The USA accepts Indian MEA apostille for university admissions, USCIS-linked processes, state professional-licensing boards, and credential-evaluation services like WES, ECE, NACES and IERF. The Hague Apostille is the standard authentication from India; the older chain involving Indian Consulate attestation in India is not the route for Indian-issued documents going to US use. What you will run into instead is variation on the US side: each university registrar, each state licensing board (nursing boards differ by state, medical boards differ further) and each credential evaluator has its own envelope, sealed-from-issuer-direct, or notarised-copy instruction that operates separately from the apostille.
The USA accepts Indian MEA apostille for university admissions, USCIS-linked processes, state professional-licensing boards, and credential-evaluation services like WES, ECE, NACES and IERF. The Hague Apostille is the standard authentication from India; the older chain involving Indian Consulate attestation in India is not the route for Indian-issued documents going to US use. What you will run into instead is variation on the US side: each university registrar, each state licensing board (nursing boards differ by state, medical boards differ further) and each credential evaluator has its own envelope, sealed-from-issuer-direct, or notarised-copy instruction that operates separately from the apostille.
The most common NRI-from-USA files are: green-card / I-485 supporting documents where the marriage certificate, birth certificate, or police clearance needs apostille, H-1B and H-4 family files where the dependent visa relies on Indian civil documents, F-1 to OPT to H-1B transitions where the degree has to be apostilled alongside a WES evaluation, state nursing licensure where the Indian nursing council registration plus good-standing certificate needs apostille, USCIS RFEs that have asked specifically for an apostille that was missed earlier, and marriage-license or court-use Indian documents for state court proceedings in California, Texas, New York, New Jersey or other states.
The Indian chain runs without you flying back. A family member in India couriers the original to our Noida office after we have confirmed the route on WhatsApp; we coordinate the state-level step (State HRD for educational, SDM or Home Department for civil, Chamber of Commerce for commercial), then MEA apostille, then certified translation only if a specific recipient asks for it (most US authorities accept Indian English-language documents without translation). The apostilled set is couriered to your US address by DHL / FedEx with the AWB number shared in writing. Where the recipient (WES, a state licensing board, a USCIS field office) has issued a specific format instruction, share that instruction in writing first because it sometimes changes the India-side path.
Share a clear scan on WhatsApp (+91-9220161774) or info@sizaglobal.com with the purpose, green card / I-485, H-1B / H-4 dependent, state licensure (and which state, which board), university admission, USCIS RFE, court use, or other. We confirm the chain, the realistic timeline, and the written quote before originals move. For nursing and medical licensure files we also need to know which state board and whether the WES / NACES / IERF evaluation is being run in parallel, because some evaluators require the apostilled document to be sent directly from the issuing authority and others accept apostilled originals from the applicant.
Who finds this useful
- NRIs preparing documents for overseas use
- In preparing documents for overseas use
- USA, preparing documents for overseas use
- H1B/L1 preparing documents for overseas use
- Professionals, preparing documents for overseas use
The records SiZA typically handles
- Indian document (original) in the custody of family / friend in India
- Indian passport copy of the document holder
- US-side supporting paperwork: I-20, H-1B approval, green card / I-485 paperwork, USCIS reference
- Credential evaluator (WES / NACES / ECE / IERF / ICAS) reference for licensing or admission files
- State licensing board paperwork (nursing / medical / bar / etc.) where applicable
Step-by-step file movement
WhatsApp scan review with the US recipient (university, WES / NACES / ECE / IERF, state board, USCIS, state court)
India-side custodian couriers original to our Noida office
State HRD or SDM step, then MEA Delhi apostille
No translation step typically required
Tracked international courier (DHL / FedEx) to the US address
Things to check before you courier
Quick pre-courier readiness scan
Realistic timing factors
- Issuing-state pre-MEA step duration
- MEA Delhi apostille (typically 2 to 3 working days)
- Credential-evaluator parallel-track timeline
- PCC freshness window where applicable
- International courier transit India-to-USA
Where applicants commonly slip up
- Trying to apostille an Indian document at the Indian embassy in the US, Indian embassies abroad do not apostille
- Sending apostilled degree directly to WES / IERF when they require direct issue from the issuing university
- Routing the degree through SDM instead of State HRD, US licensing boards via WES expect HRD
- Apostille on PCC done long before USCIS submission where freshness applies
- Skipping the proper format for state-court use in Indian divorce or marriage documents
What makes SiZA different on this work
- NRI-from-USA remote coordination, clients in the US send scans, family in India couriers the original, we run the full Hague apostille chain (State HRD or SDM + MEA), the apostilled document returns by DHL / FedEx to the US address
- WES / NACES / IERF / ECE credential-evaluation awareness, apostilled degree / transcript prepared in the right format for the specific evaluator
- USCIS-aware handling for green card / I-485 / H-1B / H-4 / family-sponsorship files
- US state nursing / medical / bar / licensing board specifics, boards differ by state; we adjust the document set
- 100,000+ documents handled for 20,000+ customers with zero misplaced or mishandled, AWB-tracked return to any US address
Completed Work Example
This is a completed MEA Apostille document. All customer names, reference numbers, and identifying details have been removed before publication.
