As we know, attestation is also termed as authentication or verification. The attestation of certificates or documents is a process of verifying the originality of certificates or documents and confirming their authenticity through the attachment of the signature of a verified and gazetted officer. It is mainly done in order to permit the documents as legal papers wherever required. The attestation or verification is a procedure of affirming the genuineness of the certificates or documents and their holder.
After having this procedure done, nobody can point out a finger at their authenticity. During the process of attestation, the original, as well as the Xerox copy of the documents, are presented before the authorized or gazette personnel, who carefully checks the originality of the documents and seals them with his signature in the assigned area. All these things come under the document attestation service.
Thus, it acts as a declaration by the authorized figure that the given documents have been verified under all legal formalities in his presence. The process of attestation is almost the same but sometimes it varies depending upon the purpose where it is to be used. In case, a person plans to go abroad for his/her higher studies, jobs or business, then, the attestation procedure involves the following steps:
- Verification at the university/board from where the documents have been issued.
- The documents passed to the HRD department for State HRD attestation.
- Again, the documents are passed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for MEA attestation.
- Finally, they are passed to the respective Embassy or Consulate for Embassy or Consulate attestation.
Types of attested certificates and their uses
- Educational attested certificates – These attested certificates are used for educational purposes for achieving basic to advanced level courses. So, those students who are pursuing post-graduation courses like MBA, MCA, M.Sc, M.Tech, M.Com, MA or degree courses like BA, B.Sc, B.Com, B.Tech, MBBS or secondary or higher secondary courses, they go for the education certificate attestation.
- Non-educational attested certificates – These certificates are of great demand and it includes the attestation of non-educational certificates such as the certificates of birth, death, marriage, divorce, affidavit, transfer, experience proof and many other occasions where the provisional certificates attestation is required.
- Secondary documents – Documents such as mark lists, transcripts, selection letter, passport copy, photo and registration details that are to be submitted at the time of attestation of the non-educational certificates are termed as secondary documents. However, the type of secondary documents may vary depending on which country the applicant is applying from.
Avoid these mistakes during your document attestation
Suppose you want to travel to another country for higher studies, job or business and, as a matter of fact, you need to apply for a visa. The visa will be issued only when the officers will verify and attest your documents. If you make any mistakes while applying for the visa and if there is any fault in your documents then your petition will be then and there rejected. So, avoid the following mistakes while getting your documents attested:
- Ignoring the checklist of the documents: Never underestimate the checklist of the documents as it will prove to be a blunder. Take advice from experts while filing a petition for the visa. The checklist contains the scanned copy of your passport, appointment letter of the foreign employer, birth certificate and so on.
- Holding a residence visa of the previous visit: Is you have been to abroad on your work visa then it is a must to cancel your residence visa before you leave the foreign country. Contact the PRO of the company, he will visit the immigration department and will clear your previous visa issues.
- Criminal background disclosure: Today, almost all countries ask for a police clearance certificate. You need to get this certificate attested from the regional police department head. The authority attests this certificate after verifying the criminal background of the person and if it finds anything suspicious then the visa petition will be rejected.
- Typing error: A mistake in your name, address or any other detail in the certificate can become a reason of delaying in getting your visa. So, before applying for a visa, get all the details corrected in your certificates.
- Blurred photograph: It is mandatory to paste the clear photograph of the applicant. The embassy officials can cancel your visa in case the photograph is blurred.
The company should have real-time tracking facilities and able to provide you every detail about your papers over mobile, email or online. Data confidentiality is the most important key factor while choosing the attestation service. If you are confused about how to choose the best document attestation service then check the reviews of the company and the rates of their services from different firms. Keep these things in mind. Hope you get the right service.