estate matters, divorce and custody cases, adoptions, name changes, some state licensing boards and company filings. Send us the US request and we will tell you which side you are on.
Documents we apostille for the USA
Every document has its own route in India. We run each step from our Delhi office:
| Document | Route in India | Who asks for it in USA |
|---|---|---|
| Power of attorney (general or specific) | Notary → SDM → MEA apostille | Property sale, banks, US attorneys, family matters |
| Affidavits and declarations | Notary → SDM → MEA apostille | US courts, attorneys, name change |
| Birth certificate | Home department or SDM → MEA apostille | Courts, adoption, passports for US-born children’s records |
| Marriage certificate | Home department or SDM → MEA apostille | Divorce and custody cases, name change, county records |
| Divorce decree and court orders | Certified court copy → MEA apostille | US family courts, remarriage in the USA |
| Degree, diploma, transcripts | State education department / university verification → MEA apostille | State licensing boards and employers that request it |
| Company documents (incorporation, board resolution) | Chamber of commerce → MEA apostille | US banks, Secretary of State filings, US subsidiaries |
Why people need an apostille for USA
Property & power of attorney
An apostilled POA lets someone in the US or India act for you on property, bank and tax matters.
Divorce & custody
Marriage certificates, affidavits and Indian court orders apostilled for US family courts.
Adoption
Birth certificates and adoption papers apostilled for US adoption and re-adoption proceedings.
Name change & records
Marriage and birth certificates apostilled when a US office will not accept a plain copy.
State licensing boards
Degrees and transcripts apostilled when a board asks for authenticated academic records.
US company & banking
Board resolutions and incorporation documents apostilled for US banks and state filings.
Translation and the apostille for USA
Indian documents in English are used in the USA as they are. A document – or a stamp on it – in Hindi or another Indian language needs a complete English translation with a translator’s certificate stating that the translator is competent and the translation is accurate; this is the format USCIS and most US courts expect. The translation is made after the apostille and covers the apostille too.
We prepare certified English translations in the USCIS format. See our USCIS certified translation service.
SampleApostille for USA sample – what a US attorney or court sees
This is the same notary → SDM → MEA chain a US power of attorney follows. A US attorney or court clerk looks for the Republic of India as the issuing country, the officer whose signature and seal are certified, the date and the apostille number – and can scan the QR code to confirm the record with the MEA. Personal details are hidden in this sample.
How it worksHow we get your apostille for USA done
- Send us the US requestAttorney’s email, court notice or county checklist – we confirm whether the apostille for USA is really needed.
- WhatsApp clear scansWe check names, signatures and the issuing office before anything is filed.
- Hand over or courier originalsVisit our New Ashok Nagar office in Delhi or courier the documents from any state.
- Verification + MEA apostilleNotary, SDM, home department, state education or chamber step as needed, then the MEA apostille with QR code.
- Tracked returnOriginals return by Blue Dart or another tracked courier, with scans on WhatsApp for your US attorney.
Can you visit Delhi? You are welcome to hand over your documents and collect the signed translation at our office in New Ashok Nagar. From another state or country, just email or WhatsApp a clear scan – the soft copy comes back by email and the signed, stamped copy by Blue Dart or another reputed, fully tracked courier.
FeesApostille for USA – fees
For a document already ready for the MEA – for example a Passport Seva PCC, or a power of attorney that already carries notary and SDM stamps. We file it and return the QR apostille for USA.
The usual choice for US powers of attorney, affidavits and declarations: notary and SDM attestation arranged by us in Delhi, then the MEA apostille – one price.
Birth and marriage certificates needing home-department verification, degrees needing state verification, company papers needing chamber attestation and certified translations are quoted separately. WhatsApp your list for one written quote for your USA file.
A US power of attorney often has to follow wording set by the US state where it will be used. Ask your US attorney for the final draft, sign that exact text in India, and only then start the notary, SDM and apostille chain – editing it afterwards means repeating every step.
FAQsApostille for USA – FAQs
Does the USA accept the Indian MEA apostille?
Yes. The United States and India are both parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, so US courts, county offices, banks and boards accept the MEA apostille without US Embassy legalisation.
Do I need an apostille for a US green card or USCIS filing?
Usually not. USCIS filings normally use copies of Indian documents and a certified English translation where needed. The apostille is for courts, property, POA, adoption, some licensing boards and company matters.
How do I apostille a power of attorney for the USA?
Sign the final text before a notary in India, get it attested by the SDM, then apostilled by the MEA. We arrange all three steps in Delhi for ₹1,500 per document.
Does the US Embassy attest Indian documents?
No. For use in the USA, Indian public documents are authenticated by the MEA apostille; the US Embassy does not legalise them.
What does an apostille for USA cost?
₹1,000 per document for the MEA apostille only, or ₹1,500 per document for notary + SDM + MEA apostille. Certificate verification and translation are quoted separately.
Can I courier my documents?
Yes. Courier the originals to our Delhi office or drop them off in person; we return them by Blue Dart or another tracked courier.
Related pages
Start your apostille for USA
Send a clear scan of every page on WhatsApp or email – you get a written quote and delivery date before any work starts.
INFINITYGRO · C-5 A/2, New Ashok Nagar, Delhi – 110096Last updated: 26 October 2026 · INFINITYGRO apostille desk, New Ashok Nagar, Delhi