Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

A. Apostille

• Q1. What is an Apostille and when do I need one?

  An Apostille is a certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document (e.g., a birth, marriage or death certificate, a judgment, an extract of a register or a notarial attestation).

  Apostille can only be issued for documents issued in one country party to the Apostille convention and that are to be used in another country which is also a party to the convention.

• Q2. In which countries does the Apostille convention apply?

  The Apostille convention only applies if both the country where the public document was issued and the country where the public document is to be used are parties to the convention.

• Q3. What do I do if either the country where my public document was issued or the country where I need to use my public document is not a party to the Apostille convention?

  If your document was issued or is to be used in a country where the Apostille convention does not apply, you should contact the Embassy or a Consulate of the country where you intend to use the document in order to find out what your options are.
• Q4. To which documents does the Apostille convention apply?

  The convention only applies to public documents whether or not a document is a public document is determined by the law of the country in which the document was issued. Countries typically apply the convention to a wide variety of documents. Most Apostilles are issued for documents of an administrative nature, including birth, marriage and death certificates; documents emanating from an authority or an official connected with a court, tribunal or commission; extracts from commercial registers; patents; notarial acts; notarial attestations (acknowledgements) of signatures; social, university and other academic diplomas issued by public institutions.
• Q5. Where do I get an Apostille?

  
  
  Each country that is party to the convention must designate one or several authorities that are entitled to issue Apostilles. These authorities are called competent Authorities – only they are permitted to issue Apostilles.
• Q6. What do I need to know before requesting an Apostille?

  
  
  Before you approach a Competent Authority about getting an Apostille, you should consider the most important question is:
  Does the Apostille Convention apply in both the country that issued the public document and the country where I intend to use it.
• Q7. Do all the Apostille have to look exactly the same?

  
  
  No. An annex to the Apostille Convention provides a Model Apostille Certificate. Apostille should confirm as closely as possible to 5this Model Certificate.
• Q8. How are Apostille affixed to public documents?

  
  
  An Apostille must be placed directly on the public document itself or on a separate attached page.
• Q9. What are the effects of an Apostille?

  
  

  An Apostille only certifies the origin of the public document to which it relates; it certifies the authenticity of the signature or seal of the person or authority that signed or sealed the public document and the capacity in which this was done.

  An Apostille does not certify the content of the public document to which it relates.

• Q10. Once I have an Apostille, do I need anything else to show that the Signature or Seal on my public document is genuine?

  
  
  An Apostille issued by the relevant Competent Authority is all that is required to establish that a signature or seal on a public document is genuine and to establish the capacity of the person or authority that signed or sealed the public document.
• Q11. If the recipient of my Apostille wants to verify my Apostille, what should I suggest?

  
  
  Each Competent Authority is required to keep a register in which it records the date and number of every Apostille it issues, as well as information relating to the person or authority that signed or sealed the underlying public documents.
• Q12. Can Apostille be rejected in the country where are to be used?

  
  
  Apostille issued in accordance with the requirement of the convention must be recognized in the country where they are to be used.
  Apostilles may only be rejected if:
  

  • Their origin cannot be verified.
  • Their formal elements differ radically from the Model Certificates annexed to the convention.

Attestation

• Q1. How does attestation help?

  Attestation of your original certificates proves valid in Gulf countries for getting Employment Visa, Family Visa, and Dependant visa. Trade Visa from Labor department of UAE
• Q2. Are authentication / attestation / legalization / verification / notarization the same?

  More likely these terms mean the same. The main intention of all these terms used finally lands up to get Embassy or Consulate attestation. Authentication - confirms the identity of a person. Attestation- is evidence which states that a document is attested. Legalization- is the official confirmation that a signature, seal or stamp on a document is genuine. Verification - the documents are verified by the university and termed as authentic. Notarization - is the stamping or sealing, dating and signing the document after sufficient evidence and ensures authenticity.
• Q3. Should I attest the Originals or photocopies? What if laminated?

  Attestation is done on the reverse of the Originals. If originals are laminated, we will remove the lamination and get the attestation done. However there is a chance that a frail document might get damaged cannot be ruled out. We recommend that you should get new ones issued in such cases.
• Q4. What are the supporting documents required for attesting the Educational Certificates issued from schools and colleges?

  You need to submit – Original certificates, Passport copies first two and last two pages and Job Offer Letter/ Valid Visa (whichever applicable).
• Q5. What are the supporting documents required for attesting the Non-Educational Certificates such as Marriage, Birth, Medical, Death, Divorce, Affidavit, Pvt Diplomas, Transfer and Leaving Certificates, Experience and Provisional Certificates?

