Apostille Attestation for Malta
Malta is a member of the Hague Nation and Apostille is enough to prove that the Document is Genuine
- UPDATED A MONTH AGO
The Republic of Malta joined the Hague apostille convention which abolished the requirement for legalization of foreign public documents on 12 June 1967. Thus, legalizing Indian issued personal, educational and commercial documents now requires only an apostille stamp from MEA India.
4 Simple steps to get MEA Apostille on your Documents
- Register on Apostille Portal
- Collect all Documents you want to Apostille
- Submit the Original / Photocopies of documents
- Receive Documents with Apostille Directly to your home
What is an Apostille for Malta?
An apostille is a certification issued by the ministry of external affairs on your personal documents such as birth certificate, educational certificates and commercial documents. The certification or stamp known as apostille stamp according to the Hague convention of 1961 authenticates your documents for use in Malta.
Since Malta is a Hague Convention Apostille Country, an apostille stamp makes Indian issued documents legally valid in Malta without any further certification such as consular attestation.
Planning to migrate to another country? Check whether it is a Hague Apostille Country to know the legalization procedures for your documents.
Why Do You Need an Apostille for Use in Malta?
You may need to get an apostille for use in Malta, in case of any interaction with Malta where documentation is involved. Following are the situations where an Indian usually needs an apostille:
- Malta employment visa
- Malta student visa
- Malta business visa
- Spouse dependent visa for Malta
- Marry in Malta
- Permanent Residency
- Change in visa type
- Changing a job in Malta
- Apply for family visa for parents
- School admission of kids in Malta
- Legal/court proceedings in Malta
- Property disputes in Malta
- Start a business in Malta
- Expand the business in Malta
- Export goods and services from India to Malta
Documents that Require an Apostille for Malta
The list of documents that you need to submit to Malta authorities with an apostille may vary depending on the requirements the concerned authority mentions. If you are going for study purposes your university may provide a list of documents to be apostilled. Similarly for job purposes, your employer will specify documents.
However, if you are just starting the process or the Malta authorities have not yet informed you of the requirements, see the detailed list of documents given below.
Document Apostille for Malta Student Visa
Malta is a popular destination for Indian students with its high quality of education and prestigious educational institutions. Obtaining an apostille on your personal and educational documents is an important step in your Malta student visa application. Still waiting for your university to send the checklist? Don’t worry! We have covered you. Start your apostille attestation process for Malta student visa today itself.
Following are the documents you need to submit with an apostille for your student visa:
- Degree certificate Apostille mandatory for joining a Masters
- Diploma Certificate Apostille if applicable
- Transcript Apostille of your latest educational qualification
- Marksheets of 10th and 12th mandatory if applying for bachelors degree
- Apostille Masters Degree Certificate (MA, M.SC, MTech) if applying for a PhD
- PhD certificate apostille if applying for a post doctoral degree
- Birth Certificate Apostille
- Bank Statements with an apostille stamp if required
- Sponsorship letter if applicable
Apostille for Malta Work Visa
Malta is an island nation with a stable economy and high living standard.The economy attracts Indian professionals from the fields of IT, healthcare and hospitality. Document apostille is required to work legally in Malta. As per the conditions of Hague convention, Indian issued documents need an apostille to accept it in Malta.
To apply for a work visa to Malta, you may need the following documents with an apostille:
- Birth Certificate apostille
- Police Clearance Certificate Apostille
- Medical Certificate Apostille if required
- Job Offer Letter Apostille
- Experience certificate apostille
- Degree certificate apostille
- Diploma certificate Apostille if applicable
- Professional license apostille if applicable
Apostille Requirement for Business in/with Malta
Malta and India have a thriving business relationship. Depending on the business purpose- starting a business,exporting goods, or expanding an existing business- you may need to get an apostille for the following documents:
Document Apostille for Exporting Goods to Malta
- Business Registration Certificate
- Export License
- Commercial Invoice
- Certificate of Origin
- Bill of Lading
Document Apostille For Starting a New Business In Malta
- Business Plan
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Memorandum of Association
- Articles of Association
- Tax Registration Certificate
- Financial Statements
Apostille For Expanding an Existing Business in Malta
- Proof of Business Operations in India
- Financial Reports of the Parent Company
- Investment Agreement or Joint Venture Agreement (if applicable)
- Licensing and Permits (specific to business type)
- Tax Compliance Certificates
Document Apostille for a Malta Dependent Visa
Want to join with your spouse in Malta? You may need to get an apostille stamp to legalize your documents in Malta. Given below are the documents you may need to get apostilled for a Malta dependent visa:
- Marriage certificate Apostille for spouse application
- Birth Certificate (for children or dependent parents)
- Adoption Deed Apostille for adopted children
- Passport Copies (of both the dependent and the sponsor)
- Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
Apostille Process in India is divided in 2 main categories
- Apostille for Personal and Educational documents such as Birth, Marriage, PCC, and Educational certificates
- Apostille for Commercial documents such as Incorporation, Invoice,and AOA.
