Apostille Degree Certificate in Mumbai: Steps and Documents

Getting an apostille degree certificate in Mumbai takes three stages. A notary attests your degree, a state authority (HRD, Home Department or SDM) verifies the notary, and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi issues the apostille sticker. With a provider, plan for 5 to 6 working days. Keep your original degree, a passport copy and your final-year marksheet ready before you start.

The trouble is that nobody explains the order. Each office checks the stamp of the one before it, so a missing document or a laminated certificate can send you back to the start. When a visa, admission or job deadline is close, a restart costs you real time.

This guide covers what a degree apostille means, which documents to gather, how each of the three stages works, and what to expect on cost and timing. It comes from SPS Attestation, which handles degree apostille for students and professionals from its Mumbai apostille office in Kandivali East, so the steps reflect how the work is done in practice.

What a degree apostille is and when you need it

An apostille is a certificate, issued as a numbered sticker, that confirms the signatures and seals on your degree are genuine. It lets another country accept the document without further checks. India has been a member of the Hague Apostille Convention since 2005, so the MEA issues apostilles for Indian documents used in other member countries.

A degree apostille proves your university’s stamps are real. It does not vouch for your marks.

What degree apostille means in practice

The sticker is computer-generated and carries a unique identification number. A foreign university, employer or immigration office can use that number to verify the apostille. It only confirms the authenticity of the official signatures and seals on your degree. It says nothing about your grades or your university’s standing.

Most people need it for higher education abroad, for employment or for immigration. If you are applying to a university in Europe, Japan, South Korea or the USA, expect the admissions office to ask for it.

Apostille or embassy attestation

Many people search for "degree apostille attestation" as if the two were the same thing. They are not. An apostille is the single-sticker route for countries that belong to the Hague Convention. If your destination is outside the convention, you need MEA attestation followed by legalization at that country’s embassy. Check your destination’s current status with the university or employer before you apply, because this decides which route you follow.

Step 1. Gather and check your documents

Start with the original degree certificate, a passport copy and, for some countries, the final-year marksheet. Getting this list right before you apply prevents most delays.

Documents to prepare

Document	When you need it
Original degree certificate	Always
Passport copy	Always
Aadhaar or voter card	Only if you have no passport
Final-year marksheet	Required by some countries

Ask the receiving university or employer whether it wants the marksheet apostilled as well. It is cheaper to add it to the same application than to file a second one later.

Mistakes that cause rejections

Never laminate your degree. Lamination hides security features, and SPS Attestation removes it before attestation, which adds risk to the original. A physically signed degree needs the original document. If your degree was digitally signed, a PDF is enough, and it is printed on bond paper before the apostille. Before you send anything, email scans for a free pre-check, where the team verifies copies, seals and supporting proofs.

Check your documents against the destination country’s requirements before you submit, not after.

Step 2. Get notary and state verification

Your degree first goes to a notary, then to a state authority that verifies the notary. These two stages come before the MEA and make up most of the work.

Notary attestation

A notary public attests your degree certificate and adds an official stamp and registration details. This is the regional level of the chain. The state authority in the next stage checks this stamp, so a careless or unregistered notary can invalidate everything that follows.

HRD, Home Department or SDM

The state level is handled by the Human Resource Development (HRD) department, the Home Department (also called GAD), or the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). The office that applies depends on the document and the route you choose. For a diploma apostille, SPS Attestation’s figures show the SDM route can deliver an apostille in 2 to 3 working days. The full state attestation route can take more than 30 days. Ask which route your destination and the receiving institution accept before you decide.

The route you choose at the state level decides whether your degree takes days or weeks.

Step 3. Collect the MEA apostille and check it

After state verification, the MEA in New Delhi checks the state stamp and attaches the apostille sticker to your degree. Before you ship the document abroad, check every detail on the sticker.

The MEA stage and timeline

Personal and educational documents usually take 5 to 7 business days end to end. SPS Attestation quotes 5 to 6 working days, and express processing is available. As an example, if your documents are in hand on a Monday, expect the apostilled degree the following Monday or Tuesday. Add a buffer for public holidays and for any correction your documents may need.

Check the sticker before you ship

Confirm that your name, the sticker number and the seal match your degree, and that nothing is detached or damaged. Some countries also ask for a translation of the apostilled degree, so check that early. Some authorities want an apostille issued recently, often within about six months, so confirm the limit with your university or employer before you start.

An apostille is only useful if the receiving body accepts it, so confirm its age limit and translation rules first.

What it costs and how to apply in Mumbai

The price depends on the level of authentication you need and the procedure at each government level. With SPS Attestation it is typically a few thousand rupees as an inclusive fee. Apply by sending your scans for a free pre-check and quote.

Cost and payment

The fee is inclusive, with no hidden charges. You pay 50% in advance and the balance once the document is processed, and card payments work through an online payment link. After reviewing your scans, the team emails the sequence of attestations, the estimated timeline and a clear quote. Pickup in Mumbai is free, and delivery within India is free. International delivery carries DHL courier charges.

Applying through SPS Attestation in Mumbai

You can email info@spsattestation.com, message on WhatsApp, call +91 99719 99066, or visit the office at #218, Level-2, V Mall, Thakur Complex, Kandivali (E), Western Express Highway, Mumbai 400101. It is open 7 days a week, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The process runs like this:

1. Send scans of your degree and passport for the free pre-check.
2. Review the quote and timeline, then approve.
3. Hand over the original through free doorstep pickup or at the office.
4. Pay 50% in advance.
5. Track progress and receive the apostilled degree by secure courier or pick-up.

Send scans first. A free pre-check costs you nothing and tells you the exact route and price.

Next steps for your degree apostille

To apostille a degree certificate, prepare clean originals, get the notary and state stamps in the right order, and let the MEA add the final sticker. Confirm the destination’s rules on route, translation and sticker age before you begin, and expect roughly a week once everything is in order.

If you want a Mumbai team to run the stages for you, request a quote and free document pre-check for your degree apostille from SPS Attestation. Send your scans, and you will get the exact sequence, timeline and cost before you commit.