If you think that having transcript or all immigration documents is enough to immigrate, it won’t be. You can’t work or study or tour around in any foreign country unless you submit the attested documents with the immigration authority. It’s compulsory.

The word ‘Attestation’ paints a checklist of problems. Your mind starts assessing what issues you’re going to encounter with.

Who should you contact with? Where would be the contact person for document verification? What should you carry along for the authentication? Does the officer take time or, does he put the stamp in a day?

These and a lot more questions begin to panic you before you go for the document attestation in Mumbai or Delhi or any other place. If you know the steps to get your papers attested, you find it a walkover. Thereafter, your journey to the intended country will be frictionless.

Here, a few people are divided on the meaning of attestation and Apostille. Let’s begin with understanding difference in them.

Are attestation & apostille similar?

The attestation is a process of putting a stamp by a competent authority. Say, a person from Mumbai is going to the US on the work visa. He cannot cross his country without verifying his visa, passport and other supporting documents from Mumbai. Let’s take CENOMAR, for example. He won’t get the visa unless he verifies his no marriage certificate with the first class magistrate. The magistrate will evaluate the authenticity of his papers, like birth certificate, affidavit, address proof, and then, put down his signature, subsequently.

The Apostille is also a kind of attestation. But, it’s signing authority lies in the hand of the Hague Convention. Nearly 92 countries are its legal members. India is also its member country. Once it puts its square-shape digital stamp on your paper, you win the leverage to go to the foreign sans hassles. The other member-countries identify this stamp through its unique ID number.

If you indeed want to progress your visa processing quickly, the Apostille services wins an edge over the document attestation service.

Importance of document attestation from Mumbai:

If you don’t want to be deported immediately after landing the airport of the foreign country, do get your documents, especially visa, attested. The embassy of the country where you’re intended to go will evaluate if your documents are duped or real. It follows the document verification with the stamping. It’s necessary.

When do you require document attestation from state, MEA and embassy?

• From State:

The attestation from the state government is required for, but not limited to, the educational certificates, like degrees, provisional certificates, a transcript and so on. Once the state government verifies, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) counter attests the similar documents.

Specifically, the General Administrative Department is a competent authority.

• From the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA):

This authority counter-attests the documents after the state authority. It, particularly, verifies the personal documents of the NRIs and would-be NRIs.

• From Embassy:

This is the last-leg attestation. The foreign embassy takes care of the attestation at this stage.

Tips for Quick Document Attestation:

• Create a checklist of the immigration documents. Categorize them under personal, educational and professional documents.
• Visit embassy with the original documents along with the photo-copies.
• If you want this service on a quick note, select an authentic outsourcer that deals in the NRIs services.
• Some attestation services are payable. So, be ready to pay off.
• Always take along the photocopies that are clear and neat. In other words, they should be legible.
• Always visit the competent authority before 15 minutes.