There is a different process for each method. Let’s learn the process of apostille for these main categories first.
Process of Obtaining an Apostille for Use in Malta
In India only the ministry of external affairs can provide an apostille on your documents. However, there are two different methods of verification to obtain an apostille MEA India. They are:
The SDM attestation method is the easiest and cheapest method to obtain an apostille from MEA for Malta. However, some universities may mandate state level attestation before obtaining an apostille. In such cases you may need to follow state level methods. Following are the steps involved in apostille attestation:
- Notary attestation
- State Authentication / SDM Attestation
- MEA Apostille
Let us explore each step in detail.
1.Notary Attestation (Common for both Methods)
A public notary is a person authorized to authenticate documents. You can submit your documents to a notary public from your locality. This step is mandatory for the SDM authentication method. However, in the case of state attestation, the notary is mandatory only for some states. Some states may accept documents for state department verification without a notary attestation.
2. State Authentication / SDM Authentication
Depending on the method you choose, the next step involves state department verification or SDM verification.
State Department Authentication
This method is usually chosen for personal and educational documents. Educational documents will be verified and attested by the state human resource development department. The department will verify the authenticity of the document with the respective university.
Personal documents such as birth certificate and marriage certificate will be verified and attested by the state home department in this step. The department will verify the authenticity of the document with the local authority of the district from which the document was issued.
SDM Authentication
You can choose this method for verifying any kind of documents including personal and educational documents. SDM means sub divisional magistrate. Instead the state department sub divisional magistrate will attest the document.
3. MEA Apostille (Common for both Methods)
After the state department or SDM verification, your chosen MEA approved Apostille Service Provider will send the documents to the MEA. They will submit the documents to the ministry of external affairs. The MEA will make a final verification and attest the documents with an apostille stamp.
Comparison of SDM and State Attestation Method
Feature | State Authentication | SDM Authentication |
Processing Time | Longer(varies by state) | Faster(3 to 7 Days) |
Preferred for | Educational and personal documents | All types of documents except certain commercial documents |
Authenticating body | State HRD/Home Department | SDM in Delhi |
Complexity | More paperwork and approval required | More straightforward process with fewer steps |
Commercial Document Apostille Process for Malta
Most of the commercial documents require an attestation from the chamber of commerce. Chamber of commerce is a business organization acting as the intermediary between government and businesses. An authentication from the chamber of commerce proves that the certificate was issued by a registered business. Following are the steps involved in the chamber of commerce attestation method:
- Notary attestation: This method is mandatory for affidavits and power of attorney. Hence, other commercial documents can be processed for chamber of commerce attestation even without a notary.
- Chamber of Commerce Attestation: You can submit your documents to the local chamber of commerce or chamber of commerce at Delhi. The Chamber of commerce will verify and attest the documents.
- MEA Apostille: Finally MEA will verify and paste an apostille stamp on the document.
Translation Requirement for an Apostille for Malta
Maltese and English are the official languages of Malta. Since, the apostille from MEA India is in English, translation is not required in most cases. However, if the original document is in any of the local languages in India, you may need to translate them before the apostille. Some official documents such as legal and business documents may require translation into Maltese if the authorities mandate it.
Documents Required to Apply for an Apostille for Malta
To apply for an apostille for use in Malta, you may need to submit the following documents to your apostille service provider:
- Original documents that need to be apostilled.
- Scanned copy of passport front and back side.
- Apostille application form
Apostille for Malta: Processing Time
The processing time for an apostille for use in Malta may vary depending on the following factors:
- Type of Document
- Number of Document
- Method of Authentication
- Speed of delivery
- State of issuance in case of state attestation method
An apostille for Malta from the ministry of external affairs is mandatory to legalize your documents in Malta. The lengthy process may seem confusing to you. However, with professional guidance you can get your document apostille faster and securely.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes. Malta joined the Hague apostille convention which abolished the requirement for the legalization of foreign documents in 1967. Thus an apostille on your documents will legalize them in Malta.
- Passport: A copy of your valid passport as proof of identity.
- Birth Certificate: An original or certified copy of your birth certificate to prove your age and nationality.
- Certificate of No Impediment: A certificate confirming that you are not currently married (also known as single status certificate or unmarried certificate)
- Divorce or Death Certificate (if applicable): If either party has been previously married, you must provide a copy of the divorce decree or the death certificate of the former spouse.
No. Malta is a Hague apostille country. Thus an apostille is the only requirement for legalizing documents in Malta.
The cost of an apostille for Malta may vary depending on:
- The number of documents
- The method of verification
- The speed of delivery chosen
- The state of issuance if required state department authentication