How Can NRIs Get Documents Attested from Indian Embassy?

NRIs often have a lot of concerns about the documentation and their attestation. Many of you do not have an exact idea about what prospective challenges could interfere with the NRIs documents attestation in India or abroad. You just visit the Indian embassy in the country where you temporary live without doing your homework.

Here is a valuable guide, disclosing how you can get attestation done from Indian embassy without any hiccups.

• Working Hours and Prior Appointment

Generally, an applicant visits the consulate on any working day any time. But, this can be a big mistake. You should always check the working hours beforehand on its official website. If you talk about the one in the USA, it remains open in between 9 a.m. and 12 noon to hear your requests.

• Attests Only Valid Documents

The consulate does not accept NRIs documents attestation request if these are not issued by the authentic authorities of India. Simply say, your birth certificate, affidavits or CENOMAR and other certificates must be legally issued by the competent authorities from the native country. Then, these docs should be apostilled from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) here.

• Right to Accept or Reject Attestation Request

The consulate solely reserves the right to accept and reject the attestation requests of the documents whose content is objectionable, full of discrepancies or contrary to the Rules.

• Payment Mode

The consulate also charges service fee. It should be paid through the requisite mode. Let’s say about the Consulate of the SAN FRANCISCO, it does not accept blank check. Neither can you pay through money order. So, it’s better to ask about it before if they would accept debit card/ credit card or challan.

Each embassy has different service charges, as in the USA it is $2 per application (which may be revised anytime).

• NRI Certificate

This is to certify that its bearer is a person holding Indian passport or OCI/PIO Card. The consulate issues it to them only when they visit physically there.

• Documents to Be Attached for Support

These are the must-haves for verifying the authenticity of non-residents who wants to claim for the non-resident services:

• Original passport required
• Photocopy of pages of the Indian passport with visas/arrival/departure immigration stamps.
• Proof of your Visa Status

a) Photocopy of the page containing visa on passport (H1B, H4 etc) and the copy of I-94

b) Clear Photocopy of Green Card/PR

c) Employment Authorization Document (Work Permit)

• Status of NRI benefits via various foreign services
• Proof of the current residence address in foreign, as:

a) Driving license.

b) Water or landline telephone bill displaying applicant’s address

c) House Lease Agreement

d) State Identification Card

• Unaccepted Residence Proofs

Bank/ credit card/ mobile phone statements won’t be considered as a valid address proof.

• Letter

It should state the reason for being in that particular country, such as work, employment, business and study, together with the date from when he/she came down there.

• Notorized Affidavit for Students

It is a sworn statement from the parents of the candidate, who seeks sponsorship from any other NRI certificate applicant. It should read complete details of the course/ college/ institute/ academic year with the relationship of that candidate with the NRI certificate holder. It should also carry the particulars if that candidate’s passport or personal details.

• Get the Documents Back

Once the attestation is over, you can get your documents back. You can mail to raise the request to the requisite authority for the same purpose.

Manoj Sodhani is an Nri consultant whose concern areas are immigration-based documentation, such as passport, visa and transcripts.