Before you send originals
We review the file first on WhatsApp
Destination country and where the document will be submitted
Document type, the purpose, and the deadline
Which prior step applies: HRD, SDM, Home, Chamber, translation, or none
Whether the original must travel, or a colour printout will be accepted
SiZA Global Solutions Private Limited · CIN U82199UW2026PTC253746 · Udyam UDYAM-UP-28-0217175
A Police Clearance Certificate going to Slovakia is an apostille case. Slovakia commonly asks for the PCC to be within a three-to-six-month freshness window at the point of submission depending on the visa category, so the apostille has to be timed to the planned submission. Apostille does not extend the freshness window.
Start with a scan and your destination
The India-side steps depend on which source issued the PCC. A PCC issued by a Passport Seva Kendra (Passport Office, under the Ministry of External Affairs) is treated as an MEA-issued document and goes directly to MEA for apostille, no SDM, Home Department, or notary step is needed. A PCC issued by the local police authority, typically the SSP office or the relevant Commissionerate, follows the standard civil-document workflow: Notary + SDM or Home Department at the state level, then MEA apostille. Confirming which source issued your PCC is the first practical step.
After the apostille is complete, certified Slovak translation by an úradný prekladateľ (sworn translator) listed with the Slovak Ministry of Justice is prepared so the apostille stamp and the government check before MEA seal are translated alongside the PCC body. Name variants between the PCC and the passport are best resolved by a Tehsildar-issued One and Same Certificate before the PCC is apostilled.
Who this guide is for
- Indian applicants for Slovak Single Permit, National D visa, or EU Blue Card where the PCC has to be within a freshness window at the point of submission
- Indian students whose Slovak university admission case or visa paperwork asks for a recent PCC
- Healthcare and regulated-profession applicants where the Slovak chamber asks for a current PCC alongside licensing documents
- Applicants whose PSK-issued PCC can go direct-to-MEA (since PSK PCC sits under MEA) versus those whose SSP-issued PCC has to go through Notary + SDM + MEA
- NRIs in Slovakia whose family PCC work are being processed from India while they remain abroad
Documents typically needed
- Original Police Clearance Certificate (PSK or SSP)
- Passport copy
- Slovak embassy / Foreign Police / university / employer instruction
- Tehsildar One-and-Same Certificate where name-mismatch
- Submission deadline for freshness-window planning
How a SiZA file usually moves
WhatsApp scan review with PSK vs SSP source + Slovak submission deadline
PSK direct-to-MEA, or SSP through Notary + SDM + MEA
Slovak sworn translation after apostille + tracked return
Before any original leaves your hands
Standard scan-review checks
What typically affects timeline
- PSK vs SSP process
- Slovak freshness window
- Slovak sworn-translation + international courier
Common mistakes we see
- Routing PSK PCC through SDM
- Apostille done months ahead of Slovak submission, freshness expires
- Translating before apostille
Why work with SiZA
- PSK direct-to-MEA versus SSP Notary + SDM + MEA process, confirmed at scan review
- Slovak Republic 3 to 6 months freshness window
- Slovak sworn translation (úradný prekladateľ) prepared after apostille
Completed Work Example
This is a completed MEA Apostille document. All customer names, reference numbers, and identifying details have been removed before publication.
Matching audience guides
Each guide names the real situation for that audience, lists the documents the destination authority asks for, and walks through the India-side attestations in order.
Got a documentation question?
How SiZA Reviews a Document File
Before any original is couriered, SiZA reviews scans, confirms the correct India-side steps (HRD / SDM / Home / Chamber, MEA, Embassy where needed, translation), and shares a written quote and timeline.
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 documents are required?
The exact list depends on the file. For a degree apostille, the original degree certificate is the core document, with transcripts / consolidated marksheets, passport copy, and the destination authority's checklist as supporting. For a birth certificate apostille, the original municipal-corporation-issued certificate plus identity proof. For a marriage certificate apostille, the original registered civil certificate (Sub-Registrar / Marriage Registrar issued, not just religious ceremony). SiZA Global reviews the specific file scans on WhatsApp and confirms the exact document set required before originals move.
How long does the process take?
End-to-end timelines depend on the issuing state, university verification, document type, destination country and translation requirement. MEA apostille itself takes 2 to 4 working days, or 24 hours on urgent processing if the next day is a working day. State HRD timings vary by state, for example Maharashtra takes 25 to 35 working days, Gujarat takes 10 to 30 working days, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh take 10 to 15 working days, and Kerala takes 20 to 30 working days. For non-Hague countries, embassy and MOFA steps are added separately.
Do originals need to be submitted?
Yes. HRD, SDM, Home Department, MEA apostille, and embassy attestation are all physical-stamping processes on the original document. A scan is enough for the initial review on WhatsApp; the original is then couriered to SiZA Global (or we arrange doorstep pickup in major Indian cities) for the authority steps. The original is returned by AWB-tracked courier after completion. NRIs whose originals are with family in India can coordinate the whole process remotely, the originals never leave India for the apostille step.
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.
Stories from SiZA customers
“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 process. 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