Do you know the meaning of attestation?
Attestation is a piece of evidence or proof that the document is checked carefully by keeping all the important details in mind. The attestation may be done for personal, professional, or educational documents. The attestation that is done for a degree certificate involves many authorities such as a Notary, SDM/State attestation, Ministry of External Affairs, and Embassy Attestation. The embassy attestation is usually done for all the countries that are not a part of the Hague nation.
Degree Certificate Attestation
Degree certificate attestation is a way to get the documents examined by the official authorities. The degree certificate attestation is done so that the foreign country comes to know that all the details that are mentioned in the degree certificate such as marks, name, year at which the course was initiated, and all other necessary information are 100% true and correct.
If an applicant wants to go to a foreign country then attestation of a degree certificate is important. It adds authenticity to a document. A stamp is placed by the MEA that has a unique number so that the country can verify the document easily. There is no requirement for any message, call, or mail that takes a lot of time for the validation of documents. Attestation helps in making the process fast and reliable.
Why does a person demand a Degree Certificate Attestation?
Degree Certificate Attestation is demanded due to various reasons. These are given below:
- An applicant who wants to go foreign country to study and applied for a study visa.
- All those individuals who wants to migrate abroad and apply for a work visa
- Companies/people planning to go foreign country for business purposes.
- Any person who wishes to settle abroad and applies for a permanent resident visa.
What documents did the applicant necessitate for a Degree Certificate Attestation?
There are a few documents that a person needs for a Degree Certificate Attestation. Let’s have a look:
- Major Documents
- Original Degree Certificate
- Supporting Documents
- Passport Photocopy (Front and last page).
- Aadhar (Photocopy)
- Driving License (Photocopy)
What steps does a person have to pursue a Degree Certificate Attestation?
There are 3-4 essential steps that are needed to pursue the attestation of the Degree Certificate. Let’s see all of them in detail:
- Notary Attestation: The first step is to present the degree certificate to the notary for attestation. The documents are reviewed carefully and then the notary puts a stamp and sign on them.
- SDM/State Attestation: There are two authorities where documents can be attested that are SDM or State. Both the authorities do the same work but the major difference is the time taken by them. Once the articles are examined carefully the State/SDM attests the certificate.
For attestation of documents, the time that is usually taken by the State is 3-4 weeks due to an innumerable number of documents. For SDM attestation, the time period that is generally taken for attestation is 3-4 days. It is better to choose SDM attestation as it is fast as compared to State Attestation.
Note: Notary + SDM Attestation + MEA Attestation + Apostille or Notary+State Department+MEA+Apostille.
- Ministry of External Affairs: One of the most vital steps in the whole attestation process is getting certificates attested from the Ministry of External Affairs. All the major and supporting documents are investigated. Attestation is done by a stamp and a signature on the document as it legalizes a certificate that is regarded as authentic in foreign countries.
- Embassy Attestation: This is the last step for all the countries that are not a part of Hague nations or for the countries that demand Embassy Attestation. At this step, the certificate is thoroughly verified. Once the embassy feels satisfied with the certificates, then they attest the degree certificate so that it can be used in foreign countries.
How can a person get an attestation of a degree certificate done?
A person has to follow specific steps to get the attestation of a degree certificate done:
- Gathering all the major and supporting documents.
- Finalizing the type of apostille you want to have
- Registration for the apostille service
- Submitting all the documents that an apostille service requires.
FAQ
How many countries are members of the Hague Convention including India?
As per the revised data for 2019, there are in total of 117 countries that are members of the Hague nations. India is also one of them.
What are the charges a person has to pay for attestation of a degree certificate?
A person has to pay certain charges to get the attestation work done. The expenses differ in the following’s things:
- Type (Set) of documents
- Count (Number) of documents
- Country where the certificate is to be presented.
A trustworthy apostille service provider can tell the exact charges that a person needs for the attestation of documents.
What time is actually required for the Degree Certificate Attestation?
There is no predetermined attestation of Degree Certificate Attestation. As there are several authorities involved so time may vary due to this. The time also depends on the apostille service that is selected by the person.
The time that is generally taken for the attestation of a degree certificate is approximately 10-15 days. However, the time period may increase due to any unpredictability.
Can an individual submit a degree certificate to the Ministry of External Affairs by themselves?
An individual is allowed to submit documents to the MEA before 2012. But due to more applications, the service was stopped. Now, a person is not allowed to submit the degree certificate by themselves to the Ministry of External Affairs now.
For how much time the attested degree certificate is valid?
The attested degree certificate is valid for a period of 6 months. It may be possible that the certificate can be presented in the foreign country that was issued one year back. It is better to consult a safe and secure apostille service provider to know about the validity of your attested documents and the complete process needed for attestation.