Comprehensive Guide to Apostille (Legalization) of US Documents for Incorporating a Company in India
Author :Sanjeev Kumar | in
Category : FDI Company Registration Published : 15-03-2025
Updated : 24-11-2025
Overview : As many US corporations and entrepreneurs explore business opportunities in India, the role of document apostille becomes increasingly significant, especially when incorporating a company or obtaining government registrations or licenses. This guide simplifies the apostille process for US companies looking to incorporate in India. In this article, we explain the general meaning of apostille and provide a list of all apostille office addresses where you can get your documents apostilled for Incorporation in India.
What is an Apostille?
An apostille is a type of document authentication established by the 1961 Hague Convention, simplifying the legalisation process for U.S. documents intended for use abroad. This international agreement introduced a standardised certification that is accepted in all member countries. An apostille certifies the authenticity of a signature, the capacity of the signer, and the identity of any stamp or seal. However, it does not validate the content of the document itself. For instance, an apostilled Certificate of Incorporation confirms its issuance by the state authority but does not assess the company’s status or formation.
Why Apostilles Matter for Indian Company Registration
Both the United States and India are signatories to the Hague Convention, with India joining in 2005 and implementing it effectively from 2007. Without this convention in place, US companies would face a much more cumbersome process involving multiple steps: obtaining state-level certification, followed by authentication by the US Department of State, and finally, legalisation by the Indian Embassy or Consulate. This multi-step process would add weeks or even months to your incorporation timeline.
The apostille system eliminates these additional steps. Once your US-issued documents receive an apostille from the appropriate US authority, they are generally accepted as legally valid in India without requiring any further certification or authentication steps. This dramatically streamlines the process of setting up your US business in India.
The US Apostille Process: Navigating a Dual System
State vs. Federal Authority: Due to its federalist structure, the United States has a unique system for issuing apostilles. Unlike many countries, where a single national authority handles all apostilles, the US operates with a dual system in which both state and federal authorities are designated to issue apostilles, depending on the origin of the document.
State-Level Documents
The documents needed for incorporating a company in India fall under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State for apostille issuance. If your business is incorporated in Delaware, you must obtain apostilles for your incorporation documents from the Delaware Secretary of State, regardless of where your company operates or where you reside. The essential documents required are listed below:
- Certificates of Incorporation or Formation
- Articles of Association
- Board Resolutions
- Powers of Attorney created under state law
- Passport Copy of foreign director
- Address Proof of foreign director
- The signature on the MOA & AOA of the Indian Company
- The signature on the declaration for Incorporation.
List of Apostille Offices in the USA
| State | Issuing Authority | Physical Address | Mailing Address (if different) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Secretary of State, Authentication Division | 11 South Union Street, Suite 224, Montgomery, Alabama 36130 | PO Box 5616, Montgomery, AL 36103 |
| Alaska | Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Authentications Department | 240 Main Street, Room 301, Juneau, Alaska 99801 | PO Box 110015, Juneau, AK 99811 |
| Arizona | Secretary of State, Apostille Department | State Capitol Executive Tower, 1700 W. Washington Street, Fl. 7, Phoenix, AZ 85007 | 1700 W. Washington Street, Fl. 7, Phoenix, AZ 85007-2808 |
| Arkansas | Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services Division | 1401 W. Capitol Avenue Ste 250, Little Rock, AR 72201 | 1401 W. Capitol Avenue Ste 250, Little Rock, AR 72201 |
| California | Secretary of State, Notary Public Section/Authentications | 1500 11th Street, 2nd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814 Or 300 South Spring Street, Room 12513, Los Angeles, CA 90013 | Notary Public Section, P.O. Box 942877, Sacramento, CA 94277–0001 |
