Birth Certificate Attestation in India

If you are planning to move abroad for 

• Work
• Study
• Employment
• Family reasons 

— your documents must be legally recognized in the country you’re heading to.

A great starting point would be the list of required documentation by your destination country, as this could vary by location, be it the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, etc., or more specifically, Sharjah. Depending on the location, the attestation of your birth certificate would also be required for legal documentation.  An Indian birth certificate provides the details of the name, date and place of birth, parent’s name and registration number of the document holder.

It is important to note that attestation by the embassy is required for the following:

• Obtaining a residence visa
• School or college admission
• Family sponsorship
• Employment

Why is Birth Certificate Attestation Important?

When you move abroad, your documents need to go through a verification process called document legalization to ensure that the foreign government trusts the authenticity of the document you’re presenting. 

For Hauge Convention countries, a birth certificate attestation would require an apostille. For other countries, an embassy attestation will be needed. This process applies to birth certificates for US immigration and travel from Chirala, Andhra Pradesh, or any part of India. For jobs and family sponsorships in other countries, you will need to have your embassy-attested birth certificate for the country you are visiting

Steps Involved in Birth Certificate Attestation

The birth certificate falls under the personal documents category and the main procedure in India involves four steps.

a) Notarization of the Birth Certificate

The first step for birth certificate attestation is primary notarization. In India, a notary public will do the verification and authentication of your original birth certificate. This first verification does help establish the authenticity of the document.

b) SDM/Home Department Attestation

After primary notarization, your birth certificate has to be counter-signed by the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) or the Home Department of your state. They will examine the birth certificate for authenticity and will place their stamp attesting to the certificate. In many instances, local authorities may ask for additional documents for consideration.

c) Birth Certificate Attestation from the Ministry of External Affairs

The next step is to submit your birth certificate (along with the application) to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA will attest your birth certificate to indicate that the document is registered with the Indian government and to affirm that your document is fit to be submitted to foreign authorities.

d) Embassy Attestation

Once the birth certificate has been processed by the MEA, the final step is to take this document to the Embassy or Consulate of the country you plan to go to. The Embassy needs to validate the birth certificate against the legal requirements of their country. If everything is in order, the Embassy will add an attestation stamp to the birth certificate.

Time and Costs for Birth Certificate Attestation

In India, the attestation of a birth certificate usually takes between 5 to 10 days depends on embassy working days, This can depend on the country you’re applying to, the verification of documents, and the processing time at the embassy. If the process is during a holiday or if you need to submit additional documents, it can take even longer.

Attestation of birth certificates has different costs depending on the country you’re attesting for and in which state you live. The price ranges from INR 4000 to 12000 depends on respective embassy fees for all the processes from notarization, SDM/Home Department, MEA verification, and embassy attestation.

It is advisable to take professional attestation services for birth certificates as it can result in less stress and quicker processing.

Documents Required for Birth Certificate Attestation

Before you start the attestation process, make sure you have all the appropriate documents. Here’s a list of the documents needed for birth certificate attestation in India.

Original Birth Certificate + copies

An official birth certificate issued by the registrar’s office will need to be attested first. This will be the document to be primarily attested.

Proof of Identity

A government-issued ID, like a passport or Aadhaar card, is required for identifying the individual in the attestation process.

Passport-sized Photographs

For the purpose of identification, some of your recent passport-sized photos may be required.

Covering Letter

A letter describing the purpose of attestation is particularly required when you are attesting the birth certificate for a UAE visa or other country-specific requirements.

Birth Certificate Attestation for Different Countries

UAE Birth Certificate Attestation for Residence Visa

When applying for a residence visa in UAE, attestation of your birth certificate is required. This involves getting the verification done of your birth certificate in India first, then submitting it to the UAE Embassy in India. The attestation of your birth certificate is considered proof of your identity and is legally acceptable in several matters like visa applications, family sponsorships, and even jobs.

Attestation for Other Countries

The process is quite the same for other countries like Kuwait, Qatar, China, Iran, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, etc. Depending upon the country, the final attestation should be done through their respective embassies in India. Every country has its own distinct legal procedures for document attestation, so it is better to ask the embassy or consulate for the process.

Why Choose Professional Attestation Services for a Birth Certificate Attestation?

Although you can do attestation by yourself, it is more time and energy saving to use professional services.

• Agents who specialize in documentation, such as notaries and embassy professionals, handle all the documentation, including notarization and embassy submission, on your behalf.
• Such services minimize the risk of making omissions or errors that could slow your application process.