Certificate of Incorporation

• Private limited, public limited, one person and Section 8 companies, and LLPs
• Certificate of incorporation apostille for Hague countries
• Certificate of incorporation attestation for the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and other non-Hague countries
• MOA, AOA, board resolutions, powers of attorney and other company documents together, under one order
• Doorstep pickup in Delhi NCR and tracked courier pickup from offices across India

Key Facts About the Certificate of Incorporation

What Is a Certificate of Incorporation?

When a company is registered under the Companies Act, 2013, the Registrar of Companies registers it and issues an incorporation certificate in Form INC-11. Today almost every company is incorporated online through the SPICe+ form on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) portal, and the certificate is signed for the Registrar of Companies, Central Registration Centre. It confirms that the company exists from the date stated, and it carries the Corporate Identity Number (CIN), which identifies the company in every MCA record.

The certificate is the first document any foreign authority asks for when an Indian company wants to do business abroad, because it proves the company is real and legally formed. It is also called a company registration certificate, an incorporation certificate or a COI.

What It Is Not

• Memorandum of Association (MOA): sets out the company's objects and capital
• Articles of Association (AOA): sets out the rules for running the company
• GST registration certificate: proves tax registration, not incorporation
• Import Export Code (IEC): allows the company to import and export
• Certificate of commencement or change of name: a fresh certificate issued after a name change replaces the old one for most purposes

Foreign authorities often ask for the incorporation certificate together with the MOA, AOA and a board resolution, so it is worth planning all of them at once.

Limited Liability Partnerships

An LLP receives its own incorporation certificate under the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008. It follows the same legalisation route as a company certificate, and it usually travels with the LLP agreement.

How Foreign Authorities Check It

Anyone can check a company's basic details on the MCA portal using the CIN. Many foreign banks and registries do this online, but most still ask for the legalised certificate itself, because the online record is not a legalised document.

Certificate of Incorporation Attestation

Certificate of incorporation attestation is the chain of verifications that makes the Indian certificate valid in a country that is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. It is needed for the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Nepal and many African and Asian countries.

In attestation, each authority confirms the signature or stamp of the one before it. The certificate is first verified in India by a Chamber of Commerce, then attested by MEA, then by the destination country's embassy in India, and in the Gulf it is finally attested by that country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). Only after the last stage will the foreign authority, bank or free zone accept it.

Certificate of Incorporation Attestation Process

Stage 1: A Correct Copy of the Certificate

The certificate is checked for the company name, CIN and date, and against the name the foreign authority will see on other papers. A printed copy of the electronic certificate, signed and stamped by an authorised signatory where the route needs it, is prepared. Notarisation is added only where the Chamber of Commerce or the embassy asks for it.

Stage 2: Chamber of Commerce Attestation

Commercial documents are verified by a recognised Chamber of Commerce before MEA. The chamber confirms the company and the signatory and adds its stamp.

Stage 3: MEA Attestation

MEA attests the document after the chamber's verification. This MEA attestation stamp is what the embassy looks for next.

Stage 4: Embassy Attestation

The embassy of the destination country in New Delhi attests the document. Each embassy has its own rules for commercial documents, and some ask for copies of the passport of the company's signatory or a covering letter on company letterhead.

Stage 5: MOFA Attestation (Gulf Countries)

In the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs completes the chain. For the UAE, one online application after MEA attestation covers both the UAE Embassy in New Delhi and the UAE MOFA.

Company Registration Document Attestation

Company registration document attestation means legalising the whole company file, not only the incorporation certificate. Foreign registries and banks usually want to see who owns and runs the company, so they ask for:

• The incorporation certificate
• The MOA and AOA
• A board resolution approving the overseas company, branch or account
• A power of attorney for the person who will sign abroad
• Sometimes the PAN card, GST certificate, IEC or recent financial statements

Every document is attested separately, with its own stamps, even when they are sent together. For the UAE, the MOA and the AOA must each be attested separately. We plan the full set at once so that every document reaches the embassy in the same batch.

Business Attestation for the UAE and the Gulf

Business attestation for the Gulf is the most common reason an Indian company needs its certificate legalised.

