Short answer: educational certificates going abroad are verified with the university or board, attested by the state HRD / education department (or verified online through MEA’s e-Sanad), and then either apostilled by MEA for Hague countries or MEA + embassy attested for countries like the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait.
Whether you’re heading abroad for a job or a master’s degree, your degree and marksheets will almost certainly need to be attested or apostilled. This guide walks through the complete process for educational documents, start to finish.
Which educational documents are attested?
- Degree certificates (UG and PG)
- Diplomas
- Consolidated and semester marksheets / transcripts
- Provisional certificates
- 10th and 12th certificates
Employers often want the highest qualification attested; universities may want everything. Check the exact list before you start.
The complete process
- Check names. Your name on the degree and passport must match. If not, prepare an affidavit.
- University / board verification. The issuing institution confirms the certificate.
- HRD attestation or e-Sanad. The state education department attests it, or MEA verifies online where supported. See HRD attestation.
- MEA. An apostille for Hague countries, or MEA attestation for others.
- Embassy. For non-Hague countries, the embassy attests after MEA — see embassy attestation.
Documents going abroad?
We handle MEA apostille for 120+ Hague countries (Saudi Arabia, China, Europe, USA) and embassy attestation for the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and more — state, MEA and embassy stages done for you, with pan-India courier pickup.
Apostille or embassy?
Saudi Arabia (since December 2022), China (since November 2023), Oman, Bahrain, the Philippines, Japan and most of Europe are apostille countries. The UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Thailand, Egypt and Malaysia are not. Germany is a special case: it objected to India’s accession, so Indian apostilles are not accepted there.
Documents you’ll need
- Original degree or certificate
- All supporting marksheets
- Passport copy
- Authority letter for submission
- Name change proof, if your name differs
How long does it take?
Usually 1–3 weeks to the MEA stage, mostly depending on university verification, and about a week more for embassy attestation. Country guides: UAE employment visa, Kuwait, Qatar.
Not sure which attestation your form needs? Send a photo of it on WhatsApp or call +91 93109 70010 — we tell you the exact process before you spend any money.
Frequently asked questions
What is educational certificate attestation?
Verifying a degree or marksheet with the university, the state education department (or e-Sanad) and MEA — plus the embassy for some countries — so it’s accepted abroad.
Do I need to attest all marksheets?
It depends on the employer or university. Many want the degree plus supporting marksheets.
Is e-Sanad available for my university?
Many universities and boards are on e-Sanad, but not all. We check before choosing the route.
How long does degree attestation take?
Usually 1–3 weeks to MEA; embassy attestation adds about a week.
SK Document Centre has helped people in Delhi NCR with attestation, affidavits, apostille and embassy legalisation for over a decade. Questions about your documents? WhatsApp us.
