Competency Certificate Apostille: Seafarer, Trade and Skill Certificates
Competency certificate covers several very different papers: a seafarer’s Certificate of Competency, a trade or skill certificate from a training body, or an employer’s certificate of competence in a specific job. All of them can be legalised for use abroad. This post explains how a competency certificate apostille works, what to check first and when an embassy step is added.
Competency certificate apostille: quick answer
Competency certificate apostille is the MEA apostille on an Indian certificate that proves you are qualified or trained for a specific job, so that an employer, licensing body or visa office in a Hague Convention country accepts it. The certificate is notarised and attested by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Delhi first, then apostilled by the MEA. For countries outside the Convention, such as the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, it gets MEA attestation and embassy legalisation instead.
INFINITYGRO completes the notary, SDM and MEA stages for Rs 1,000–1,500 per certificate, all-inclusive, usually in 2–3 working days. We legalise the certificate you already hold; we do not issue, renew or verify it.
Three kinds of competency certificate
Seafarer’s Certificate of Competency (CoC)
Issued to officers and engineers by the Directorate General of Shipping. Foreign shipping companies and flag administrations sometimes ask for a legalised copy.
Trade and skill certificates
Certificates from skill training bodies and institutes confirming competence in a trade, such as welding, electrical work or machine operation.
Employer competency certificates
Letters from a company certifying that you are competent in a role or on specific equipment, often requested for contracts abroad.
The route at the MEA is the same for all three, but the checks before the notary differ. An employer certificate in particular must look like a genuine signed company document, or the notary may refuse it.
What to check on the certificate
- Your name matches your passport exactly
- The issuer’s name, signature and seal are clear
- Validity dates, where the certificate has them, have not expired
- It is an original or a properly certified copy, not a print of an email
- The receiving office has told you whether it wants an apostille or attestation
Competency certificate apostille, step by step
- 1WhatsApp a photoSend the certificate and the destination country. We confirm the route and total in writing.
- 2Send the originalPost it to our Delhi office with your passport copy, or hand it in at New Ashok Nagar.
- 3Notary and SDMThe certificate is notarised as a true copy, and the SDM in Delhi then confirms the notary’s signature.
- 4MEA stageThe MEA apostille for Hague countries, or MEA attestation followed by the embassy for others.
- 5ReturnBy Blue Dart or another secure courier, or collected from our office.
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.
Online (QR) apostille sample
Apostille or attestation for your country
Apostille is enough
Hague Convention countries, for example the UK, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the USA, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Attestation + embassy
The UAE, Qatar and Kuwait. For the UAE the route ends with UAE MOFA attestation online, usually 5–7 working days in total.
Working abroad usually needs more than one paper. Related services: technician certificate, experience certificate and licence apostille.
Competency certificate apostille: fees 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 |
For the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait the MEA stage costs the same and the embassy fee is extra, confirmed in your written quote.
FAQs: Competency Certificate Apostille: Seafarer, Trade and Skill Certificates
What is a competency certificate apostille?
It is the MEA apostille on an Indian certificate of competence, such as a seafarer’s CoC, a trade certificate or an employer’s competency letter. It lets an authority in a Hague Convention country accept the certificate without an embassy stamp.
Can a seafarer’s Certificate of Competency be apostilled?
Yes, the CoC issued by the Directorate General of Shipping can be taken through notary, SDM and MEA like other certificates. Send us a photo first so we can confirm the route and whether the receiver wants the original or a notarised copy apostilled.
Does it need a Chamber of Commerce stamp?
No. Chamber of Commerce authentication is for commercial documents such as invoices and company papers. A competency certificate issued to an individual goes through a notary and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Delhi before the MEA stage.
How much does competency certificate apostille cost?
Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per certificate, all-inclusive: notary, SDM, the Rs 50 MEA fee and our service. Courier is extra. For the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait the embassy fee is added and confirmed in writing.
How long does it take?
For a Hague country, count on 2–3 working days in Delhi after we receive the certificate. For the UAE, where the UAE Embassy and the online MOFA step come after the MEA, allow about 5–7 working days. Courier days are extra.
Is an online apostille available?
Yes. We also offer the online apostille (e-Sanad / QR apostille service), usually ready in 2–3 working days through INFINITYGRO. Send the document and a copy of your passport, because the passport number is entered online.
Can you renew or verify my certificate?
No. INFINITYGRO does not issue, renew, correct or verify certificates. Renewal or revalidation is done by the authority that issued it, under its own rules. We take the certificate you already hold through the notary, SDM and MEA stages.
My employer’s competency letter has no seal. Will it be accepted?
It may be refused at the notary or SDM stage. Ask the employer for a signed letter on letterhead with the company seal and the signatory’s name and designation, then send us a photo before couriering.
Official sources
Get your competency certificate apostilled
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