UAE: mainland and free zone company setup, branch registration, trade licences, opening a corporate bank account and appointing a manager all need the company's papers attested. After the Chamber of Commerce and MEA stages, the UAE route is digital: one online application covers the UAE Embassy and the UAE MOFA, a MOFA-approved provider collects the original, and the digitally attested document is emailed. Commercial invoices and certificates of origin follow the UAE's separate eDAS route, so they are handled differently from the incorporation certificate.

Qatar and Kuwait: both need embassy attestation in New Delhi after MEA, followed by their own Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Their embassies change their requirements for commercial documents from time to time, so we confirm the current list before pickup.

Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain: these three are Hague members, so they need the apostille, not attestation. Many companies still pay for embassy attestation for Saudi Arabia by mistake.

Other Non-Hague Countries

For Malaysia, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya and similar countries, the certificate of incorporation attestation route is the same up to MEA, and then the embassy of that country in India attests it. Some of these embassies also ask for a translation into their language, which can be attached before the embassy stage.

Certificate of Incorporation Apostille

Certificate of incorporation apostille is a single certificate from MEA that makes the Indian incorporation certificate valid in every country where the Hague Apostille Convention applies with India. No embassy and no foreign ministry is needed after it.

An apostille confirms the authenticity of the signature, the capacity of the person who signed and the seal on the document. It does not confirm the contents of the document, and it does not tell the foreign authority anything about the company's business. India joined the Convention with effect from 14 July 2005, and MEA is the only authority in India that issues apostilles.

Certificate of Incorporation Apostille Process

1. Document check: we check the certificate and the name of the destination country.
2. Copy preparation: a signed and stamped copy of the electronic certificate, notarised where the route needs it.
3. Chamber of Commerce: the chamber verifies the company document.
4. MEA apostille: MEA fixes its apostille sticker with a unique number to the document.
5. Quality check and return: we photograph every stamp and return the document by tracked courier.

The apostille itself is usually quick once the chamber stage is complete. Because the apostille is the last stage in India, there is nothing more to do before the document is used abroad, apart from a translation if the country asks for one.

Commercial Document Apostille: Where This Certificate Fits

A commercial document apostille covers every business document a company may need abroad: incorporation certificates, MOA and AOA, board resolutions, powers of attorney, agreements and more. The incorporation certificate is the most important of these, because it is the document that proves the company exists. If you need a full company file apostilled, our commercial documents service plans all of them together.

One point is specific to business papers. The Convention does not cover "administrative documents dealing directly with commercial or customs operations". The incorporation certificate is a registration certificate issued by a government authority, so it is a public document within the Convention. Invoices, certificates of origin and some customs papers can fall outside it, so a few countries still ask for those to be legalised at their embassy even when they accept apostilles for other documents.

What a Certificate of Incorporation Apostille Is Used For

• Registering a subsidiary, branch or liaison office in the USA, the UK, Canada, Europe or Australia
• Opening a corporate bank account abroad
• Registering with foreign marketplaces, payment providers and app stores
• Tenders, distributor agreements and contracts with overseas partners
• Trademark and company filings in Hague countries
• Investor and business visas where proof of the company is required

Hague and Non-Hague Countries: Apostille or Attestation?

The destination country decides the route. If the Hague Apostille Convention applies between India and that country, your certificate needs a certificate of incorporation apostille. If it does not, your certificate needs certificate of incorporation attestation. The tables below are set accordingly and were checked against the Hague Conference status table in November 2026.

Hague Countries: Certificate of Incorporation Apostille

Non-Hague Countries: Certificate of Incorporation Attestation

Special Cases You Should Know

• Germany: Germany objected to India's accession in 2005, and the objection still stands, so an Indian apostille has no legal effect for German authorities. German missions in India stopped legalising Indian documents in 2000 and use document verification instead, which only a German authority can request.
• China: documents for China need MEA attestation followed by legalisation at the Chinese Embassy or a Chinese Consulate in India.
• Vietnam: from 11 September 2026, the Vietnamese Embassy in New Delhi stopped consular legalisation of Indian public documents covered by the Convention and directs them to the MEA apostille. Documents legalised before that date stay valid.
• Thailand: Thailand has joined, but the Convention takes effect only on 28 February 2027. Until then, Thailand still needs attestation.
• Canada and Saudi Arabia: both moved from embassy legalisation to the apostille (Canada in January 2024, Saudi Arabia in December 2022), so older advice that asks for embassy attestation is out of date.

