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Document Attestation in India is Easy with an Agent

Document Attestation in India is Easy with an Agent

The validity of any document is defined by its attestation. The attesting authority verified its authenticity before signing and stamping on it. But, it’s really challenging to find a competent person for it. You should be aware of it.

But, there are some professional consultants that make it way easier to get any document attested. Services 2 NRI is one of them. There is a team of document attestation agents in India that does it at the request of the person.

Why do you need an agent?

The authentication of your documents is essential for different purposes. It’s not easy to get through the attestation process. You may have to spend several days or weeks getting a stamp from the competent authority. To get off this condition, you require the support of an authentic document attestation agent. Such professionals know about the challenges and the way out from them. So, it’s easy, quick, and reliable to hire any of such agents that have experience in this domain.

They understand Section 90 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. It clearly states that attestation is necessary for proving that the customer’s documents are in the right hands. The court or competent authority verifies the documents before attesting any document.

Document Attestation that Agents Assist in

There are multiple offices that are authorized to carry out document legalization. Legalization is identified through the signature and stamp of the competent person. Here are the different types of legalization that the agent can help you with:

  • Notary Attestation

It is at the fundamental level of legal verification of documents. A local notary public is appointed to put his stamp. He verifies the validity and authenticity of the documents.

  • Home Department Attestation

This is concerned with the state’s home department. The competent official legalizes personal documents, like a death certificate, birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.

  • Human Right Department Attestation

This is related to educational certificates and documents attestation. Most students require this attestation. It proves that these documents are legitimate and the person who bears it is authentic.

  • Sub-divisional Magistrate Attestation

This is similar to the HRD attestation. In some union territories or villages, this is the official authority to legalize personal documents, like birth certificate or NABC or any other one.

  • Chamber of Commerce Attestation

This is for entrepreneurs who are likely to go abroad for a business event or related concerns. They have to show up the proof of their motive of going outside and if they are valid or not.

  • MEA Attestation

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) attestation is to ensure that immigration-based documents are valid and genuine. Here, the agent is the only person who can help the applicant because this office does not accept direct requests for legalizing documents. So, you have to hire a document attestation agent in this case. He collectively sends requests for a number of applicants and then, takes responsibility to deliver the legalized papers to you.

  • Embassy Attestation

This is mainly concerned with those who are likely to visit foreign for different purposes, like marriage, tourism, employment, or study, etc.. The applicant has to request for an appointment online. And then, visit the office where the consul reviews your documents and your intentions. Upon getting satisfied, he stamps on visa, passport, and many other docs that come under it.

  • Apostille Attestation

It comes under the responsibility of the Ministry of External Affairs in India. It is for those who are going to visit the member country of the Hague Convention.

What is the procedure to get attestation services from Services2NRI?

The procedure is very simple. You need to keep your supporting documents ready. He may need at least 2 copies of each of your original papers. So, ensure that you have them.

  • Contact the agent on the website or any communication channel like WhatsApp or live chat.
  • Send an inquiry through the form. Do mention the requirements.
  • Upon getting a reply, respond with the authentic details of yours.
  • In case of confusion, contact the agent on live chat or email ID.
  • Upload the soft copies of your certificates or papers like birth certificate, single status certificate or mark sheet etc..
  • Pay the requisite fee through online banking or another way.
  • Receive the receipt and save it for tracking the status of your application.
  • The document will be sent within the stipulated time as mentioned on the website.

Checklist of Supporting Documents

Here is the checklist of each document:

  • Original Certificate
  • Passport Copy
  • Visa Copy
  • Passport Size Photograph-2
  • Authorization Letter
  • Birth Certificate
  • National Identity Proof
  • Educational Documents
  • Employment Letter

These are categorized under these groups:

  • Personal Documents, which are to be attested by the Home Department/General Administration Department
  • Educational Certificates, which are to be authorized by the state /union territory, then by the Ministry of external affairs (However, the MEA does not take responsibility for the content of the document)
  • Commercial Purpose, which is to be attested by the Ministry of external affairs trailing the Chambers of Commerce Ministry attestation

How Can Indian Nationals Get Documents Attested Easily?

How Can Indian Nationals Get Documents Attested Easily?

Documentation requires the proof of authenticity. This process of verifying and authenticating documents is called attestation. It integrates a legal credibility when you submit the document for immigration. So, it is mandatory to enclose an evidence or proof of its credibility.

Attestation of Documents

In legal terms, attestation makes your documentation lawful. There are certain things that signify it. A stamp and signature of the authorised person indicate that the document is authentic. The attestation of documents of Indian nationals or any foreigner certifies that they are original and can be trusted across the globe. This is a step to make all things done legitimately that any countries’ government or authority can trust.

The certificate attestation & attestation of documents are similar terms. These are the must-have services that one has to obtain for legally authenticating his documents. This process is also called the legalization of documents.

However, it needs different seals, signatures and stamps from the concerned officials. There are many authorities at different levels in India for the attestation of documents of Indian nationals

Why is attestation required?

The attestation of certificate or document is required for a number of reasons. Basically, these are divided into internal and external matters. Internal matters can be concerned with judicial purposes like a Will and a Mortgage Deed.

Besides, people require credible documents for opening a bank account, obtaining visa, performing business events and overseas employment. These are external matters that require papers to be legalized.

How can you attest documents in India?

