Getting an Indian Degree Apostilled for Use in the USA
For jobs, licensing boards and further study in the United States, an MEA apostille on your Indian degree is usually all the authentication you need.
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Country guide
Apostille for the United States
A single MEA apostille, accepted across all fifty states. No consulate attestation required.
Hague Convention — apostille only
The United States is a Hague Convention member, so Indian documents need only an apostille from the Ministry of External Affairs. No US Embassy or Consulate attestation is required, and the apostille is valid in every state.
Our US clients are typically students on F-1 visas, professionals on H-1B, and families completing green card or citizenship paperwork. USCIS, state boards and universities all accept an Indian apostille.
A practical note specific to the US: many receiving bodies also want a certified English translation and, for academic credentials, a credential evaluation from a service such as WES. Those are separate from attestation, and we will tell you which of them apply to your situation.
Typical timeline
3–15 working days, depending on document type. We confirm an exact estimate for your specific document and issuing state before you commit.
Why no US consulate stamp is needed
The United States has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 1981 and India since 14 July 2005 (HCCH status table, checked September 2026). An apostille from India’s Ministry of External Affairs is therefore accepted in the United States as it stands, and the US Embassy in New Delhi plays no part in attesting Indian public documents.
If a US employer, university or attorney asks for “embassy attestation” of an Indian certificate, they are almost always using the phrase loosely and mean an apostille. Worth clarifying before paying for anything, because there is no US legalisation step available to buy.
USCIS and certified English translations
For immigration filings the translation rule matters more than the apostille. USCIS requires supporting documents to be in English or accompanied by a complete English translation, certified by the translator as complete and accurate, along with the translator’s statement that they are competent to translate from that language.
USCIS also asks applicants not to send original documents unless the form instructions or the regulations specifically require them, and warns that unrequested originals may be destroyed under the Federal Records Act. Since the apostille goes on the original, plan on the original staying with you and copies being filed.
An apostille is not a credential evaluation
American universities and licensing boards usually want a credential evaluation as well, most often from WES. That is a separate process with its own rules: academic records are expected to come from the awarding institution, in a sealed envelope or transmitted electronically, and since 2021 sealed envelopes are accepted directly from India-educated applicants in most cases.
An apostille is not part of a WES evaluation, and a WES report is not a substitute for an apostille. Applicants often need both, for different recipients, and the two can run at the same time rather than one after the other.
What affects the cost of a US apostille
The United States is a Hague Convention country, so an Indian document needs state authentication and one MEA apostille — no embassy stage, and no consular fee.
The document type decides most of the cost. Degrees carry the HRD stage, where your university is asked to confirm its own records; universities differ in how quickly they answer and a few charge for it. Personal documents take the SDM or Home Department route and cost less.
One thing worth knowing if you are searching from the US: the apostille cost you will find quoted online is almost always for apostilling an American document through a US Secretary of State. That is a different process in a different country and tells you nothing about an Indian degree. Indian documents are apostilled in India, by the MEA.
Courier back to a US address is the other main line. Tell us the documents and the state that issued them, and we will set it out in full.
Process
The USA attestation process, step by step
State verification
HRD for educational documents, Home Department or SDM for personal documents.
MEA apostille
A numbered Hague apostille sticker is applied and registered.
Ready to use
Accepted by USCIS, universities, state boards and employers.
Documents
Documents commonly attested for United States
| Document | Usually needed for |
|---|---|
| Degree & diploma certificates | University admission, H-1B petitions, licensing |
| Mark sheets & transcripts | Credential evaluation and graduate admission |
| Birth certificates | Green card, citizenship and dependant applications |
| Marriage certificates | Spouse petitions and name changes |
| Police clearance certificates | Immigration applications |
| Commercial documents | Company registration and contracts |
Clients outside India
Apostille & Attestation from Abroad, Simply Send by Courier or Scanned Copies
Most of our clients live outside India. There is no need to travel: send your Indian documents to our New Delhi office and we handle every stamp.
Message us first
Tell us the document and destination country. We confirm exactly what to send before you courier anything.
Courier your originals
Send them to our New Delhi office by DHL, FedEx or any courier you prefer.
We handle every stamp
State verification, MEA apostille or attestation, and embassy legalisation, with an update at each stage.
Returned to you
Your completed documents are couriered back to your address anywhere in the world.
Courier charges for sending documents to us and for returning them are paid by the client.
Guides
Read the guide
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The United States is a Hague Convention member, so an apostille from India's Ministry of External Affairs is accepted in all fifty states without further legalisation.
No. Embassy attestation is only for countries outside the Hague Convention. An apostille replaces it entirely for the USA.
Yes, and typically alongside a certified English translation where the document is not already in English.
No. Attestation proves the document is genuine. A credential evaluation, from a service such as WES, assesses what your qualification is equivalent to in the US system. Many universities and employers want both.
Not sure where to start?
Send us the document and the destination country. We will reply within one working hour with the exact process, timeline and cost.