Apostille and attestation are specific procedures to verify the authenticity of a document for use in a foreign country. People often confuse one legal process with the other. The major difference between the two is where the document will be legal for usage after the procedure.
Find in this comprehensive guide the top difference between apostille and attestation, where the documents can be used, and how you can apply.
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Apostille, basically, is a simplified, single-step verification process to legitimize a document for use in a foreign country. An apostille is an official seal, generally sealed by a designated official authority, that makes the document verified for legal use in a country outside the document’s origin country. The document then can be used in any country part of the Hague Apostille Convention. For the document to be work legally abroad, both the countries As of now, 130 countries are part of the Hague Apostille Convention.
What is Attestation?
Attestation is the process of getting a document verified for its authenticity and accuracy. Generally, attestation is amulti-step process. The governing authority that can attest a document can vary for different countries, even states within a country. What is more, attestation can be performed by an authority or a third party with legal expertise, depending on the document.
Key Differences between Apostille and Attestation
Both legal methods are used to legitimise a document for legal use outside the country of its origin, however, there are major differences between the two, including:
| Topic of Difference | Apostille | Attestation |
| Where usage is accepted | In any one of the countries part of the Hague Apostille Convention(e.g., USA, UK, India, Germany etc.) | Depends on the specific laws of the country. However, most countries outside the Apostille Convention accept attestation. (e.g., UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait etc.) |
| Steps Involved | Single-step | Usually multiple steps |
| Where the Legalisation is done on the document | The apostille is granted separately, and not on the original document. | In most cases, attestation is done directly on the original document |
| Processing Time | As only one governing authority is required to apostille a document, so processing time is lesser. | Attestation, depending upon the specific document, can involve many ministerial departments and offices. That is why attestation can take longer to process. |
Applying for Apostille
Applying for Apostille to make a document verified for international usage depends on the country of origin. Every country has a slightly different application process. For instance, in India, to get a document apostilled, the document is first verified by concerned state or central authorities and then the final sticker is obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA).
While in the United States, state-issued documents are directly apostilled by the Secretary of State, and federal issued documents are apostilled by the US Department of State Office of Authentications.
Applying for Attestation
Attestation of a document depends on the specific document. Moreover, just like Apostille, the procedure of getting your document attested can be different for every country. Typically, the process involves state-level verification or Home Department’s verification.
The final step is usually submitting the state verified or home verified documents to the destination country’s embassy or consulate. The embassy and consulate will then final attest the document. Then it will be legalised for use in non-Hague countries.
Practical Tips
Follow the instructions given below to have a seamless experience whether you need to get your document apostilled or attested:
- Determine whether your document needs to be apostilled or attested for international usage. This can be determined by the country where the document was issued and the foreign country of its intended use.
- Follow the official process carefully. Whether it involves one government department or many, you are required to get the document verified in the correct order. Therefore, it is wise to know the correct procedure beforehand.
- As already stated above, each country, the states within that country, might have different legal procedures to get your document verified. So, it is best that you consult professionals like Documitra.
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Q. Where can an apostilled document be verified for use?
An apostilled document can be used legally in any one of the countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention.
Q. How can I get a document verified for use in a foreign country that’s not a part of the Hague Apostille?
The legal route is to get your document attested through the proper official channel. Every country might have a different legal route for this.
Q. Is the apostille valid in all countries?
No, the apostille is not valid in all the countries. It is only valid in the countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention.
Q. Is apostille faster than attestation?
Yes, apostille is relatively faster than attestation in most cases. Apostille usually requires just one government authority for verification, while attestation may require many government verification steps.
