What Is the Process for Marriage Certificate Apostille in India?
You hold a registrar’s marriage certificate and a foreign office wants it apostilled. Between your hands and the MEA sticker there are five stages, and each one looks at something different. Here is what happens at every stage, how long each takes when we handle it in Delhi, and the small problems that add days.
Quick answer: the process in one paragraph
Marriage certificate apostille process in India runs in a fixed order: the certificate is checked, attested by a notary, authenticated by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), and then apostilled by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) through its outsourced collection centre. The MEA does not take documents directly from the public, so the earlier stages are not optional.
When INFINITYGRO handles it in Delhi, the stages usually take 2–3 working days in all, once the original reaches us. The total is Rs 1,000–1,500 per certificate, all-inclusive; courier is extra. Some people use their own state’s Home or General Administration Department instead of the SDM; that route varies by state.
The five stages and what each one checks
- 1Pre-check (same day)You WhatsApp a photo. We look at the registrar’s signature and seal, the names, the condition of the paper and the destination country, then quote in writing.
- 2Notary (day 1)A Delhi notary attests the certificate against the original. Lamination, damage or overwriting can stop it here.
- 3SDM authentication (day 1–2)The Sub-Divisional Magistrate authenticates the notary’s signature and seal, so the MEA has a designated signature to rely on.
- 4MEA apostille (day 2–3)We lodge the certificate at the MEA outsourced centre with a passport copy. The MEA fixes the apostille, which carries its own number.
- 5ReturnThe certificate goes back by Blue Dart or another secure courier, or you collect it at our New Ashok Nagar office.
Day counts are typical working days after the original reaches our office, not promises. MEA holidays and heavy volumes can add a day to the marriage certificate apostille process in India.
SDM route or state Home Department route
Delhi: notary and SDM
Used for certificates from any state. Predictable timelines and no need to approach a state office. This is the route behind our 2–3 working day estimate.
Issuing state’s department
The Home or General Administration Department of the state that issued the certificate authenticates it. Procedures and timelines differ between states, and many need the applicant or an agent to visit.
Both routes end at the MEA, and the apostille looks the same. Choose by time and convenience.
What adds days to the marriage certificate apostille process in India
Laminated certificate
The seal and signature cannot be examined. A certified copy from the registrar usually has to replace it.
Name mismatch
A spelling that differs from the passport will be questioned abroad. Only the registrar can correct it.
Wrong route
A certificate apostilled for a non-Hague country such as the UAE is of no use there; it needs attestation instead.
Missing passport copy
The MEA centre asks for one with every document. Send it with the certificate.
Online (QR) apostille for a marriage certificate
We also offer the online apostille (e-Sanad / QR apostille service). Done through INFINITYGRO it is usually ready in 2–3 working days; send the document and a copy of your passport, because the passport number is entered online.
Ask the receiving office whether it accepts the QR apostille before choosing it. If it wants a sticker on the physical certificate, use the standard process described above.
Marriage certificate apostille process in India: cost and time
| MEA apostille, personal or educational document | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, all-inclusive: notary, SDM attestation, the Rs 50 MEA fee and our service |
|---|---|
| Usual time | 2–3 working days in Delhi after the document reaches us |
| Courier | Extra, both ways |
| Translation | Quoted by language and page |
If the certificate is for the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait or China, the process changes to MEA attestation and embassy legalisation; the MEA stage costs the same and the embassy fee is extra.
FAQs: What Is the Process for Marriage Certificate Apostille in India?
What is the first step of the marriage certificate apostille process in India?
Checking the certificate. Before anything is stamped, someone has to confirm it is a registrar-issued certificate in good condition, with names matching the passports, and that the destination country takes an apostille. We do this from a WhatsApp photo before you courier anything.
Is notary attestation really needed?
On the Delhi route, yes. The SDM authenticates the notary’s signature, and the MEA relies on the SDM. Without the notary there is nothing for the SDM to authenticate. On the state route, the Home or General Administration Department takes the place of both.
How many days does the marriage certificate apostille process in India take?
Usually 2–3 working days in Delhi once the original reaches us, plus courier time both ways if you are outside Delhi, normally a few days each way. The state route can take longer and differs from state to state.
Do I have to go to the MEA or the SDM office?
No. Neither spouse needs to visit any office. Send the certificate by courier with a passport copy, or drop it at our New Ashok Nagar office. We take it through every stage and send it back.
Can I track the apostille?
Yes. We update you on WhatsApp as the certificate clears each stage, and we share the return courier’s tracking number once it leaves our office. The apostille itself carries a unique number that the receiving office abroad can use to check it.
Does the process differ for a certificate from another state?
Not on the Delhi route. A certificate from Maharashtra, Punjab or Kerala goes through the same notary, SDM and MEA stages as a Delhi certificate. Only the state route depends on where it was issued.
What happens if a stage rejects the certificate?
We stop and tell you why, usually lamination, damage or a missing seal. Most of these can only be fixed by the registrar, for example by issuing a certified copy. You then send the new document and we restart.
Can the process be done for two copies at once?
Yes. Each certificate or certified copy is apostilled separately at Rs 1,000–1,500 per document. Couples moving to two different countries, or expecting the first office to keep the original, often do two together.
Official sources
Start the apostille with a photo of your certificate
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