Diploma Certificate Apostille Tips: 5 Things to Sort Out First
A polytechnic, nursing or ITI-level diploma often goes abroad with a job offer or a study application, and small oversights cost weeks. These five tips come from the questions diploma holders ask us most: whether the institute matters, what to send alongside the diploma, how names are checked, and which countries need a different stamp altogether.
Quick answer: the five tips
Diploma certificate apostille tips come down to five checks. Confirm that a recognised board, university or council issued the diploma; send the marksheets with it if the receiver wants them; make sure your name matches your passport; never laminate the original; and confirm whether the country accepts an apostille at all.
Once those are settled, the route is simple. A notary and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Delhi authenticate the diploma, and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) fixes the apostille, usually in 2–3 working days. INFINITYGRO charges Rs 1,000–1,500 per document all-inclusive, with courier extra, and checks a photo before you send anything.
Five diploma certificate apostille tips
1. Look at who issued it
The diploma should carry the name of a State Board of Technical Education, a university, or a statutory council. A certificate from a private training centre alone is harder to apostille.
2. Send the marksheets too
Employers and colleges abroad usually want semester marksheets with the diploma. Each is a separate document, so decide up front which ones you need.
3. Match your name
Initials, a missing surname or a different spelling can be questioned abroad. Only the issuing body can correct a diploma.
4. Keep it unlaminated
A laminated diploma is generally refused. If yours is laminated, ask the board or institute about a duplicate before you plan anything else.
5. Confirm the country’s route
Hague Convention countries accept the apostille. The UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and some others need MEA attestation and the embassy instead.
Does the issuing body matter?
It matters more for diplomas than for degrees, because diplomas come from many kinds of bodies. Here is how they usually fare.
| State Board of Technical Education (polytechnic) | Normally goes through the notary, SDM and MEA route |
|---|---|
| University-issued diploma | Normally goes through the same route |
| Nursing or paramedical council diploma | Normally accepted; check the name and seal |
| Private institute certificate with no board or university | Send a photo first; it may not be accepted |
What to send along with the diploma
Check the employer’s or college’s list before posting. Sending the full set once is quicker than a second courier later.
Add a passport copy for us to match your name. It is not apostilled unless the receiver asks for it.
What happens once the diploma reaches us
- 1Photo checkYou WhatsApp the diploma and marksheets with the country; we confirm route, time and total in writing.
- 2Original sentCourier it, or drop it at our New Ashok Nagar office in Delhi.
- 3Notary, SDM, MEAAll three stages in Delhi, usually 2–3 working days.
- 4ReturnBack to you by Blue Dart or another secure courier, or collected from the office.
Charges and state-wise details are on the full service page for diploma certificate apostille.
Apostille countries and attestation countries
Apostille
The UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Oman and other Hague parties.
Attestation + embassy
The UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and other non-Hague countries; the embassy fee is extra.
Diploma 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 |
The price is per document, so a diploma and two marksheets are three documents. For non-Hague countries the embassy fee is extra and confirmed in writing.
FAQs: Diploma Certificate Apostille Tips: 5 Things to Sort Out First
What are the most useful diploma certificate apostille tips?
Check who issued the diploma, send the marksheets the receiver asks for, make sure your name matches your passport, keep the original unlaminated and confirm the destination’s route. Most returned diplomas fail on one of these five points.
Can a polytechnic diploma be apostilled?
Yes. A diploma issued by a State Board of Technical Education normally goes through the notary, SDM and MEA stages like any other educational document. Send a photo first so we can check the name, seal and condition.
My diploma is laminated. What can I do?
A laminated diploma is usually refused. Ask the board or institute whether it issues a duplicate or a certified copy. We cannot remove lamination or obtain a duplicate for you, but we can advise once you know what the board offers.
Do I need to apostille every marksheet?
Only the ones the receiving employer, college or council asks for. Some want every semester, others only the final year. Each marksheet is a separate document for the apostille and is charged as one document.
Is a diploma treated differently from a degree?
The route is the same: notary, SDM and MEA apostille in Delhi. The difference is in the checks, because diplomas come from more types of issuing bodies. That is why the issuer matters more for a diploma.
Do I have to visit Delhi?
No. Courier the original to us and we return it by Blue Dart or another secure courier. If you are in Delhi, you can drop it at our New Ashok Nagar office and collect it there. There is no pickup service.
Will the apostille be accepted in Dubai?
No. The UAE is not a Hague Convention member. A diploma for the UAE needs MEA attestation, UAE Embassy legalisation and UAE MOFA attestation online, usually in 5–7 working days, with the embassy fee extra.
How long does a diploma apostille take?
Usually 2–3 working days in Delhi after the original reaches us. If you are outside Delhi, add courier time both ways, normally two to four days each way, so plan around a week or a little more.
Official sources
Send your diploma photo for a quick 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