Birth certificate attestation
Birth Certificate Attestation and Apostille
Taking your child abroad, or enrolling them in a school there? The country or the school may ask for the Indian birth certificate to be attested or apostilled. A notary attests it, then the state (the Home Department or the SDM, depending on the state), then the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA): with an apostille for a country in the Apostille Convention, or with MEA attestation and the embassy's stamp for the others. We check the certificate, take it through each office and keep you updated on WhatsApp.
- Family visas and school admission
- Fee confirmed before you start
- Updates on WhatsApp
Notice: Trueway provides independent documentation support and is not affiliated with any council, embassy or government authority.
The route of a birth certificate
Four offices, one after the other.
A notary public attests it first.
The Home Department or the SDM, depending on the state.
MEA attestation, or the apostille for a Convention country.
The embassy's stamp for a country outside the Convention. None after an apostille.
What an apostilled birth certificate looks like
A birth certificate issued in Kerala, May 2026: the Kerala Home Department, then the MEA Apostille at the Regional Passport Office in Thiruvananthapuram. No embassy stamp follows. Outside Kerala the state step is often the SDM, after a notary.
Kerala Home Department and apostille
View largerKerala Home Department
The seal of the Home Department, Government of Kerala, and the words Verified and Attested, signed by an Under Secretary at the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram.
Home Department attestationApostille sticker
The Government of India apostille. It names the document (here a birth certificate), the Home Department officer who signed it, and that it was certified in Thiruvananthapuram by the Regional Passport Office of the MEA.
MEA seal
The round seal of the Ministry of External Affairs, on the sticker.
Officer's stamp
The stamp of the Assistant Passport Officer (Attestation), Regional Passport Office, Thiruvananthapuram, Ministry of External Affairs. No embassy stamp follows.
A real case, shown with the names, numbers and signatures hidden.
Who needs it?
Families taking an Indian birth certificate abroad.
A family visa
For your child's dependant or family visa.
School admission abroad
When a school abroad asks for the birth certificate.
Residency
When the country asks for it for a residence permit.
How we handle it
Who does what, from your first message to the attested document.
Step 1: Tell us the birth certificate and the country
YouWe confirm the offices, the fee and the expected time for your case before you send anything.
Step 2: We collect your documents
TruewayThe original document and a passport copy, at a branch or by courier. We check names, dates and seals before anything is submitted.
Step 3: The notary attests it
AuthorityA notary public attests the birth certificate with a seal and signature. Every other office comes after it.
Step 4: The state attests it
AuthorityThe Home Department or the SDM of the state that issued the birth certificate adds its seal, after the notary. Which office depends on the state. Trueway does not control this step. We follow it and send you updates on WhatsApp.
Step 5: The MEA attests it, or adds the apostille
AuthorityThe Ministry of External Affairs attests the document on the signature of the state office before it: an apostille for a country in the Apostille Convention, MEA attestation for the others.
Step 6: The embassy, or back to you
TruewayFor a country outside the Apostille Convention we take the document on to its embassy in India. Then we return it to you at a branch or by courier.
Apostille or embassy: by country
The steps in India are the same. The country you are going to decides the last one.
The MEA Apostille, no embassy step
- Saudi Arabia
- Oman
- Other Apostille Convention countries
Another country? Tell us before you send anything: we confirm the route for it.
Documents required
From Trueway's working checklist and the Kerala Home Department's page. Your exact list is confirmed after your enquiry.
Watch: the attestation process explained
Our team explains the whole chain: notary, state, MEA, apostille and embassy.
Certificate Attestation & Embassy Attestation Explained | Complete Process |MEA, Apostille & Embassy
Trueway International on YouTube · 10 min 13 s. The video loads from YouTube when you press play.
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What does it cost?
Connect with the Trueway team for the fee. It depends on the state that issued the certificate and the country it is for. We confirm it on WhatsApp, together with the expected time, before you decide.
Ask the team for the feeGood to know
Home Department or SDM
Which state office signs depends on the state. The MEA's list of state signing authorities names, for example, the Home Department in Kerala, the General Administration Department in Gujarat, and the District Judges and SDMs in Delhi.
SDM attestationA birth certificate from Kerala
The Kerala Home Department attests only certificates issued in Kerala, after a notary. We check your birth certificate, arrange the notary, take it through the Home Department, and handle the MEA apostille or the embassy step after it.
No expiry date on the seal
The attestation itself carries no expiry date. The office or school abroad may still ask for a recently issued certificate.
Guides
The process, explained in full.
- How to Apostille Your Birth Certificate and Marriage Certificate for a Spouse Visa — Complete Guide
- Complete Guide to Home Department Attestation for Indians Travelling Abroad
- Home Department Attestation for NRIs and Migrants Relocating Abroad with Families
- Apostille Process in Kerala: Notary, SDM and MEA, Step by Step
- Hague Convention Countries List: Does Your Destination Country Need an Apostille?
Google reviews
What our clients say
Reviews about this service come first, followed by recent Google reviews of Trueway.
GOPIKA KRISHNAN G
Good service..Thank youTrue way team especially ms.Archana for helping and support throughout my certificate attestation process.
Adv. Stephy Walter
I had a very smooth experience with Trueway International for my certificate attestation. Special thanks to Mary Jemi for her support and guidance throughout the process. Everything was handled quickly and professionally. Highly recommended!
Saeed Abdulhadi
Ms. Mary Jemi was very helpful from the very first moment despite my initial skepticism. The police clearance produced was done quickly and the document is genuine. They were very professional with any questions I asked and very understanding with any challenges I faced. Thank you so much
Reviews from Google, shown as written by the reviewers.Read all reviews on Google
Got questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Clear answers about birth certificate attestation.
What is birth certificate attestation?
It confirms an Indian birth certificate for use in another country. A notary, the state and the Ministry of External Affairs each add their seal, and then the embassy of the country, unless the country takes an apostille.
Can a birth certificate be apostilled?
Yes. The MEA names birth, death and marriage certificates among the personal documents it apostilles, for the countries of the Apostille Convention. For other countries the MEA attests the certificate and the embassy follows.
Which documents do I give for my child's birth certificate?
The original birth certificate, the child's passport copy, and the passport copies of both parents.
Which state office attests a birth certificate?
The state that issued it, after a notary: the Home Department or the SDM, depending on the state. In Kerala it is the Home Department, which attests only certificates issued in Kerala.
My child was born in Kerala and we live abroad. Who can apply?
Send us the certificate by courier, or ask a relative to hand it in at our branch. We check it, arrange the notary, take it through the Kerala Home Department, and on to the MEA apostille or the embassy, and return it to you.
Does the attested birth certificate expire?
The attestation itself carries no expiry date. The office or school abroad may still ask for a recently issued certificate, so check with them.
Is the attestation done on the original certificate?
Yes. The seals and the apostille go on the original, and the MEA states that it does not legalise photocopies. So the original certificate has to be submitted.
How long does birth certificate attestation take?
It depends on the state that issued the certificate and the country it is for. We tell you the expected time for your case before you start, and send updates on WhatsApp.
What does birth certificate attestation cost?
Connect with the Trueway team on WhatsApp. The fee depends on the state that issued the certificate and the country it is for, and we confirm it before you decide.
Is Trueway part of the Home Department, the MEA or an embassy?
No. Trueway provides independent documentation support and is not affiliated with any council, embassy or government authority.
Need birth certificate attestation? Tell us the document
We reply on WhatsApp with the steps and the fee.