If your planning to travel or work abroad, you may be required to present certain
documents that have been authenticated or legalized for use in the destination
country. In such cases, you may need to obtain an apostille, a standardized form of
authentication that certifies the authenticity of your documents. In Bangalore, you
can obtain an apostille through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) or the
Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
What is an apostille and why do you need it?
An apostille is a certificate issued by a designated authority that authenticates the
origin of a document. It is a standardized form of authentication that allows your
documents to be recognized in countries that are signatories to the Hague
Convention of 1961. The apostille certificate is attached to the back of the document,
and it contains the following information:
• The name of the issuing authority
• The name of the country where the document was issued
• The stamp or seal of the issuing authority
• The signature of the issuing authority
The apostille certificate serves as proof that the document has been issued by a
competent authority and that it is genuine. It is simpler and more streamlined
process for authenticating documents than the traditional method of legalization,
which involves getting your documents authenticated by the embassy or consulate of
the destination country.
You may need to obtain an apostille for a variety of documents, including:
• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• Death certificates
• Educational certificates (e.g., degrees, transcripts)
• Powers of attorney
• Affidavits
• Adoption papers
• Business documents (e.g., articles of incorporation, certificates of
incorporation)
In Bangalore, you can obtain an apostille for documents issued by the following
authorities:
• The Government of Karnataka
• The Bangalore City Corporation
• The Bangalore University
• The Karnataka State Open University
• The Karnataka Examinations Authority
How to obtain an apostille in Bangalore
There are two main authorities responsible for issuing apostille Services in Bangalore: the
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Department of Administrative Reforms and
Public Grievances (DARPG).
1. Apostille through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
The MEA is the designated authority for issuing apostilles for documents issued by
the Government of Karnataka and the Bangalore City Corporation. Here’s is the
process for obtaining an apostille through the MEA:
• Visit the MEAs website and download the application form for apostille.
• Fill out the form and attach it to the back of your document.
• Submit the document in person at the MEAs regional office in Bangalore or at
the Ministry’s headquarters in New Delhi. You can also send the document by
post, but this may take longer.
• Pay the apostille fee, which is currently INR 1,000 per document. You can pay
the fee by cash, credit card, or demand draft.
• Wait for the MEA to process your application. The processing time may vary
depending on the volume of applications received.
2. Apostille through the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public
Grievances (DARPG)
The DARPG is the designated authority for issuing apostilles for documents issued
by educational institutions, such as Bangalore University, the Karnataka State Open
University, and the Karnataka Examinations Authority. Heres the process for
obtaining an apostille through the DARPG:
• Visit the DARPGs website and download the application form for apostille.
• Fill out the form and attach it