There are a number of authorities set up for attesting documents. Depending on the need, the papers are attested from these authorities in India. These also represent different types of attestation:

  • Notary Public

It is basically required for sworn documents called affidavit. The local notary public issues it upon examining the credibility of the source. Once verified, the notary puts his signature to legalise that document.

  • Home Department

It is exclusively meant for legalizing personal documents, including birth certificate, death certificate, marriage certificate, bachelorhood certificate and non-availability of birth certificate (NABC). The home department of the state government authorizes it.

  • HRD Attestation

Also called Human Resource Department, the HRD is also a state entity that legalizes the educational documents and certificates like transcript. It covers the academic history (including school and university) of the person. But before that, the applicant has to get it verified from the school or university.

  • SDM Attestation

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate or SDM can be used in place of the Home Department attestation. Some concerned departments or authorities strictly require attestation from the HRD. However, the SD is a free and independent government authority that performs in its sole discretion.

  • Chamber of Commerce Attestation

As its name suggests, the Chamber of Commerce is an entity that legalizes commercial documents. These can be concerned with businesses or parties or events. This is significantly required to prove that the entrepreneurship is legal and hence, it is verified to perform any commercial activities.

  • MEA Attestation

It stands for the Ministry of External Affairs attestation. This is the last stage of legalization performed by the Union Government’s Home Department. It is identified through the MEA stamp or sticker at the back of the documents. This ministry is important when it comes to dealing with immigration matters.

  • Apostille Attestation

This is an alternative of the MEA attestation. Those who are migrating to one of the member countries of the Hague Convention need this legalization of documents. Once it is done, a square-shaped stamp is put on the back of the paper with a signature of the authorised person. After getting it, the applicant does not need further attestation from any department or embassy.

  • Embassy Attestation

As reflects from its name, this legalization responsibility is carried out by the embassy of foreign countries like USA or UAE embassy. The consul legalizes all documents after a face-to-face appointment. It covers a detailed interview on why you need to emigrate.

These represent the attestation cycle that one has to follow sequentially. The applicant can easily follow this guide and get through all challenges in getting documents attested here in India.

MEA Attests Originals, Not Photocopies of NRIs Documents

MEA Attests Originals, Not Photocopies of NRIs Documents

If you are going to emigrate, you need to attest your documents. This step is a crucial step. You cannot get off from it because the immigration departments of any country want to determine whether the document is genuine and legal. So, you need to go through document attestation.

This procedure has different levels, which the emigrants have to pass through step by step. Let’s have a look over what these levels are:

Different Levels of Attestation in India

  • District or Sub-Divisional Magistrate of District
  • Home Department of The State Government
  • Ministry of External Affairs of the Central Government

MEA Verifies These Facts

  • The originality of documents
  • Authentic signature of Indian officials on docs
  • Different level of departments’ stamp

Attest Originals, Not Photocopies

The verifying authority prefers the originals to be stamped on the reverse of those documents. Sometimes, the originals are found laminated, the authorized agency removes it to get it attested. Sometimes, your originals get damaged in this process, which you cannot reverse. So, you should be ready to withdraw the new ones in that case.

What if you lose originals?

There are some instances when you may lose or damage your educational certificates or degrees or diplomas. Rather than wondering, you should immediately lodge a complaint for the education certificates being lost. Do mention the reason in the FIR. Indian states have this facility available over their police website in the local area. If you want to file that FIR,

  • Access the website.
  • Put your email id and contact details there.
  • Write the complaint of the certificates being lost.
  • Hit the “Submit” tab.

A reference number will be sent on your registered email id that you have mentioned there. This will also have a copy of the FIR so that you can directly save and get its print out for submitting with the application to withdraw the new original certificates from the university or school. This FIR does not require any stamp or signature to be enclosed with the application.

Applicant’s Information is Protected

The personal and educational certificates contain sensitive information, which is valuable. The hackers often look for this kind of accurate information to take away and sell at a good price in the market. There are just four agencies that have been authorized to collect applications for attestation on the behalf of the government. This is done to keep your personal identifiable information safe and secure in the robust IT network, where breaching is hard to carry out. This is how the competent agencies ensure no loss of personally identifiable information.

Is Notary Stamp Compulsory?

The red coloured seal is called the notarization stamp. It’s not necessary to have on your documents, as it has no value on educational certificates.

However, it becomes important in the cases of getting CENOMAR or marriage certificate. This is done by a notary public, an authority in the court, to identify if the applicant is telling the truth or not. The notary discovers fakeness through a volley of questions about the certificates and face expressions.

Fingerprint Scan Attestation

It is significant that the applicant would visit the embassy in person, where his scanned fingerprint data are collected at the time of visa interview. This is done to match them with the fingerprints scan at the airport entrance. The airport authority does it to prevent the misuse of visa.

One point that one should always keep into account is that no third party can ever submit scanned fingerprints on your behalf. You have to go on your own.

Issues in Document Attestation and Their Solutions for NRIs

Issues in Document Attestation and Their Solutions for NRIs

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.

Levels of Certificate Attestation for Immigration

Levels of Certificate Attestation for Immigration

What does attestation mean?
Attestation defines the authenticity of the document. It marks the stamp of approval which denotes validity. For example, an attested birth certificate interprets its validity. This validity is proven by the Municipal Corporation of the region. And the corporation is governed by the government. Therefore, it is a proven document of an individual’s right of acquiring citizenship.

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