Certificate of Incorporation Apostille or Attestation from the MEA
A certificate of incorporation is usually the first company paper a foreign bank, registry or partner asks to see. This guide explains how an Indian company or LLP gets its certificate of incorporation apostilled or attested by the Ministry of External Affairs, what to do when the certificate exists only as a digital file, and when the embassy stage is added.
Certificate of incorporation apostille: quick answer
Certificate of incorporation apostille is the MEA apostille on a company’s or LLP’s certificate of incorporation, so that a bank, registry or court in a Hague Convention country accepts it. The certificate is treated as a commercial document: a Chamber of Commerce attests the signature of the company’s authorised signatory, and the MEA apostilles on the strength of that attestation.
Countries outside the Convention, such as the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, need MEA attestation and embassy legalisation instead, and so do Oman and Vietnam for company papers. INFINITYGRO handles every stage from Delhi, quotes each file in writing after seeing the certificate, and returns it by Blue Dart or another secure courier.
Where an apostilled certificate of incorporation is used
Proof that your company legally exists is the starting point for almost any formal relationship abroad. These are the requests we see most often.
Setting up abroad
Registering a subsidiary, branch or liaison office, where the foreign registry wants proof of the Indian parent.
Banking
Opening a corporate account or a trade finance line with a foreign bank.
Tenders and vendor approval
Supplier registration with foreign buyers, utilities or government agencies.
Contracts and disputes
Agency appointments, trademark filings or court cases where the company must prove its identity.
Preparing a certificate that exists only as a PDF
Companies and LLPs registered in recent years usually receive the certificate of incorporation as a digitally signed file from the Registrar of Companies. A Chamber of Commerce cannot attest a file on a screen; it attests a signature in ink on paper. So the usual starting point is a printed copy certified by the company itself.
- Print the certificate clearly on good paper, every page
- A director, designated partner or company secretary writes certified true copy on it, signs and adds name and designation
- Company seal or stamp beside the signature
- Notarisation where the Chamber or the receiving country asks for it
Certificate of incorporation apostille, stage by stage
- 1Photo checkWhatsApp a photo of the certificate and the country. We confirm the route and send a written quote.
- 2Send the certified copyCourier it with an authorisation letter on letterhead and the signatory’s ID copy, or drop it at our New Ashok Nagar office.
- 3Notary, if requiredAdded when the Chamber or the destination needs it.
- 4Chamber of CommerceThe Chamber attests the signatory’s signature and stamps the document.
- 5MEAApostille for Hague countries, or MEA attestation for the rest.
- 6Embassy, non-Hague onlyLegalisation at that country’s embassy in New Delhi; the fee is extra and shown in the quote.
The certificate of incorporation is also covered on our certificate of registration apostille page, which helps if the foreign party has not said exactly which registration paper it wants.
Name changes, conversions and old certificates
| Company changed its name | Send the original certificate and the fresh certificate issued on change of name, so the foreign party can follow the history |
|---|---|
| Private company converted to public, or firm to LLP | Send the certificate showing the current form; the foreign party may also ask for the earlier one |
| Very old paper certificate | Usable if legible and original; a print of the current master data may be asked for as well |
| Struck off or dormant company | Talk to us first; the Chamber may not attest papers for a company that is not active |
In each case the stages are the same. What changes is how many documents you send and how they are explained to the receiving office.
Apostille or embassy for your certificate
MEA apostille
Hague parties such as the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and South Korea.
Certificate of incorporation apostille: 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 |
We quote in writing after seeing the certificate. The quote states the expected time and lists any embassy fee separately.
Certificate of Incorporation Apostille or Attestation from the MEA: real sample
A real document from our files, with personal details hidden. Check the stamps on your own document against it.
FAQs: Certificate of Incorporation Apostille or Attestation from the MEA
Can the e-certificate of incorporation be apostilled?
Not as a file. The Chamber of Commerce and the MEA work on signed paper. A print of the e-certificate, certified and signed in ink by a director or the company secretary with the company seal, is what goes through the stages.
Who should sign the certified copy?
A director, designated partner of an LLP, or the company secretary, adding name and designation. The Chamber may ask for proof that the person can sign for the company, such as a board resolution or authorisation letter.
Does a certificate of incorporation apostille expire?
The apostille itself has no expiry date. Some banks and registries abroad prefer documents certified recently, so if the foreign party mentions a time limit, plan the certification and apostille close to the date you will submit it.
Does the apostille prove the company is in good standing?
No. It confirms the signature and seal it relates to, not the company’s current status. If the foreign party wants proof that the company is active, ask exactly what document it expects and send us a photo.
Do directors’ passports need an apostille too?
Only if the foreign party asks for them. Passport copies are personal documents and follow the notary, SDM and MEA route, but they can be sent in the same courier and returned together with the company papers.
Is the process the same for an LLP?
Yes. An LLP’s certificate of incorporation follows the same commercial route. The certified copy is signed by a designated partner instead of a director, and the Chamber may ask for proof of that partner’s authority.
How long does it take?
It depends on the Chamber and MEA workload and on whether an embassy stage is needed. The expected time is written into your quote together with the price, after we have seen the certificate and know the destination country.
Can you translate the certificate?
Yes. INFINITYGRO translates into any language. Many registries abroad want a translation of the apostilled certificate; tell us at the start whether the translation also needs to be legalised, since that changes the order of work.
Official sources
Send a photo of your certificate of incorporation
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