  You need to submit – Original certificates, Passport copies first two and last two pages and Job Offer Letter/ Valid Visa (whichever applicable).
• Q6. What should I do in case of Loss of Original Education Certificates?

  You need to go to the University /College and submit a Lost Certificate Application. First you need to go to the territorial police station from where it was lost and lodge one FIR (First Information Report) . Get a copy of the FIR after signing by the Duty Officer and IPC no.(Indian Penal code) on it. Use this copy for applying for duplicate certificates. Repeated follow up is required.
• Q7. What documents do I have to send for attestations?

  If it is an Educational Document, you need to send your original degree along with a copy of your Passport and a copy of your Visa (Wherever Applicable). If it is a Marriage Certificate/Affidavit or a Birth Certificate, you need to send the Original Certificate copy of your Passport and a copy of your Visa (Wherever Applicable).
• Q8. Why attestation is done?

  When you present a legal document in a foreign country, it is often very difficult to determine whether the document is genuine and legal and therefore overseas governments sometimes need proof that the Indian documents which you hold is a genuine and not fake, or the signatures of Indian officials on documents, are genuine before they will accept them. The reason for that is job competition with locals/ or to get admission in various courses. Attestation is universal whether you come from Srilanka or America or India. It is the verification of the document. In the attestation / legalization process your documents passes through various level of department to confirm that this document is genuine. The attestation process first starts from state level (Home department of states) and after that Central Govt level, Ministry of External affairs (MEA) and at last Certificate Authentication or attestation has to be completed from India or the Country of Origin from where the Certificates are issued.
• Q9. What commercial documents I need to get attested to open a new business abroad?

  Commercial documents like certificate of origin, certificate of incorporation, invoice, physical / chemical analysis reports of products, packaging list, special certificates, Memorandum of association, power of attorney etc could be required attested for opening pr for collecting the business related payments from abroad.
• Q10. What are full forms of the short terms used in this website?

  HRD	Human resource Department – This department works under the home ministry of the particular state and maintains the record of all degree certificate issued from Universities of that state.
  GAD	General Administrative Department
  SDM	Sub Divisional Magistrate
  BLS Service Fee:
  Educational	Rs.18/Document
  Personal	Rs.22/Document
  Commercial	Rs.16/Document
  MEA Apostille Fee:	Rs.50/Document

Disclaimer

BLS International receives applications from Applicants for Attestation of the documents and applicable fees for further processing. BLS do hereby declare that they have no role whatsoever in the assessment of an Attested Documents, which is the sole prerogative of the concerned authorities.

Therefore, BLS will not in any manner be liable or responsible for any contents of Attested Documents, once the documents have been delivered to the Applicants.

BLS will take every precaution in handling original documents submitted by applicants. Due to unforeseen events and circumstances of Force Majeure, Force Majeure means any event or occurrence which is outside control of the Party concerned and which is not attributable to any act or failure to take preventive action by the Party concerned, but shall not include any industrial action occurring within BLS or any sub-contractor of BLS.

Where the Applicant avails of the Courier Acceptance Service or Courier Return Service, the Applicant confirms and is aware that the courier acceptance and delivery services have been operated by the third party and BLS do not assure any responsibility or liability for any deficiency in service on part of the Courier Company in case a passport or other documents are lost or damaged in transit.

BLS shall not be responsible or liable for any consequential loss or damage that may be caused to the Applicant due to loss of documents. It is expressly understood that when the Applicant or representative of the Applicant submits the original documents along with the applicable attestation fees, the Applicant has understood the terms and conditions and details as mentioned herein. The fees once paid by the Applicant are not refundable under any circumstances.

No employee of BLS has any right or authority to change, amend, and amplify the contents mentioned herein.

" By utilizing the services of BLS for processing of Attestation of Documents, the Applicant irrevocably authorizes and permits BLS as it deems fit to disclose and furnish, both inside and outside the U.A.E., information concerning the Application which the Applicant has provided to BLS for purposes of processing the Attestation of Documents of the Applicant (the "Information") to BLS' headquarters, subsidiaries, affiliates, associates, branches, service providers, assignees, agents, insurers, third party contractors or any other persons in order to enable BLS to process the application of the Applicant.

The Applicant authorizes the disclosure of information without the need for prior consent or approval or notification in any manner whatsoever."