Apostille or Attestation: Quick Comparison

Country Notes for Common Business Destinations

The tables above tell you the route. These notes cover what foreign authorities in the most common destinations usually do with the legalised document, so you can prepare the right set the first time.

United States

There is no single federal company registry in the USA. A subsidiary is formed under the law of a state, and the incorporation certificate of the Indian parent is mainly asked for by banks, payment providers, landlords and partners during due diligence. US banks often want the parent's incorporation certificate, a board resolution and proof of who controls the company. The apostille route applies.

United Kingdom

An Indian company that sets up a UK subsidiary, registers a UK establishment or opens a UK bank account is often asked for its constitutional documents. Companies House, UK banks and law firms commonly accept apostilled company documents. A UK solicitor may also ask for certified copies, so confirm whether they want the apostille on the incorporation certificate, on the MOA and AOA, or on all three.

Canada

Since Canada joined the Convention on 11 January 2024, Indian company documents for Canadian registries, banks and partners use the apostille instead of legalisation at the Canadian High Commission. Older instructions that mention consulate legalisation are no longer correct for documents covered by the Convention.

Singapore and Australia

Both are Hague members. When an Indian company registers a branch or a subsidiary, the registry or the local agent usually asks for a certified copy of the incorporation certificate and the company's constitution. The apostille is added in India; the local agent then confirms whether any local certification is also needed.

Saudi Arabia

Since 7 December 2022, Indian documents for Saudi Arabia use the apostille. Indian companies applying for an investment licence or registering a branch or a joint venture there no longer need Saudi Embassy legalisation for documents covered by the Convention. An Arabic translation is usually requested in Saudi Arabia after the apostille.

European Union (Except Germany)

For France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland and most other EU countries, the apostille is used, and a sworn translation into the local language is usually needed for company registries and notaries. For Germany, plan the German verification route instead.

Which Company Types Can Legalise Their Incorporation Certificate?

If your business is a partnership firm or a proprietorship, a foreign authority asking for a "certificate of incorporation" usually means the registration documents you do have. Ask them which document they will accept before legalising anything.

When the Company Details Change

Company records change over the years, and the legalised document must match the current record.

• Name change: the Registrar issues a fresh incorporation certificate in the new name. Use that one, and make sure the MOA, AOA and board resolution also show the new name.
• Conversion: when a private company becomes public, or an LLP becomes a company, a new certificate is issued. Foreign authorities will want the latest one.
• Registered office shift: the certificate does not change, but foreign banks may also ask for proof of the current address.
• Strike-off or inactive status: if the MCA record shows the company as struck off or inactive, foreign authorities will not accept it, even with an apostille. Check the company's status on the MCA portal first.

A legalised document is a snapshot of the record on the day it was issued. If the company details change after legalisation, the new documents must be legalised again.

Which Version of the Certificate Can Be Legalised?

Most incorporation certificates are now issued electronically, so there is no "original" in the old sense. The legalisation authorities work with a printed copy that is signed and stamped by an authorised signatory of the company, and notarised where the route needs it. A few points decide whether the copy will be accepted:

• Latest certificate: if the company changed its name or converted (for example from private to public, or from an LLP to a company), use the fresh certificate issued after the change.
• Clear print: the CIN, the company name and the date must be readable.
• Matching names: the company name must match the MOA, AOA and board resolution exactly.
• Authorised signatory: the person signing the copy must be a director, the company secretary or another person authorised by the board.

If the certificate is old or damaged, we suggest downloading a fresh copy from the MCA records before starting, rather than legalising a document that may be questioned later.

Certified Copy, Notarised Copy or Legalised Document?

Foreign authorities use these words loosely, and the difference decides how much work is needed.

When a bank abroad simply writes "certified copy", ask whether it means a certificate of incorporation apostille or a lawyer's certification in their own country. When a Gulf authority writes "attested", it always means certificate of incorporation attestation through MEA and the embassy, not a notary stamp alone. Getting this one word right saves a full round of work.

