What is Apostille?

A total of 117 countries including India, Australia, the US, the UK, and most of the EU countries have signed a convention which states that any document originating from any of these countries can be attested by the Ministry of External Affairs of that country and will be accepted as a legalised document in any of the 117 countries which have signed the convention agreement. Recently even Saudi Arabia has joined the list of Apostille countries this year.

Due to this, the process of attestation is simplified. The apostille ensures that documents issued in one signatory country will be considered valid in another. For all documents that have originated in India, Apostille attestation in Mumbai is done by MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) New Delhi.

Stepwise Procedure for Apostille Certificate Attestation

Step 1: Notary Attestation –

It is the first step of attestation. It is carried out at the local level by authorized government officials.

Step 2: Home Department Attestation/ SDM Attestation (Either one) –

Home Department Attestation: Verification for documents is performed by the State Home Department. Or SDM Attestation: The Sub-Divisional Magistrate is an alternative for the Home Department. Sub-Divisional Magistrate is autonomous of the main state government and performs individually.

Step 3: MEA Apostille –

In this step, the MEA provides a sticker containing the applicant’s name and other details. At times, along with the apostille sticker, an MEA stamp is also obligated on the documents, especially for commercial documents. It is the final step of Apostille certificate attestation and is performed by the central government.

So now lot of questions arise when the apostille attestation is to be done. Some of them are mentioned below with their probable answers:

Which Educational certificates are to be attested?

Answer: importantly Graduation Certificate needs to be attested. Besides that if you also have a PG and if your higher degree is considered important for the job that you are selected for then you can consult your employer whether that too needs to be attested.

Which Educational certificates are to be attested?Whether I should also attest my other Degrees or marksheets/provisional certificates?

Answer: Only one most important Degree certificate needs to be attested. (you can decide which one – in case you possess two degrees). Marksheets need not be attested. If you are a Diploma/ITI holder then the respective degree may be considered for attestation.

Whether I should also attest my Marriage Certificate/Birth certificates for my kids/My spouse’s degree certificate?

Answer: This depends on whether you have immediate plans for your family to join you. If that is so or even if they will be joining you in one year’s time, it is always better to get their documents attested along with yours because this will save your time and trouble later. Assuming you are working in some country in Europe and attestation of other documents has to be done after one year, it will be difficult for you to manage this remotely.

Whether HRD is compulsory before Apostille attestation?

Answer: You need to check whether your document is already attested by any other Embassy or by MEA prior to apostille attestation. As per the guidelines before MEA stamps the documents it has to be verified by the University, attested by Notary, Home Department(HRD) or SDM Attestation, and then presented to the MEA for apostille. The prerequisites for each document may be a little different and therefore it’s better that you send the front and back document scan copy to a professional person who is dealing in attestations and he/she will inform you correctly what needs to be done.

How many days it takes for Apostille attestation and what are reasonable fees for the same?

Answer: The process and eventually the cost depends on the current status of a document and then further processes to be done. However, the timeline may vary from 5 – 7 working days and costs may vary between 2000 to 3000 INR. Please note that MEA fees are subject to change without any notice and the cost may change depending on the current fees during the time of submission of documents.

The Ever-Evolving Process:

As organizations change and adapt to new challenges and opportunities, job analysis must also evolve. The process is not static but a dynamic tool that reflects the shifting demands of the workforce and the business landscape.

In conclusion, job analysis in HR serves as the guiding star in the HR constellation, illuminating the path to effective talent management, compliance, and organizational success. By embracing this process, HR professionals can ensure that their organizations are not only employing the right people but also empowering them to reach their full potential.

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