We do not issue or apply for PCCs. You get the certificate from Passport Seva (PSK, POPSK or Regional Passport Office) or the police. We then have the MEA e-apostille fixed to it.
What the e-apostille adds to a PCC
The MEA apostille confirms that the signature on your PCC is genuine. The e-apostille does the same job, with one addition: a QR code printed on the apostille that links to the MEA's own online record of it. The paper and the record are two halves of the same proof.
For a PCC this matters more than for most documents. A police clearance is a statement about your character, and it is the document employers most fear being forged. A QR record lets an HR officer in Riyadh or a visa officer in Lisbon confirm it in a minute, from their own desk, without writing to anyone in India.
The MEA's current apostilles carry the QR code. If your receiver insists on it, as Saudi employers do, say so when you ask for the quote and we confirm it before you send the PCC. The price is the same as for any PCC apostille.
Why Saudi employers and others insist on it
Saudi Arabia accepts only the MEA apostille with a QR code. The older apostille without a code is turned back. Indians have not needed a PCC for Saudi visas since November 2022, but some employers, sponsors and licensing bodies still ask for one, and when they do, the QR e-apostille is the version they accept.
Other receivers are moving the same way for practical reasons:
- Online hiring portals. Many employers ask you to upload a scan first. A clear QR on the scan lets them verify before you have even travelled.
- Recruitment agencies abroad. Agencies handling dozens of files prefer a document they can check without courier delays.
- Licensing bodies. Nursing, medical and teaching councils often check every document in a file, and a QR record speeds that up.
For Saudi Arabia in particular, see PCC apostille for Saudi Arabia, which explains when a PCC is still asked for.
How a receiving office checks your PCC
The officer abroad usually does three things. You can do the same checks yourself before you hand the PCC over.
- Scan the QR codeWith any phone camera. It should open a record on an official Indian government website. Look at the web address, not just the page design.
- Match the detailsThe apostille number, date of issue and the official named on screen should match the apostille on the paper.
- Link it to the PCCThe apostille confirms the signature of the officer who signed or authenticated your PCC. That signature and seal should be on the same paper.
If you are not sure whether what you see is right, send us a photo of the apostille and a screenshot of the scan result. We check apostilles even if we did not arrange them.
Keeping the QR readable
A genuine e-apostille is only useful if the code still scans when it reaches the desk abroad.
- Carry the PCC flat in a document folder. A fold through the code can stop it scanning.
- Do not laminate the PCC after the apostille. Glare on lamination makes scanning harder, and offices may want to handle the original.
- Make your upload scan in good light, uncropped, with the full apostille and the code in the frame.
- Keep pins and staples away from the apostille. Use a paper clip for extra pages.
- Scan the code yourself as soon as the PCC is back with you, so any problem shows up while you are still in India.
If your PCC has an old apostille without a QR code
An older MEA apostille without a QR code is genuine. Many countries still accept it. Saudi Arabia does not, and individual employers elsewhere may also prefer the QR version.
Before you do anything, ask us. Send a photo of the PCC and the apostille, the issue date of the PCC and the destination. Often the age of the PCC is the bigger problem. An apostille added years ago usually sits on a PCC that is also years old, and many receivers want a recent certificate anyway. In that case the practical answer is a fresh PCC, which you get from Passport Seva or the police, and then a new e-apostille on it. We tell you which applies to your case before you spend anything.
Questions about the PCC e-apostille
Is the e-apostille a digital file or a paper stamp?
For a PCC it is a printed apostille fixed to your original paper certificate, with a QR code on it. The code links to the online record. You still carry and submit the paper.
My employer only wants a scan. Will they be able to verify it?
Yes, if the scan is clear and the QR code is complete. The employer scans the code from the image and compares the record with your paper.
My PCC is going to Germany, not Saudi Arabia. Does the QR version matter?
Many countries still accept an older apostille without a code, so it is rarely the deciding point. Read your checklist or ask the receiver. If they mention a QR code or online verification, tell us when you ask for the quote.
Can you add a QR code to my existing apostille?
No. A QR code cannot be added to an apostille that was issued without one. Send us a photo and we tell you whether the receiver needs a new apostille, and on which PCC.
Does a digitally signed police PCC with its own QR code still need the MEA e-apostille?
Yes, if your destination asks for an apostille. The police QR code proves the PCC was issued. The MEA apostille QR code proves India has confirmed it for use abroad. They do different jobs.