When planning to live, work, or study in India, you need to have all necessary documents in proper order. This will lessen on the red tape and bureaucracy in various circumstances. All your personal documents require authentication to be considered valid for use. The idea is to have all documents that need an apostille worked on. Getting your documents legalized by a public notary is time-consuming, tiresome, and costly.
Here is the good news
Since India is a member of the Apostille Convention simplifies the legalization process of documents for foreigners. The Apostille stamp is issued by a recognized government body and without going to the consulate. An apostille authenticates the origin of public documents without guaranteeing the validity of the documents. It only certifies that the document was issued from a recognized local authority. The apostille eliminates red tape foreigners have to go through to legalize various document including:
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Death certificates
- Travel authorizations
- Educational certificates
- Powers of attorney and wills
- Court documents for divorce, adoption, and custody rights
Registering a new birth with apostilles
For a child born while abroad, you obviously want the birth registered in your home country. This is possible with an apostille for the child to have the nationality of your home country. Additionally, you also need a birth certificate authenticated when traveling together to India. For a child born in your home country, you will have to send the original birth certificate to get an apostille to have it verified as legal and original. Keep in mind that photocopies of documents are not apostilled.
Why get a birth certificate apostilled
The most significant reason to get apostille birth certificate is to prove identity for a child and proof of responsibility for the child. Traveling with an authenticated birth certificate is easier and allows the birth to recorded in India and your home country as well. Getting the certificate apostilled requires about three to four working days before the certificate is mailed back to you. The certificate is now proof of nationality and age of the holder in a country with membership to Hague Convention.
Documents required for an apostille
During the application process to get a birth certificate apostilled, you will have to submit documents including personal details such as:
- Place of residence,
- Telephone number
- Applicant’s name and surname
- Titles of documents subject to an apostille
The real copy of the birth certificate is required for submission to get an apostille. You also have to attach some photocopies of the documents as well. The receipts of payment of the stamp duty for the certificate are required as well. To avoid all those problems, you can just hire a professional agency to get the apostille for your birth certificate.
Getting an apostille for a death certificate
In case your loved one dies abroad and had property, assets, or bank account, you will have to get the death certificate apostilled. The lawyers will need an apostille attached to the deceased‘s death certificate. This is essential before the deceased’s funds or property are transferred to the inheriting party. Not having the apostille might make the transfer imposable. You can arrange to get an apostille death certificate within five working days after the death is registered properly in the appropriate registry office.
Instances, when you’ll need an apostilled birth certificate include
Registering for school
Schools in India need a birth certificate during registration. The birth certificate offers proof of age and identity. Having an apostilled birth certificate certifies that the student is the real one. It also ensures that the student is enrolled in the appropriate class to match their age. Therefore, it is a good idea to get your child’s birth certificate when moving to India or considering further education.
Travel
A birth certificate is one of the prerequisites to get a passport. This allows free travel throughout the country and getting the appropriate visa. Additionally, you might be required to present a birth certificate for other circumstances like boarding a cruise liner. The apostilled birth certificate works proof of identity where a passport is not necessary.
Signing up for sports
When enrolling your child for sports, one of the requirements to qualify might be proof of age. This is where an apostilled birth certificate comes in handy. Submitting the certified birth certificate will offer the required proof of age to sign up for that particular sport. This will offer an opportunity to indulge in a sport of your choice without restrictions.
Bottom line
A birth certificate is an essential personal document. Apart from showing proof of age, you can also use it to qualify for competitions and as proof of identity. However, for your birth certificate to be legal in India, it should have an apostille. Validating a birth certificate is a lengthy process that requires effort and money. Fortunately, you can rely on a reputable agency to handle the process of having your birth certificate get an apostille.
About Ashly William:
Ashly William is a freelance writer, with years of experience, creating content for varied online portals. Her content is published on many national and international publications. She love to write about business services and Technology.