Questions to Ask the Foreign Authority Before You Start

Most delays happen because a company legalises the wrong document or the wrong version. Before sending anything, ask the bank, registry, free zone or lawyer abroad these questions in writing:

1. Which company documents do you need: only the incorporation certificate, or also the MOA, AOA, board resolution and power of attorney?
2. Do you need an apostille, embassy attestation, or a certified copy only?
3. Do you need the documents translated, and must the translator be sworn in your country?
4. How recent must the documents be?
5. Should the board resolution name a specific person, bank or project?
6. Do you accept documents signed digitally, or do you need wet-ink signatures on the copies?

Share their reply with us. We then match the route and the document list to it, so the file is accepted the first time.

Documents Required

We tell you the exact list for your country before pickup, because embassies change their requirements for commercial documents more often than for personal documents.

How Long Does It Take?

These timelines are indicative only. Embassy holidays, public holidays and queries from any authority can change them. We confirm the timeline for your country before you send the documents.

Companies Outside Delhi

Commercial documents do not go through a state education or home department, so the route is the same wherever your company is registered, from Mumbai and Bengaluru to Kochi, Hyderabad or Kolkata. What changes is only the pickup. We collect documents from offices in Delhi NCR at your doorstep, and from other cities through a tracked courier, then handle the chamber, MEA and embassy stages in New Delhi and send the legalised documents back the same way. Companies with directors abroad can courier documents directly to our office, along with an authorisation letter.

Three Typical Situations

A Startup Opening a US Subsidiary

A Bengaluru software company was setting up a Delaware subsidiary and opening a US bank account. The bank wanted the parent company's incorporation certificate and a board resolution. The USA is a Hague member, so both documents went through the Chamber of Commerce and the MEA apostille, with no embassy stage.

An Exporter Registering in a Dubai Free Zone

A textile exporter from Delhi needed a free zone licence in Dubai. The free zone asked for the incorporation certificate, the MOA, the AOA and a board resolution, all attested. Each document went through the chamber and MEA, and then one online application covered the UAE Embassy and the UAE MOFA.

A Manufacturer Appointing a Distributor in Germany

A Pune manufacturer was told to "get an apostille" for a German distributor. Because Indian apostilles have no legal effect for German authorities, we explained the verification route that German authorities use, so the company did not pay for an apostille that would not be accepted.

Common Mistakes With Certificate of Incorporation Apostille and Attestation

• Apostille for the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait, where attestation is needed
• Embassy attestation for Saudi Arabia, Oman or Bahrain, where the apostille is enough
• Apostille for China or Germany, where it has no effect
• Old certificate after a name change, which no longer matches the company's current name
• Name mismatch between the certificate, MOA, AOA and board resolution
• Copy signed by someone without authority, which the chamber or embassy can reject
• Legalising documents one by one instead of as a set, which causes repeated embassy visits
• Ignoring translation rules, for example for Spain, France or Latin American countries

Translation After the Apostille or Attestation

Countries that do not use English often want a sworn or certified translation of company documents. For apostille countries, the usual order is to finish the apostille and then translate the whole document, including the apostille. For attestation countries such as the UAE, an Arabic translation is often requested after the attestation by the local authority. Some countries accept only their own sworn translators, so we check before arranging a translation in India.

How to Check an Apostille or Attestation

Every MEA apostille carries a unique number that can be checked on MEA's verification facility. Make sure the sticker is fixed to the right document and that the company name is correct. For attestation, check that every stage (chamber, MEA, embassy and MOFA) appears, in that order. For UAE digital attestation, check the emailed document and keep it safe, because that is what UAE authorities verify.

Safe Handling of Your Company Documents

Company documents carry information about directors, shareholders and capital, so we treat them as confidential. Every document is logged with a written receipt at pickup, moved only through tracked couriers and stored securely between stages. We share photos of every stamp before dispatch and return documents only to the company or the person it authorises. Companies abroad can courier their documents to our New Delhi office.

Why Choose Pro Attestation for Your Certificate of Incorporation?

• Right route first: apostille or attestation, checked for your destination country
• Correct country lists, including recent changes such as Canada, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Vietnam
• Full company files planned together, so all documents reach the embassy at once
• Name and signatory checks before any stamp is added
• Clear fees discussed before any work begins
• Free doorstep pickup in Delhi NCR and tracked courier pickup across India
• Serving clients since 2015