Apostille: Used for Hague Convention member countries; requires no further embassy attestation.

Attestation: Needed for non-Hague countries; involves multiple authentication levels, including embassy verification.

Apostille: MEA issues a sticker with a unique ID for online verification.

Attestation: Includes verification from notary, state authorities, MEA, and the destination country’s embassy.

Apostille: Faster process, valid only in Hague Convention countries.

Attestation: Lengthier, mandatory for countries outside the Hague Convention.

Notary Attestation – Initial verification by a notary to confirm document authenticity.

State Attestation – Certification by State Home Department (personal documents) or HRD (educational documents).

Chamber of Commerce Attestation – Required for commercial documents before MEA verification.

MEA Attestation – Ministry of External Affairs authenticates documents for non-Hague Convention countries.

Embassy Attestation – Final verification by the destination country’s embassy for official use abroad.

UAE – Requires attestation for employment, education, and residency.

Qatar – Mandatory for work permits and higher education.

Saudi Arabia – Essential for visas, jobs, and business purposes.

Kuwait – Needed for employment and migration.

Oman – Required for job and education-related purposes.

China – Attestation necessary for work and study.

Egypt – Essential for legal and business documents.

Non-Hague Convention Countries – Require attestation instead of apostille.

USA – Requires apostille for legal, educational, and commercial documents.

UK – Apostille needed for visa, work, and study.

Canada – Apostille required for document validation in Hague Convention countries.

Australia – Accepts apostilled documents for immigration and education.

Germany – Apostille mandatory for official documents.

France – Requires apostille for legal and academic purposes.

Italy – Apostille used for residency, study, and work.

Spain – Recognizes apostilled documents for legal procedures.

Hague Convention Countries – Accept apostille without further embassy attestation.

The validity of attestation and apostille depends on the document type and country regulations:

• Educational and personal documents (e.g., birth, marriage, degree certificates) are usually valid for a lifetime unless otherwise stated by the destination country.
• Commercial documents (e.g., business agreements, invoices) may require re-attestation for specific transactions or renewals.
• Some countries have expiration policies and may request a recently attested or apostilled document.
• Always verify country-specific requirements before submission.