The PCC- Police Clearance certificate is a document that certifies that a person is not involved in any criminal activity. This document is also known as a Good Certificate Conduct. The Certificate is issued by the Regional Passport Office, Police Station, or the Crime Branch as the case may be. The Certificate declares the individual has no criminal record and is a lawful citizen. The Certificate, when apostilled, is required to be submitted during the immigration process.
The Apostille stamp will verify that the PCC certificate issued is genuine and accurate. When people travel to any of the signatory countries to the Hague Convention,1961, they need to submit the Apostilled Police Clearance Certificate and other supporting documents such as Passport, Driving License. The Apostille Stamp is printed on the original Police Clearance Certificate. It is submitted to the concerned government authority for obtaining a work vis, employment visa, or applying visa for a long term. Get a quick and reliable PCC Certificate Apostille from a professional agency such as SPS Global Services to get the Certificate apostilled within a short period at a reasonable fee.
India, since 2008, is a member of the Hague Convention, 1961. As per the Hague convention policy, people must get the PCC-Police Clearance Certificate with the Apostille stamp for gaining legal entry to the HCCH member countries is necessary. Suppose the applicants want to visit any HCCH member country such as Brazil, France, Spain, Belgium, etc. In that case, they need to get their PCC Certificate Apostilled and submit it to the relevant authority. The Apostille will certify that the PCC Certificate is genuine and is recognised by the MEA department of the HCCH Member Countries. The Apostille stamp eliminates the requirement to get any further verification from the Embassy for the PCC Certificate.
The Apostille process involves several stages at which different authority levels legalise the document. The first step is to authenticate the Police Clearance Certificate from the Notary that includes a sticker and a sign. The next step is to get the Police Clearance Certificate certified from the Home Department. After that, the PCC will bear the signature of the designated signing officials of the State Government or the Union Territory to which the applicant belongs. The SDM is also assigned the task for the certification of the PCC. The final step is the Police Clearance Certificate verification by the MEA, which legalises the PCC by affixing a unique stamp known as the Apostille stamp.
Thus, the PCC Certificate Apostille is a multi-step process carried out at different levels of government authorities. To get an easy PCC Certificate Apostille, people can rely on a professional agency such as SPS Global Services. We have been providing Apostille and Attestation services for several years and assisting people in simplifying PCC Certificate Apostille. Our team comprises experienced professionals who are aware of the complex Apostille process. In addition, they are skilled in quick document processing. Therefore, people can get their PCC Certificate Apostilled in a short period.
PCC Certificate Apostille is an integral part of the immigration process for people traveling to any HCCH member country. There are several reasons to get the PCC Certificate Apostilled.
An Apostille is a French word that means Certification and it’s Pronounce as “ah-po-style”. An Apostille is simply the name for a specialized certificate, issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. The Apostille sticker is pasted on the backside of original document to verify it is legitimate and authentic, so it will be accepted in one of the other countries who are members of The Hague Apostille Convention.
The Apostille Convention is an international treaty that simplifies the legalization procedure for foreign public documents. It allows a Government body to certify a document issued in its own country as valid for other countries without further certification by the destination state. The Convention has 126 contracting states as of November 2023, including the United States and Canada.
The Apostille Convention provides the simplified certification of public (including notarized) documents to be used in countries that have joined the convention. Documents destined for use in participating countries and their territories should be certified by one of the officials in the jurisdiction in which the document has been executed.
The Hague Convention requires that all Apostille be numbered consecutively, with individual numbers applied to each Apostille issued. The recognized standard Apostille contains a seal and 10 mandatory references: name of country from which the document emanates, name of person signing the document, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted, in the case of unsigned documents, the name of the authority that has affixed the seal or stamp, place of certification date of certification, the authority issuing the certificate, number of certificate, seal or stamp of authority issuing certificate and signature of authority issuing certificate. Prior to the introduction of Apostille certificates the burden on international courts and authorities to judge foreign documents as authentic was quite considerable. On the October 5, 1961 the Hague Convention abolished the requirement of legalization for foreign public documents. The Convention reduces all of the formalities of legalization to the simple delivery of a certificate in a prescribed form, entitled “Apostille”, by the authorities of the Ministry where the document originates. This certificate, placed on the document, is dated, numbered and registered. The verification of its registration can be carried out without difficulty by means of a simple request for information addressed to the authority which delivered the certificate.
Apostille Process depends that if the documents are Educational, Non Educational or Commercial. Educational Certificate Apostille is required if you are going for Job or Study in any of The Hague Convention Countries. Non Educational documents like Marriage, Birth Certificate Apostille services are required for your dependents, if you want them to accompany you in that country. Commercial documents Apostille is required if you want to send shipment, open a branch in Hague country of have to do some business collaboration. We will try to explain process for you.
First step of the Process is getting the Notarization of document done. Notary can be done from anywhere in India. And it can be done from Delhi also. Doing Notary from Delhi will save some time, as documents has to come to Delhi only for Apostille.
After the Notary is done, next step in Sub Divisional Magistrate. SDM attestation is done in Delhi. It’s same for Educational and Non Educational documents. If you leave few countries, this SDM Stamping is valid in all the countries. Some countries Like, Italy, Switzerland and Austria might ask for State HRD for Educational Documents and State home Department/GAD for Non Educational documents. So, if you are planning for these countries please get complete knowledge from office HR or local bodies who are applying your case. SDM Stamping is done in 1 day and on the backside of the original Document.
Last and most important part is getting the document attested from Ministry of External affairs. After Notary and SDM Stampings are done Documents are submitted in Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi for Apostille. Just like Notary and SDM, Apostille Sticker is pasted on the back side of the document. Apostille sticker will have your name and current date. It also have unique number and contain name and designation of the person who have signed it. After Apostille sticker, the process is completed the documents are ready for use. When you receive the Apostille document, first please check that all the spellings and dates are fine. As sometimes there can be some mismatch in the spelling. If there is some spelling mistake then it has to submit in correction department. That will take another 1 day
If you are going through State Attestation Process then it might take more than a month. As for Educational documents, first stamp from University is required and then from State HRD Department. And for Non Educational Documents, First Stamp is required from Local DC office and then from State GAD/Home Department. If you go through SDM Apostille process then processing time is only 5 to 6 working. This Process takes less time and is less expensive as well.
Apostille Sticker has a validity of Six Months. Means you have to use this Apostille within 6 months, after that whole life you can stay in that country. But if you want to change the country after 6 Months then Apostille needs to done again. Don’t worry if there is no space on the backside of the document. New Apostille Sticker can be applied on the expired Sticker.
Original Documents are very important part of our Life. Sometimes it takes several months to obtain new documents. So security of documents is most important for us. You can do live tracking of the process daily. Currently document is in which city and in which department, you can check with just one click. Whenever you handover your documents to any of our office, a link is shared to you on mail. With that you can track the whole process, till documents are delivered back to you.
If you are travelling outside India to any of The Hague convention Country for Study or Work, then Apostille is required on your Educational documents. And if you are applying dependent visa for your spouse or children, then their Marriage and Birth Certificate will be required to get Apostille. Still if you have any query, you can get in touch with SPS Team @9920111362
