Moving abroad, visiting a new nation, or checking out a new place is something most of us would want to indulge in, at least once in our lives. Many of us dream about shifting or migrating to a new country in order to expand our income and to construct an identity for ourselves. But some of us hold back because this idea of migrating to a new place, however mesmerizing it may seem, is also daunting.

People are generally scared about managing everything in an altogether new space considering different countries have different languages and cultures. In such a circumstance, it may prove difficult for people even to verify their authenticity. Well, the good news is that in the present global world, the countries are working together to try and find new ways of making boundaries more fluid. One significant step they have come up with is the MEA Attestation of documents to prove their legalization.

Now, attestation is an essential step for people who are moving to a new nation as it works as proof of the authenticity of documents. Thus, it can help you in faring well in a foreign space. Now, if you want to learn about the process, then here is how the whole attestation procedure works!

What is the attestation procedure?

If you want to get your documents authenticated by the Ministry of External Affairs, there is a complex procedure that you need to follow in order to complete the process. This procedure includes multiple steps, and thus, most people opt for hiring attestation services to complete the MEA attestation process. Here are the main steps involved in MEA Certificate Attestation.

• Authentication of documents

If you wish to get your documents authenticated by the Ministry of External Affairs, then the first step you would need to take is to get them verified at the local government agency functioning at the State/ UT where the papers were originally issued. If you are planning to get your personal papers verified, then you would need to visit the state home department, whereas, in the case of the educational documents, the power to verify the documents lies with the State Educational Department. In both these cases, the process is completed believed to complete only after the name and designation seal is put on the papers, along with the seal of the department.

Lastly, in the case of the commercial documents, the attestation process requires one to get the records pre-authenticated by the respective Chamber of Commerce. Here the documents get a rubber stamp from the Chamber of Commerce along with the name and designation of the authorized signatory.

• Legalization of documents

Only when your documents are authenticated with the signature or stamp from the designated authorities at the local level from where the documents were originally issued, does the MEA Attestation completes. The Ministry of External Affairs legalizes the certificates based on this signature or seal as it holds no responsibility for the content of the records. The responsibility for whether what is written in the documents is right or not lies solely with the local government institutions.

At this point, one needs to note that with effect from July 2012, no individual can directly submit his/her records to the Ministry of External Affairs Counter at CPV Division, New Delhi. Instead, according to the MEA Certificate Attestation guidelines, this process requires the intervention of attestation services. So, the individual who is leaving for abroad and thus needs to get his documents authenticated, first, needs to hire an attestation service, and then that attestation agency on his behalf can complete the MEA certification process.

Another thing that one needs to note down here is that the MEA does not legalize the photocopies but only the original documents. Also, if the Ministry finds any fake documents during the process, it holds the power to seize such papers and also to initiate proper legal action against the applicant.

Which countries accept MEA attestation?

The countries that were not a part of the Hague Convention, which was signed in the year 1961, only accept documents that are certified by the Ministry of External Affairs. Such countries only accept the legalized papers as valid for processing by their Embassies. Once you clear this procedure, you can use the attested documents in foreign nations.

Conclusion

The MEA Attestation process is a long and slightly complicated procedure. Thus, the people who are planning to move abroad are recommended to choose the attestation service wisely, or the entire process can turn into a disaster which, in turn, can lead to some unfortunate circumstances and legal fallouts.