A written declaration from a certified doctor confirming the medical test of a patient is called a medical certificate and can be used as a ‘sick report’. Medical Certificate needs to be authenticated and verified by a legal authority to prove its gentility.

A few purposes of Medical Certificate authentication are:

• Claim medical advantages from the organization or government
• Claim medical insurance
• To get leave salary and extension
• To explain the cause for long or short-term absence

Documents needed to get Medical Certificate Attested

Following documents are required to get your Medical Visa:

• 2 recent Passport size photographs.
• Original Passport.
• Passport Photocopy with the relevant pages including residence visa page.
• Letter from a reputed Indian hospital or medical center.
• Valid medical certificates from a known hospital.

How to get a Medical Certificate Attested?

Lots of steps are needed to be followed to finally get the Medical Certificate Attestation done. The process to get your medical certificate attested is given below in detail:

Notary Attestation

This is a crucial step that needs to be done before all the other processes. The local notary performs this step and provides a signature and stamp on the document. Notary is the fundamental authority in the Medical certificate attestation process. It is also needed in the attestation of education and personal documents.

Home Department

A medical certificate is a private document that is verified by the Home Department of the state. Other personal documents needed for legalization are marriage certificate, birth certificate, and a death certificate. The Home Department of a state determines the medical document and attests it with their sign and stamp.

Attestation from Sub-Divisional Magistrate

The SDM or Sub-Divisional Magistrate is an option for the Home Department and in some cases, HRD. But for many authorities, HRD attestation for educational certificates is mandatory. It is self-governing and functions independently.

Stamp from the Ministry of External Affairs

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) provides a legal stamp on the Medical Certificate that authenticates its genuinity. It is a prime department that looks after foreign issues of the country.

Embassy Attestation

Embassy Attestation process is performed by the Embassy of the individual country. Getting attestation from the Embassy is the final step after the MEA Stamp.

Time required to get Medical Certificate Attestation
The process of getting a Medical Certificate Attestation usually requires 8 to 10 days. However, it depends on the country of visit, document, and the state of origin. The time frame can increase up to a couple of weeks or over a month.

Need of document translation:

If you are moving out to a Non-English spoken foreign country like UAE or France or Saudi Arabia, then you must have been asked to translate some of your documents as a part of immigration procedure. Legal documents including birth certificate, marriage certificate, adoption certificate, and business contracts are usually demanded to be submitted with their translation copies. For e.g., if you are seeking admission in a university abroad, then for getting degree certificate attestation from embassy, a translated copy of the degree is also required to submit along with original degree. Once translated and attested, the document will be recognized authentic in the country.

A certified translation entails the original document and interpretation of the document be accompanied by a signatory statement affirming that the translation is complete and accurate. At a glance, translation may seem uncomplicated and effortless, but it is much more than just translating words. Translation demands varied experience and expertise, and hence, the translator must attain a precise balance between the literal translations of the original transcript and make it authentic for the reader.

Some major aspects of translation are:

1. The original document is required to be translated accurately in its entirety, i.e., all the signatures, punctuation, stamps, and seals must be included as it is. The original language of the certificate for translation must also be stated.
2. The translation must match the original document visually. A copy of the original document must also be affixed with the translation.
3. Hire a professional certified translator for translating your documents and avoid jeopardizing your immigration application.
4. The translated document must be attested by the Notary and Embassy for being valid overseas.

Types of document authentication:

If you are an expat or are planning on being one, then you must have been familiar with the terms “Attestation” and “Apostille” by now. Despite carrying out the same purpose and significance, the requirement for document attestation and Apostille vary from country to country. Henceforth, it raises confusion among travelers that why these two forms have been curated for the same objective.

In literal terms, attestation is an act of witnessing the signing of a document however, Apostille refers to certification embossed with a government seal meant to authenticate a document abroad. The objective of both these methods is to certify the originality of the document’s signature in a foreign land. Most of the Middle East countries have laid down certain specifications pertaining the attestation. The remaining countries decided to adopt the new legalization procedure called Apostille for easing this whole process and eliminating the requirement of repeated authentication. The attestation process starts with notary attestation, followed by HRD/ Home Department/ Chamber of Commerce authentication, MEA attestation and ending with Embassy / Consulate attestation. Meanwhile, the Apostille follows the same procedure but eliminates the necessity of Embassy attestation.

Many people will agree that going abroad has its own set of challenges and hurdles. To facilitate the travel experience, individuals must adhere to the set of rules and regulations imposed by the countries. Attestation and Apostille are both a part of these regulations, which the expats must go through in order to acquire their visa effortlessly and make their stay comfortable.

Common myths about visas:

Visas are one of the most significant yet complicated aspects of immigration procedure. Lack of awareness regarding this field among travelers has given rise to common misconceptions. People rely on these misapprehensions easily rather than clearing their queries with professionals directly, which eventually affects negatively their visa application. Below I have compiled a list of common misconceptions regarding visas for preventing you from making mistakes in future.

1. Visa application can be processed without proper documentation or authentication

As per the government regulations, no Embassy is authorized to issue a visa without proper or attested documents. Expats are usually under an impression that they can waive off the document requirement by paying extra, which is unlawful and felonious. Attest your documents in Chennai, Hyderabad, or any other city by MEA and Embassy for eliminating visa rejection.

2. Visa denial due to past visa refusal for a particular country

Visa refusal can play a major role in decision making if you are applying for a visa again for a particular country only if the Embassy finds some legitimate reasons. If the visa has been refused due to some manual errors, then you can acquire a visa easily by ameliorating it.

3. US visa is a key to all visas

It’s true that past travel history plays a pivotal role in the visa processing procedure, however, it is nowhere implied that US visa stamping will assist you in processing your visa application for any country. Document requirement is same of any traveler despite his past travel record.

