How Can I Apostille Company Documents from the MEA?
A foreign bank, registry or buyer rarely asks for one company paper. It asks for a set: incorporation certificate, MOA and AOA, a board resolution, a list of directors. This guide explains how each of those company documents reaches the Ministry of External Affairs, who has to sign what, and how to send the whole set so it comes back complete.
Company documents apostille from MEA: quick answer
Company documents apostille from MEA starts with the company, not the ministry. The MEA’s attestation notice says commercial documents are to be pre-authenticated by Chambers of Commerce, and that it legalises on the basis of signatures by designated authorities. So each company paper must first carry a proper signature and seal, which a Chamber of Commerce attests before the MEA apostilles it.
The apostille is accepted in Hague Convention countries. For the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, China, and for Oman or Vietnam with commercial papers, the MEA attests instead and the embassy legalises. INFINITYGRO runs the whole set from Delhi under one written quote, with any embassy fee shown separately.
Who signs each company document before the Chamber
The Chamber of Commerce attests a signature, so the first question for every paper is whose signature it carries. This is how the common company documents are usually prepared.
| Certificate of incorporation | Printed copy certified by a director or company secretary, with the seal |
|---|---|
| MOA and AOA | Copy certified on each page or at the end by a director or company secretary |
| Board resolution | Extract on letterhead signed by a director or company secretary |
| List of directors or shareholders | On letterhead, signed by an authorised signatory |
| Power of attorney or authority letter | Signed by the authorised person; usually notarised |
| Agreements | Signed by the parties; usually notarised before the Chamber |
If one person signs every paper, the Chamber may ask for proof of that person’s authority. A board resolution naming the signatory solves this for the whole set.
Typical sets foreign parties ask for
Opening a foreign subsidiary
Incorporation certificate, MOA, AOA, board resolution approving the subsidiary, and a director list.
Corporate bank account abroad
Incorporation certificate, board resolution naming account signatories, director list and sometimes audited accounts.
Supplier registration
Incorporation or registration certificate, tax registration and a letter of authority for the person dealing with the buyer.
Before any company documents apostille from MEA, ask the foreign party for its checklist in writing and send everything on it in one courier. Papers that move through the Chamber and the MEA together come back together.
Company documents apostille from MEA through INFINITYGRO
- 1Photo checkWhatsApp photos of the set and the country. We point out signature or seal problems before you courier anything.
- 2Written quoteOne quote for the set, with the expected time and any embassy fee listed separately.
- 3Send the setCourier it with an authorisation letter and the signatory’s ID copy, or drop it at our New Ashok Nagar office.
- 4Notary, Chamber, MEANotary where a paper needs it, then the Chamber of Commerce and the MEA.
- 5Embassy, if neededLegalisation in New Delhi for non-Hague countries.
- 6ReturnBlue Dart or another secure courier, or collection from our office.
Our commercial document apostille service page lists every business paper we handle.
Mistakes that hold up company papers
Problems at the Chamber
- No company seal next to the signature
- Signatory’s designation missing
- Different people signing without authority shown
- Unsigned downloads from the MCA portal
Problems later on
- Apostille obtained for a country that needs embassy legalisation
- Company name spelt differently across papers
- Translation needed but not planned
- One copy legalised when the foreign party wanted two
When the MEA apostille is not the last step
Company documents apostille from MEA: 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 |
The whole set is quoted in writing after we see it. The quote gives the expected time and lists any embassy fee separately.
How Can I Apostille Company Documents 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: How Can I Apostille Company Documents from the MEA?
Can I submit company documents to the MEA myself?
The MEA accepts documents through its outsourced collection agencies, not directly from individuals, and commercial documents need Chamber of Commerce authentication first. You can do the stages yourself, or send the set to an agency such as INFINITYGRO that handles them for you.
Does every company document need a notary?
No. Many original company papers signed on letterhead go straight to the Chamber. Copies, powers of attorney and agreements usually need a notary first. We tell you which of your papers need it when we look at the photos.
Can MCA portal downloads be apostilled?
Not as unsigned printouts. Print the document, have a director or the company secretary certify and sign it with the company seal, and that signed copy can go to the Chamber. Send a photo first so we can confirm.
Is the process the same for an LLP or a partnership firm?
The stages are the same. What changes is the signatory: a designated partner for an LLP, a partner for a firm. The Chamber may ask for proof of that person’s authority, such as the LLP agreement or partnership deed.
How are a director’s personal documents handled?
A director’s passport copy, degree or address proof is a personal document. It goes through the notary, SDM and MEA route instead of the Chamber, but can travel in the same courier and come back with the company set.
Does the MEA check what the company documents say?
No. The MEA’s notice says it does not take responsibility for the contents of documents it legalises. It confirms the authenticating signature, so the foreign bank or registry still judges whether the papers meet its rules.
How long does company documents apostille from MEA take?
It depends on the number of papers, the Chamber and MEA workload, and whether an embassy stage follows. We give the expected time in the written quote, together with the price, once we have seen the set.
Can you translate the company set?
Yes. INFINITYGRO translates into any language. Many registries abroad want the apostilled documents translated; tell us at the start whether the translations must also be legalised, because that changes the order in which the stages are done.
Official sources
Start your company documents apostille from MEA
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
Related guides
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