California Apostille in India | California Secretary of State Apostille
- UPDATED A MONTH AGO
If you have a US issued document from the state of California and need to use it in India or any other Hague country, you will require to get an apostille from the California secretary of state. California apostille in India is a common requirement for immigration, visa, marriage, business or legal process in India.
This article explains the updated process of getting a California Apostille while residing in India, including document types, costs, timelines, and service options.
4 Simple steps to get US Apostille on your Documents
- Register on Apostille Portal
- Collect all Documents you want to Apostille
- Submit the Original / Photocopies of documents
- Receive Documents with Attestation Directly to your home
What is a California Apostille?
A California apostille is a certification issued by the California secretary of state to authenticate the signature, seal and originality of a document issued in the state of California. Only documents issued in the state of California can get an apostille from the California secretary of state. For documents issued in other states the secretary of respective states will issue an apostille. Similarly, for federal documents, the USDOS secretary will provide an apostille.
An apostille is an authentication method accepted in countries that are members of Hague convention. Apostille ensures that documents issued in one country are legally accepted in another country.
When Do You Need a California Apostille in India?
If you are in India, and you need to use California issued documents in India or anywhere else, you will need a California apostille. Here are some common cases:
- Submitting a U.S. birth certificate issued in California to Indian authorities or authorities from any other Hague country.
- Submitting marriage certificate issued in California for OCI, immigration, dependent visa etc. in India.
- Using a California-issued Power of Attorney in India or any other Hague country
- Submitting degree, diploma or other educational documents issued in California for employment or higher education in India or any other Hague country.
- Presenting corporate documents (e.g., Certificate of Incorporation, board resolutions) from a California company to an Indian partner
- Marriage registration in India involving a U.S. citizen
- Inheritance or property transfer cases involving U.S.-issued documents
Types of California Documents That Can Be Apostilled
Any document issued in California that falls under the jurisdiction of the state may require an apostille while submitting in India. This includes documents notarized by a California Notary public, or issued by a California government office. These can be either vital documents or non vital documents. Personal documents such as birth certificates and court documents are vital documents. Getting an apostille on original documents is mandatory for vital documents. However, for non vital documents, a notarized copy is enough.
Documents that need to get California Apostille can be mainly categorized into three types:
- Personal documents
- Commercial Documents
- Educational documents
List of Documents that Require California Apostille Services in India
| Personal Documents | Educational Document | Commercial Documents |
|---|---|---|
Birth Certificate | Degree Certificate (from California institutions) | Power of Attorney (for business use) |
Marriage Certificate | Transcript / Marksheet | Articles of Incorporation |
Divorce Decree | School Leaving Certificate | Certificates of Good Standing (business) |
Death Certificate | Enrollment Verification Letter | Business Agreements / Contracts |
Adoption Papers | Provisional Certificate | Board Resolutions |
Single Status Affidavit | Diploma Certificate | Memorandum of Association (MOA) |
Medical Records / Immunization | Course Completion Certificate | Commercial Invoices |
Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) | Letters of Recommendation (if notarized) | Packing Lists |
Affidavits (notarized in California) | Academic Evaluation Reports (if notarized) | Company Authorization Letters |
Background Checks (local police) | PhD Certificate | Notarized Business Declarations |
How to Get California Apostille
Authorized agencies in India for California apostille can do the apostille process completely without travelling to the US. Follow the steps below to get a California apostille in India:
- Prepare your documents: Understand whether you need original or certified copies apostilled. Ensure that it is California issued or notarized.
- Apply online and give details such as which state apostille is needed. If you are not sure about which state apostille to get, we will help you with it.
- Hand over your documents to our pick up person
- Pay online
- Get tracking details and status of apostille process through mail and whatsapp
- Receive your documents with a California apostille delivered to your house.
Step by Step Process to Get California Apostille in India
After receiving your documents at any of our offices in India, we will send it to our office in California. The below steps are followed to get your document apostille in California:
- Professionals from our California office will check with your document, and its type. They will make sure whether the document needs to be notarized, certified or verified as a vital record.
- Notarization if applicable: Some documents such as copies of degree, passport, and legal documents such as power of attorney and affidavits need to get notary attestation. The notary should be California commissioned. The notary will add a sign and stamp confirming the identity of the person. Vita documents do not require a notary.
- In next steps, depending on the type of document, the details of the document will be cross verified. If it is personal documents, it will be verified with the California state vital records. For educational documents, verification will be done at the respective schools or universities.
- In this step, documents are submitted to the California secretary of state along with completed apostille application form and fees. The office of the secretary will ensure everything is in order by verifying the credentials of the notary and issuing authorities’ seal. Finally, the office of the secretary will attach an apostille certificate.
How Long Does the Entire Process Take?
- Notarization + Document Verification: 1–3 business days
- Apostille from California Secretary of State: 5–8 business days
- Courier Transit (India–US–India): 6–10 business days (both ways combined)
Total Estimated Time: 10–20 working days
Whether it is for immigration, study, business or marriage purposes, getting an apostille from the California secretary of state is mandatory to submit your documents in India or anywhere else in India. Any document issued in the state of California or notarized from California, needs to get an apostille to authenticate in a foreign country.
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Frequently asked questions
You need to get apostille for following documents:
- California birth certificate
- Single status affidavit notarized in California
You need to get California apostille for both of the above documents and submit it to Indian authority to get married in India
No. Only the country where the document was issued can provide an apostille on documents. Especially in the case of the US, if the document comes under state jurisdiction, the issued state secretary alone can issue an apostille.
Yes. Since India and the US are Hague apostille countries, a California document with an apostille is accepted in India as a valid legal document.