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Document attestation, or legalization, is an essential process that ensures international acceptance of documents. Let's explore the stages of attestation, beginning at the regional level and progressing through to Embassy attestation. 

1) Notary Public:

Notarization by a Notary Public serves as the first step of attestation in India. Many institutions and authorities consider notarization a valid regional verification, meeting the initial legal requirement. 

2)State Level Attestation, SDM Delhi Attetation or CoC: 

A) Personal Documents:  (State Level/SDM Delhi Attestation)

After notarization, documents move to the state level for further verification. Each state in India has its own process and designated departments for attestation, adding an extra layer of authentication. 

However, it is important to note that Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Delhi attestation fulfills the state-level attestation requirements. As a result, SDM Delhi attestation is accepted by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for further processing.

P.S. State-level attestation is a hassle and time-consuming process, and it is mandatory only for a few international countries. Most countries accept SDM Delhi as pre-authentication. 

• State Home Department (SHD):  This department handles the attestation of personal documents, ensuring their authenticity. 
• Human Resource Development (HRD):  HRD handles the attestation of educational documents, ensuring their authenticity for international use. 
• General Administration Department (GAD): In certain states, GAD may handle attestation for both personal and educational documents, streamlining the process for government-related affairs.
• Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Delhi:  In Delhi, the SDM acts as a central authority for attesting both personal and educational documents on behalf of all states, eliminating the need for state-level attestation, which is often hectic and time-consuming.

B) Commercial Documents:  (CoC Attestation) 

• In case of Commercial documents, the Chamber of Commerce attests commercial documents such as invoices, certificates of origin, and other business-related papers to validate their authenticity for international trade and business transactions. 

 3) MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) Attestation/Apostille: 

After state-level or CoC/SDM Delhi attestation, documents are sent to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for verification. MEA Attestation or Apostille confirms the document’s authenticity for international use. If embassy attestation is needed, documents will be sent to the embassy after MEA attestation. For Apostille, the process is completed at the MEA stage. 

4) Embassy Attestation:

The next stage involves embassy attestation, where the document is sent to the embassy or consulate of the destination country in India. The embassy verifies the document's authenticity and certifies it with their seal or stamp, ensuring its legal acceptance in the destination country. 

5) MOFA Attestation:

Finally, after embassy attestation, if required by the destination country, the document may need to undergo further attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of that country. MOFA attestation further validates the document's authenticity according to the regulations of the destination country.