Starting a job abroad
An overseas employer or visa authority may ask for an attested degree, diploma, trade certificate or experience certificate.
Employers · visa authorities
Contact CERTIFICATE ATTESTATION
Your documents, prepared for the world.
Shalema helps you understand and coordinate the correct attestation route for Indian-issued educational, personal and commercial documents intended for use abroad.
- 01Issuing authority
- 02Authentication
- 03Destination
ATTESTATION, IN SIMPLE WORDS
It helps another country trust where your document came from.
Your certificate may be genuine, but an organisation in another country may not recognise the issuing authority, seal or signature. Attestation or apostille creates an official verification chain so the document can be considered for use abroad.
You normally need it only when an employer, university, embassy, immigration office, licensing body or another authority asks for it. It does not itself guarantee a job, visa, admission or professional licence.
Studying overseas
A university or education authority may request authenticated certificates, mark sheets, transcripts or diplomas.
Universities · education authoritiesFamily or residence visa
Marriage and birth certificates may need attestation to prove a family relationship for residence or dependent applications.
Immigration · residence authoritiesProfessional licensing
Healthcare, engineering and other regulated professions may require verified qualifications before issuing a licence.
Licensing and regulatory bodiesBusiness or legal use
Powers of attorney, company records, agreements and commercial documents may need legalisation for use in another country.
Companies · banks · legal authoritiesAn official request
Police clearances, affidavits and other personal records may require authentication when a foreign authority specifically asks for it.
Embassies · government departmentsSIMPLE EXAMPLE
If you receive a job offer abroad and the employer asks for an attested degree, the process helps show that the certificate passed through the required official authorities. The exact steps depend on where it was issued and the country where you will use it.
START WITH THREE DETAILS
The right route starts with the destination—not the stamp.
What is the document?
A degree, birth certificate and company record can each follow a different authentication route.
Where was it issued?
The issuing state, university or authority can determine the first verification step.
Where will it be used?
The destination country and receiving organisation determine whether apostille or legalisation is needed.
Support for the documents that move life and business forward.
We review the document and intended use before confirming whether the case can be accepted.
EDUEducational documents
For employment, higher education, professional licensing and immigration-related requirements.
- Degree and diploma certificates
- School and higher-secondary certificates
- Mark sheets and transcripts
- Nursing, technical and professional certificates
PERPersonal documents
For family, residence, employment and other official processes outside India.
- Birth and marriage certificates
- Police clearance certificates
- Affidavits and declarations
- Power of attorney and other personal records
COMCommercial documents
For companies using Indian-issued business documents in another jurisdiction.
- Company and incorporation records
- Board resolutions and powers of attorney
- Commercial agreements and invoices
- Certificates of origin and supporting records
ATTESTATION PATHWAYS
One request may involve several authorities.
The exact sequence depends on the document, issuing authority, destination and the organisation requesting it. Shalema confirms the likely route before the customer submits documents.
Embassy Attestation
The embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used legalises it after the required Indian authentication steps. This confirms the document has followed that destination country’s accepted legalisation route.
Commonly used for: Employment visas, residence or dependent visas, university admission, professional licensing and commercial use in countries requiring consular legalisation.MEA Attestation
India’s Ministry of External Affairs authenticates the signature and seal of the designated Indian authority. Normal MEA attestation is generally part of the route for destinations where an apostille is not accepted.
Commonly used for: Preparing Indian educational, personal and commercial documents for embassy legalisation and official use in non-Hague destinations.HRD Attestation
The relevant state education or Human Resource Development authority authenticates an educational certificate issued within its jurisdiction. The exact department and verification method can differ by state and institution.
Commonly used for: Degrees, diplomas and other educational certificates requested for overseas jobs, further study or professional registration.MOFA Attestation
The destination country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs may complete the final local legalisation step after the document has been authenticated in India and, where required, by its embassy or consulate.
Commonly used for: Submitting documents to local employers, immigration departments, schools, licensing bodies or other authorities after arriving in the destination country.Apostille Attestation
An apostille is issued for documents intended for countries participating in the Hague Apostille Convention. It simplifies the international authentication route and will often replace further embassy legalisation for public documents.
Commonly used for: Employment, education, marriage or family matters, residence applications and business documents in Hague Convention countries—subject to the receiving authority’s instructions.WES Verification
World Education Services evaluates international academic qualifications and compares them with education standards in Canada or the United States. It is a credential evaluation service, not an attestation stamp.
Commonly used for: Canadian immigration Educational Credential Assessments, college or university admission, employment and certain professional-licensing applications.DataFlow Verification
DataFlow conducts Primary Source Verification by contacting the university, employer, regulator or other organisation that originally issued a credential. It is verification at the source, not the same as certificate attestation.
Commonly used for: Healthcare and other regulated-profession licensing, especially when a Gulf-region regulator or employer specifically requires a DataFlow report.PCC Attestation
A Police Clearance Certificate records whether police authorities have reportable criminal-history information for the stated period and jurisdiction. The certificate may then require authentication based on the destination’s rules.
Commonly used for: Employment, migration, long-term residence, family visas, study or other applications where a foreign authority asks for police-clearance evidence.Clear before anything leaves your hands.
- 01
Tell us the destination
Share the country, purpose, document type and the place where the document was issued.
- 02
We confirm the route
The team reviews the case and explains the likely authorities, documents, cost and expected processing range.
- 03
Submit after confirmation
Only send originals or supporting copies after receiving clear submission instructions from Shalema.
- 04
Receive the completed document
Collection or return arrangements are confirmed for the individual case.
REQUEST A REVIEW
Tell us what needs to travel.
Send the basic details first. Do not upload or send original certificates until the Shalema team confirms the route and submission method.
GOOD TO KNOW
Questions before you submit.
What is the difference between apostille and normal attestation?＋
India’s Ministry of External Affairs uses apostille for documents intended for countries participating in the Hague Apostille Convention. Normal attestation is used for destinations where apostille is not accepted. The receiving authority’s instructions still need to be checked.
Do all certificates follow the same process?＋
No. Educational, personal and commercial documents may start with different authorities, and the route can also change based on the issuing state and destination.
How long will the process take?＋
Processing time depends on the document, issuing authority, embassy or destination requirements. Shalema will provide a case-specific estimate after reviewing the details; no timeline is guaranteed before that review.
Should I send the original certificate now?＋
No. Send only the basic enquiry first. Shalema will explain whether an original, true copy, passport copy or other supporting document is required and how it should be submitted.