HRD Attestation is a legal attestation process of the educational documents in India by the State HRD Departments in India. The attestation process is a prerequisite for travelling abroad for higher studies.The documents are verified by Human Resources Department of the concerned state. .It is an essential step to prove the authenticity of your educational documents.In this blog, you will get to know about HRD certificate attestation in details including its process, its fees, processing time.
What is HRD Attestation?
HRD Attestation is also known as Human Resources Development Attestation or State Attestation. It is called so because the documents are initially verified by the Human Resources Department of the concerned state you applied from. It is thereafter verified by the Ministry of External Affairs and then goes to the Consulate or Embassy of the state you are going to. All these are legal processes supervised by the Central and State Governments of India.
In India, the Human Resource Development (HRD) Department of the respective state validates your degree, diploma, or school certificates through the HRD verification process. This ensures that the document is genuine and issued by a recognized institution.You will come across two attestation processes that are :
1. Apostille Attestation: Apostille Document Attestation is an internationally recognized attestation used by the countries that fall under The Hague Apostille Convention. This attestation procedure verifies only those documents are required to clear visa or immigration process at countries under The Hague Convention. HRD Attestation is basically the first step for verifying the educational background before you move forward with the Apostille Attestation.
2. Normal Attestation: Normal Attestation is another legal attestation procedure where you can easily verify educational, personal, commercial documents for official purposes. This attestation service is free, but you may have to pay other charges . The MEA has outsourced the Normal Attestation process to companies that charge a nominal fee to get the attestation done.
Who needs HRD Certificate Attestation?
HRD Attestation is required by students who want to pursue higher education abroad, as well as businessmen or workers for their work or business works outside India.
Where to apply for HRD Attestation?
HRD attestation is carried out by the Human Resource Development Department of the state or union territory where your educational institution is located. This means you must apply in the same state where your school, college, or university issued your certificate, not necessarily where you currently live.
For example, if you completed your degree in Maharashtra, you will need to approach the Maharashtra State HRD Department in Mumbai or Pune, while degrees from Tamil Nadu must be attested by the Tamil Nadu. You can also apply through MEA-authorized attestation agents, who handle the submission, tracking, and collection on your behalf.
If your university or education board is integrated with the e-Sanad platform, you can skip physical visits and get your documents attested online by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). It only works if your university, school board, or issuing authority is already integrated with the e-Sanad / DigiLocker system and provides documents in a digital, verifiable format.
Documents required for HRD Attestation
The following documents are required for HRD Attestation in India:
- Original Degree Certificate: This is the primary document that needs HRD attestation. It may consist of degree certificates, diploma certificates, and other educational credentials.
- Migration Certificates
- Transfer Certificates
- ID Proof: Certificates like birth, marriage, divorce certificates are also essential for attestation.
- Transcript Copy: A copy of your mark sheet or transcript showing your academic performance.
- Passport Copy: A copy of your passport, including the bio-data page.
- Passport-sized Photos: Two recent passport-sized photographs.
- Offer Letter (if applicable): If you are seeking HRD attestation for employment purposes, you may need to provide a copy of the offer letter from your foreign employer.
- Authorization letter (if using an agent)
HRD Attestation verification process
Before starting the proces ,you should gather all your educational documents. Keep photocopies of the front and last pages of each document. Make colour photocopies of the coloured documents. You should also keep photocopies of the ID proofs handy and ensure that all your credentials are safe and not damaged.
Steps for the HRD certificate attestation are as:
- University verification: Check with your concerned State HRD Department if the educational documents require a university check. You can post or submit them yourself to the University where you got your credentials. The University verifies the authenticity of the documents and sends a stamped letter of approval after verification. The University may charge a fee for their services. You should send photocopies and original documents.
- State HRD department attestation: Submit the verified document to the HRD Department of the state where the university is located. They will stamp and sign the certificate.
- MEA verification: You need to visit any MEA Office (CPV Division) in New Delhi or designated offices of MEA in other cities for MEA verification. The MEA takes 1–3 days for verifying the educational documents. You need to submit the HRD report and all the other documents you submitted earlier to HRD Department.
After this HRD attestations, you many need submit the MEA report and other documents to the Embassy/Consulate of your destination country in India. The Embassy attests and approves the documents within 3 days to 3 weeks. You can submit visa application along with the Embassy verification for convenience.
HRD Attestation charges
The charges for HRD attestation in India vary depending on the state, the type of document, and whether you apply directly or through an authorized agent. The actual HRD attestation is free. But considering other charges, generally state HRD offices charge a nominal government fee, which can range from ₹50 to ₹500 per certificate. However, if you use an MEA-authorized attestation agency, the total cost will be higher, as it includes service charges, courier fees, and sometimes university verification fees.
HRD Attestation processing time
The processing time for HRD Attestation is generally 1 month depending on efficiency, workflow and urgency of your application. The timeline can be divided into the following parts:
- State Attestation: 3-10 working days
- MEA Attestation: 1-3 working days
FAQs
Why is HRD attestation required?
It is required for purposes like higher education, employment, migration, or professional licensing in countries that demand state-level verification of educational documents.
Who needs HRD certificate attestation?
Students applying to universities abroad, professionals seeking overseas jobs, and individuals applying for migration or professional licensing in certain countries need HRD attestation.
How long does HRD attestation take?
The process can take anywhere from 5 to 6 weeks, depending on the university verification speed and the state HRD department’s processing time.
Is HRD attestation the same as MEA attestation?
No. HRD attestation is done at the state level for educational documents, while MEA attestation is done by the Ministry of External Affairs after HRD attestation for international use.
Can I get HRD attestation without visiting the HRD office?
Yes, you can use an MEA-authorized attestation agent to handle the submission, verification, and collection process on your behalf.
Is HRD attestation required for all countries travel?
No. Some countries accept apostille or direct MEA attestation without HRD.
Explore more on attestations country wise:
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