4. Money can get you visa

Financial stability of an expat is always considered while processing his visa request but isn’t the only deciding factor in this process. Different estimated budget limit has been set by various countries which an expat must meet in order to acquire a visa.

Apostille Documents Expiry Date

A common question that usually arises among people seeking to Apostille their documents is whether or not an Apostille can expire. The answer is no, as long as the provided document is a public document, it can be apostilled and can’t be rejected solely on the grounds of its age. However, this does not prevent the foreign authorities from rejecting the underlying certificate on the basis of their domestic laws because of its age. Certain public documents are stated to be valid for a limited period of time, e.g., Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), provisional court orders, and travel documents. The validity of these documents will be determined as per the rules and regulations set up by the country of origin or country accepting the documents. Hence, after the expiration of these certificates, the apostille also holds no value.

The concept of Apostille was originated in the Hague Convention on 5 October 1961, with an intent to facilitate the worldwide circulation of foreign public documents. The Convention originally did not place any limitations on the effect of an Apostille, and therefore, it is in effect as long as it is identifiable. As per the Section 6 of the Convention, an Apostille comes with a date of issuance. In India, the Ministry of External Affairs issue apostille stamps for all personal, educational, and commercial certificates.

The significance of Apostille makes it a daunting and complicated task. Nevertheless, you can find numerous professional agents rendering document Apostille service in India.

Lists of document carrying while moving overseas:

Managing the logistics in an organized way can literally make or break your international trip. There is nothing more daunting and worse than arriving in a new country without having your necessary attested documents. In order to make your transition smooth and to overcome unwanted emergencies, you must have all your important documents with you. Below I have provided a list of documents which you must carry with you to a foreign country.

1. Educational certificates

Your potential employer will entreat you to provide your authenticated educational certificates for substantiating whether you have the correct qualifications for the job. This can be Apostille Degree certificate, matriculation certificate, or an alternative diploma certificate. Although, you have to make sure that these certificates are attested or apostille by the Ministry of External Affairs for acquiring legal validity abroad.

2. Current Medical Reports

Numerous countries like UAE, Netherlands, US, Germany, and France requires an expatriate to submit his/ her updated medical report for confirming that he/she is not suffering from any infectious disease. This can be an extensive medical report or a simple letter from a certified doctor, depending upon the regulations of the country. You can further confirm with the Embassy of that particular country regarding how detailed the report has to be.

3. Good Conduct Certificate

A legalized Good Conduct Certificate/ Police Clearance Certificate/ Criminal Record Check is usually requested by all the foreign countries to inspect whether the expat has any past criminal records. A criminal background check is often required for employment visa and residence visa.

4. Personal Certificates

In addition to providing evidence for your identity, you ought to submit authenticated personal certificates like apostille birth certificate. For apostille and attestation, you can hire a professional agency having expertise in this field.

Besides these certificates you may require other documents as well. Make sure to contact the respective Embassies for being updated regarding the documentation requirements.

State home department authentication:

Certificate attestation is a rectification procedure in which the certificates undergoes a series of scrutinization procedure conducted by the governmental authorities. This corroboration begins with the State Home Department, a regulatory body established in every state which authenticates personal documents such as birth certificate and marriage certificate originated in their respective state. Thereupon, the certificate will be submitted with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) which is the sole designated authority issuing attestation in India. The Home Department authentication stipulates that the certificate has been originated in that particular state and is true as per their knowledge.

Some of the important aspects of Home Department authentication are:

• The entire procedure of certificate authentication is accomplished by the State Home Department on the same day.
• Only the original copy of the certificate will be authenticated by the Home Department. Unabridged certificates or computer printouts are not accepted by the department for legalization.
• The applicant is mandated to present at the office of Home Department with an application form and original copies of all the required supporting documents.

No pre-authenticated certificates will be entertained by the MEA and Embassy for attestation. Hence, Home Department authentication is mandated on all Indian originated personal documents. Authenticating a document is free, and it signifies that the certified document is genuine. In some states where there is no Home Department, in those particular states the certificates are authenticated by the General Administration Department (GAD). Now that you are completely aware of the State Home Department validation, you can now either attest your certificates by yourself or via a professional. There are numerous agents rendering document legalization and attestation services for various countries including birth certificate attestation for Saudi Arabia.

Commercial Certificate Attestation:

Have you ever been asked to attest your commercial certificates from a Chamber of Commerce preceding your travel abroad? If no, then you must be wondering about what this chamber is and why chamber legalization is required. Prior to discussing the importance of Chamber of commerce attestation, let’s first understand what these chambers of commerce are. A chamber of commerce is a voluntary organization encompasses entrepreneurs, companies, business people, and civic leaders, whose aim is to stimulate, safeguard, and represent the interest of all types of industries.

We all knew how much significant a visa is for seeking entry into a foreign country and role played by attestation in acquiring one. Commercial certificate attestation is required while setting up business overseas or while visiting abroad for business purpose or while introducing a new product/ service abroad. Scrutinization from the Chamber of Commerce verifies the authenticity of commercial documents. Commercial certificate such as Invoice, Certificate of Origin, Packaging List, and Bill of Lading are rectified and certified by the Chamber of Commerce for gaining legalization in a foreign land. The Chamber of Commerce authentication certifies that the provided document is accurate and is comprised of true information. Afterwards, the documents are proceeded for the MEA and embassy attestation.

The country requesting the attestation may have certain preference regarding the attestation of your certificates. If you are unsure of the procedure or the legal formalities, then you can instead hire a service provider. Avoid engaging in misleading advises or amateurs, instead search for outsourced and experienced agencies.