Embassy Attestation Services in India
Some countries do not accept the MEA apostille. For them, an Indian document needs MEA attestation and then a stamp from that country’s embassy in New Delhi. We take the document through notary, SDM and the MEA, submit it at the embassy, collect it and return it to you. The embassy fee is confirmed in your written quote.
Embassy attestation: quick answer
Embassy attestation services in India cover the extra step a document needs when the receiving country is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, or the Convention does not apply between it and India. After the Ministry of External Affairs attests the document, that country’s embassy in New Delhi checks the MEA stamp and adds its own legalisation.
Countries on this route include the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, and China, because India objected to China’s accession. The MEA stage costs Rs 1,000–1,500 per personal or educational document, all-inclusive. The embassy fee is extra and confirmed in your written quote.
Apostille vs embassy legalisation
Before 1961, every foreign document went through a chain of stamps ending at an embassy. The Hague Apostille Convention replaced that chain with a single certificate for countries that joined it. Countries that did not join still use the older chain, which is what embassy legalisation is.
MEA apostille
- One certificate from the MEA, no embassy stamp
- Accepted where the Convention applies with India
- Examples: Saudi Arabia, Oman (personal documents), Bahrain, South Korea, Portugal, the Netherlands, Norway
- Vietnam since 11 September 2026, for personal and educational documents
MEA attestation + embassy
- MEA attestation stamp, then the embassy’s legalisation
- Needed for countries outside the Convention
- Examples: UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon
- China, because India objected to its accession
An apostille and an embassy stamp are not interchangeable. A UAE office will not accept an apostille, and a Hague country has no reason to ask for an embassy stamp. Check the HCCH status table or ask us.
Which countries need embassy legalisation?
| UAE | MEA attestation → UAE Embassy, New Delhi → UAE MOFA online (we handle it). Usually 5–7 working days |
|---|---|
| Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq | MEA attestation → that country’s embassy in New Delhi |
| China | A Convention party, but India objected to its accession: MEA attestation → Chinese Embassy |
| Oman | Personal documents: MEA apostille. Commercial and customs documents: Chamber → MEA attestation → Oman Embassy |
| Vietnam | Since 11 September 2026, personal and educational documents: MEA apostille. Invoices and certificates of origin: Chamber → MEA attestation → Vietnam Embassy |
| Others outside the Convention | Jordan, Lebanon, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Iran and Ethiopia, among others |
Thailand’s accession takes effect only on 28 February 2027, so ask us for the current route for Thai documents. Country fee pages:
How our embassy attestation services in India work
- 1Photo and quoteWhatsApp a photo of the document and name the country. We confirm the route, the usual time and the total, including the embassy fee, in writing.
- 2Notary and SDM in DelhiA notary attests a true copy and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate authenticates the notary’s signature.
- 3MEA attestationWe submit the document through the MEA’s outsourced collection centre for the attestation stamp.
- 4Embassy legalisationWe submit the attested document at the embassy in New Delhi, pay the embassy fee quoted to you and collect it.
- 5UAE only: MOFAFor the UAE, the MOFA attestation is completed online after the embassy stamp.
- 6ReturnThe document comes back by Blue Dart or another secure courier, or you collect it from our office.
Embassy legalisation for commercial documents
Our embassy attestation services in India also cover company papers, which follow a different first step. The MEA legalises a commercial document only after a Chamber of Commerce has attested it, so the chain is Chamber of Commerce → MEA attestation → embassy. This applies to commercial invoices, certificates of origin, packing lists, agency agreements, MOA and AOA, board resolutions and powers of attorney. Each job is quoted in writing after we see the papers.
Before you send a document for embassy attestation
- The original document, not laminated
- A copy of your passport
- The country and the purpose: job, residence visa, study, business
- The checklist from the employer, ministry or buyer abroad, if you have one
- Whether a translation is required, for example into Arabic; we translate into any language
Documents issued in Bangladesh or Nepal: we handle the India-side embassy legalisation only if the document is already legalised by that country’s foreign ministry. Send a photo first; we confirm whether we can help.
Embassy attestation charges and time
| MEA attestation stage, personal or educational document | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, all-inclusive: notary, SDM attestation, the MEA fee and our service |
|---|---|
| Embassy legalisation fee | Extra; set by the embassy and confirmed in your written quote |
| Courier | Extra, both ways |
| Translation | Quoted by language and page |
Each embassy sets its own fee and changes it from time to time, so we confirm it in your written quote. Country fee pages are linked above.
Charges for the UAE route, including the MOFA step, are on their own page.
UAE embassy attestation feesEmbassy Attestation Services in India: real sample
A real document from our files, with personal details hidden. Check the stamps on your own document against it.
FAQs: Embassy Attestation Services in India
What is the difference between apostille and embassy attestation?
An apostille is a single MEA certificate accepted by countries where the Hague Apostille Convention applies with India. Embassy attestation is for countries outside it: the MEA attests the document and then that country’s embassy in New Delhi legalises it. A document needs one or the other, depending on the country.
Which countries need embassy attestation from India?
The UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Iran and Ethiopia are among the countries outside the Convention. China also needs embassy attestation because India objected to its accession. Oman and Vietnam need it for commercial and customs papers.
How long does embassy attestation take?
The UAE route, including MOFA, usually takes 5 to 7 working days once the document reaches us. Other embassies keep their own processing days, so we give you the expected time for your country in the written quote. Add courier time if you are outside Delhi.
How much does the embassy charge?
Each embassy sets its own fee and revises it from time to time, so we do not publish a figure. The MEA stage is Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per personal or educational document, all-inclusive, and the embassy fee is confirmed in your written quote before you send anything.
Does Saudi Arabia still need embassy attestation?
No. Saudi Arabia is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so Indian personal and educational documents for Saudi Arabia take the MEA apostille. No Saudi Embassy stamp is needed for those documents. Ask us if your employer’s checklist says otherwise.
Is State HRD attestation needed before embassy attestation?
Only if your checklist asks for it. Most embassies accept documents that have gone through a notary and the SDM in Delhi and then the MEA. INFINITYGRO does not do State HRD attestation; if your checklist names it, it has to be done in your state first.
Can you attest Bangladesh- or Nepal-issued documents at an embassy in Delhi?
Only the India-side embassy legalisation, and only if the document is already legalised by the foreign ministry of Bangladesh or Nepal. Send a photo of the document first and we confirm whether we can help before you courier it.
Do I need to visit the embassy myself?
No. We submit the document at the embassy in New Delhi and collect it. If an embassy ever needs the applicant to appear in person, we tell you at the quote stage, before you send anything. Delhi clients can drop off and collect at our office.
Official sources
Embassy attestation services in India, quoted before you send
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