Who issued your certificate decides everything
The MEA apostille confirms the signature of an Indian public officer. So the birth certificate has to come from the officer the law puts in charge of birth records: the Registrar of Births and Deaths. In cities that is usually the municipal corporation's health department. In smaller towns it is the municipality or cantonment board, and in villages the registrar appointed for that area.
| Document you hold | Can it take an apostille? |
|---|---|
| Registrar-issued birth certificate, printed or handwritten | Yes |
| Printout of a digitally signed certificate from a state or CRS portal | Usually; send a photo so we can check the signature block |
| Hospital birth record or discharge summary | No; apply to the registrar for the certificate |
| School certificate or Aadhaar showing date of birth | No; these are not birth certificates |
| Affidavit about date of birth | Sometimes, as a separate notarised document, if the office abroad asks for one |
Late registration and "no record" certificates
Many people born in India before the 1990s were never registered, or were registered without a name. These cases need care, and the rules are set by the registrar and the local authorities, not by us. What follows is general guidance.
Birth registered late
When a birth is registered long after it happened, the registrar normally needs an order or permission from the authority named under the state's birth registration rules, along with supporting proof. Once the registrar issues a certificate, it is a registrar document like any other and can usually be taken for apostille. Some offices abroad notice a recent registration date on an old birth and ask for extra proof, so keep the papers you used for the registration.
Non-availability certificate
Some registrars issue a certificate saying that no record of the birth is available. It is issued by a registrar, so in many cases it can be verified and apostilled. Whether it helps you is a separate question. Some foreign offices accept it with an affidavit from a parent or older relative. Many want an actual birth certificate after late registration. Ask the office abroad before you spend time on either.
Before you register late: tell us the country and the purpose. We can tell you which document the MEA will process, but only the office abroad can say which one it will accept.
Children born in India and families moving abroad
The birth certificate is the child's first identity record, so it travels with almost every family move.
- Joining a parent abroad. The visa office uses the certificate to link the child to both parents. Check that both parents' names match their passports.
- Foreign parents, child born in India. Parents from Germany, France, the Netherlands or another Hague country often need the Indian certificate apostilled to register the birth with their own authorities or to apply for the child's passport.
- Foreign passport holders born in India. Adults who now hold another nationality still have an Indian birth certificate. Their new country may ask for it, apostilled, for a name change, marriage registration or pension file.
- OCI cardholders. Some offices abroad ask an OCI holder for proof of birth in India. The OCI card itself is not a birth certificate. If your registrar certificate is needed, it follows the same apostille route.
Requirements differ by country and by office. Treat this list as a starting point and follow the checklist you are given.
How the apostille is done
The pre-verification step depends on the country. Italy, Spain and Portugal take the Home Department route only. For Saudi Arabia, only the newer MEA e-apostille carrying a QR code is accepted. Bahrain usually needs the apostille plus an Arabic translation. For other Hague countries, the checklist decides. We translate into any language once the apostille is on.
- Original registrar birth certificate
- Passport copy of the person named, Indian or foreign
- Parents' passport copies, for a child
- Any late registration order or affidavit you hold
Delhi families can drop the certificate at our New Ashok Nagar office and collect it there. From elsewhere, courier it to us. We return it by Blue Dart or another secure courier. There is no collection from homes. Along with the price, you get a time estimate before anything is posted.
Birth certificate apostille: questions we get
I live abroad and my birth certificate is with my parents in India. Can they send it?
Yes. Your parents can courier it to us, and we return it to them or to another address in India. You can stay in touch on WhatsApp from abroad, and we update whoever you name.
My certificate has no name, only "male". Can it be apostilled?
It can, but most offices abroad will not accept it without a name. Get the name added at the registrar's office first, then send us the updated certificate.
Can you get a birth certificate issued for me?
No. Only the registrar issues birth certificates, and registration or correction has to be done by you or your family. Once you have the certificate, we take it through apostille.
Does an apostilled birth certificate expire?
The apostille itself has no expiry date. Some offices abroad ask for a certificate issued within a recent period, so check the checklist before you choose which copy to send.
Can my Indian birth certificate be apostilled if I am no longer an Indian citizen?
Yes. The apostille depends on where the document was issued, not on your current nationality. Send your foreign passport copy with it.