Have a documentation question?
The Pre-Courier File Review
A scan-stage review confirms route correctness, document condition, and name consistency before any original is collected, saving the days that go into reprocessing a wrongly chained file.
What to send first
Review the requirement
Share the document scan, destination country, purpose, deadline, and where the original document is currently kept.
Confirm the right process
SiZA checks whether the file needs apostille, embassy attestation, HRD/Home, Chamber, translation, visa documentation, or a combined process.
Handle and update
Once the scope is clear, the file moves through the required steps with practical updates by WhatsApp or email.
Proof and return
After completion, SiZA shares completion proof, confirms payment and courier preference, then packs and dispatches the document safely.
Share scan
Process confirmed
Originals received if required
Completion proof
Payment and return
Original document safety
Trust, Custody And Safety
These documents are not ordinary papers. They may be your degree, birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport file, company resolution, or export paperwork. SiZA treats that responsibility seriously.
Original-Document Care
Original personal and company documents are handled with careful custody, privacy, and controlled handoff.
Clear Updates
Customers receive updates through WhatsApp or email as the file moves through review, submission, completion, and dispatch.
Completion Proof
When work is completed, SiZA can share photos or videos so the customer can verify the result before return dispatch.
Safe Return
Return delivery is packed carefully and sent through trusted courier options after address and courier preference are confirmed.
No Shortcut Claims
SiZA does not promise fake shortcuts, bypass personal appearance rules, or help with forged or non-genuine documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an apostille?
An apostille is a single official stamp issued by India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on the back of an Indian document. Once placed, the document is accepted in any country that is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, about 125 countries today, including the USA, UK, Italy, Germany, France, Saudi Arabia (since 2022), and Canada (since 2024). For non-Hague destinations such as UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, and Egypt, MEA apostille alone is not enough, the document needs MEA attestation plus the destination country's embassy attestation in India.
Is apostille required for Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia joined the Hague Apostille Convention in December 2022. For Indian documents going to Saudi Arabia today, MEA apostille (after the relevant pre-step, State HRD for educational documents, SDM or Home Department for civil documents) is the standard India-side authentication. The previous Saudi Embassy + Cultural Attaché route was discontinued in December 2022; some Saudi employers still ask for QVP / Mosaddaqa qualification verification or SCFHS DataFlow PSV separately for licensed professions. SiZA Global confirms which parallel tracks apply to your specific Saudi file at scan review.
What past customers say
“I needed both MEA apostille and Italian translation for my degree, marksheets, and birth certificate. SiZA handled the full package — apostille and empanelled Italian translation together. Everything was accepted by the Italian embassy without any queries.”
Priya Sharma
Student, Italy study visa
Bengaluru, India
“Canada PR requires degree apostille, marriage certificate apostille, and sometimes translation. SiZA handled all my documents — degree, marriage certificate, PCC — in a coordinated workflow. Doorstep pickup in Noida and courier back. No need to run around government offices.”
Deepak Verma
IT professional, Canada immigration
Noida, India
“Degree HRD from Maharashtra, then MEA apostille, then Qatar embassy attestation — a long chain. SiZA tracked every step and gave me realistic timelines for Maharashtra HRD before starting. All documents delivered before my Qatar joining date. I had no idea the process was this manageable with the right support.”
Arjun Mehta
Civil engineer, Qatar employment visa
Nagpur, India
“My UK university needed apostilled degree and marksheets. SiZA picked up documents from Chandigarh through their courier pickup process. Everything came back apostilled and on time. They also reviewed my checklist and confirmed I didn't need Punjab HRD for this particular submission — saved me extra time.”
Nisha Kaur
Student, UK university admission
Chandigarh, India
“Czech Blue Card required apostilled degree, work experience letters, and a certified Czech translation of my degree. SiZA arranged the Maharashtra HRD first — which they told me upfront is required for degrees from Pune University — then MEA apostille, then the Czech translation. The Czech embassy accepted everything first attempt.”
Kiran Bhatt
Software engineer, Czech Blue Card
Pune, India
“AHPRA skills assessment required apostilled pharmacy degree and internship certificate. I was confused about whether Tamil Nadu HRD attestation was needed first. SiZA clarified it clearly — TN HRD is required before MEA for degree apostille. They handled both steps. My documents reached AHPRA exactly as required.”
Sunita Krishnan
Pharmacist, Australia skills assessment
Coimbatore, India
Verify from official sources
Confirm the current checklist and requirements directly with the authority before sending originals.
MEA Apostille Office Addresses in India
MEA Apostille, CPV Division, New Delhi (Head Office)
Patiala House Annexe, Tilak Marg
New Delhi 110001
MEA Branch Secretariat, Mumbai
RPO Building, Bhavishya Nidhi Bhawan, 15 Bhulabhai Desai Road
Mumbai 400026