| Colorado | Secretary of State, Notary Program | 1700 Broadway, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80290 | 1700 Broadway, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80290 |
| Connecticut | Secretary of the State, Authentications and Apostilles | 165 Capitol Avenue, Suite 1000, Hartford, CT 06106 | PO Box 150470, Hartford, CT 06115-0470 |
| Delaware | Secretary of State, Division of Corporations | John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal Street, Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901 | Division of Corporations, PO Box 898, Dover, DE 19903 |
| Florida | Department of State, Division of Corporations, Apostille Section | 2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 810, Tallahassee, FL 32303 | P.O. Box 6800, Tallahassee, FL 32314-6800 |
| Georgia | Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority, Notary Division | 1875 Century Blvd., Ste. 100, Atlanta, GA 30345 | 1875 Century Blvd., Ste. 100, Atlanta, GA 30345 |
| Hawaii | Office of the Lieutenant Governor | State Capitol, 5th Floor, 415 S. Beretania St., Honolulu, HI 96813 | State Capitol, 5th Floor, 415 S. Beretania St., Honolulu, HI 96813 |
| Idaho | Secretary of State’s Office, Notary Department | 450 N 4th Street, Boise, ID 83702 | PO Box 83720, Boise ID 83720-0080 |
| Illinois | Secretary of State, Index Department | 111 E. Monroe, Springfield, IL 62756. Or 17 N. State St. Suite 1010, Chicago, IL 60602 | 111 E. Monroe, Springfield, IL 62756 Or 17 N State St, Suite 1010, Chicago, IL 60602 |
| Indiana | Secretary of State, Authentication Department | 302 W. Washington Street, Room E-018, Indianapolis, IN 46204 | 302 W. Washington Street, Room E-018, Indianapolis, IN 46204 |
| Iowa | Secretary of State, Business Services | First Floor, Lucas Building, 321 E. 12th St., Des Moines, IA 50319 | First Floor, Lucas Building, 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319 |
| Kansas | Secretary of State, Notary Clerk/Certifications | Memorial Hall, 1st Floor, 120 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66612-1594 | Memorial Hall, 1st Floor, 120 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66612 |
| Kentucky | Office of the Secretary of State, Authentications and Apostilles | 700 Capital Avenue, Suite 158, Frankfort, KY 40601 | P.O. Box 718, Frankfort, KY 40602 |
| Louisiana | Secretary of State, Commissions Division | 8585 Archives Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70809 | P.O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125 |
| Maine | Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions | 6 E. Chestnut Street, 5th Floor, Augusta, ME 04330 | 101 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0101 |
| Maryland | Secretary of State, Certifications Desk | 16 Francis Street, Jeffrey Building, 1st Floor, Annapolis, MD 21401 | 16 Francis Street, Jeffrey Building, 1st Floor, Annapolis, MD 21401 |
| Massachusetts | Secretary of the Commonwealth, Commissions Section | One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, MA 02108 | One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, MA 02108 |
| Michigan | Department of State, Office of the Great Seal | Richard H. Austin Building 1st Floor 430 W. Allegan Street, Lansing, MI 48918 Or Cadillac Place Building 3046 West Grand Boulevard, Suite L650, Detroit, MI 48202 OR Centerpoint Mall 6-B 3665 28th Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 Or 17176 Farmington Road, Livonia, MI 48154 | 7064 Crowner Drive, Lansing, MI 48918 |
| Minnesota | Secretary of State, Certification | First National Bank Building, 332 Minnesota Street, Suite N201, Saint Paul, MN 55101 | First National Bank Building, 332 Minnesota Street, Suite N201, Saint Paul, MN 55101 |
| Mississippi | Secretary of State, Notary/Apostille/Authentication | 700 North Street, Jackson, MS 39202 | P. O. Box 136, Jackson, MS 39205-0136 |
| Missouri | Secretary of State, Commissions Division | James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center, 600 West Main, Room 322, Jefferson City, MO 65101 Or 815 Olive Street, Suite 210 St. Louis, MO 63101 Or 615 E. 13th St., Room 513 Kansas City, MO 64106 Or 149 Park Central Sq. Suite 624 Springfield, MO 65806 | James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center, P.O. Box 778, Jefferson City, MO 65102 |
| Montana | Secretary of State, Notary and Certification Services | State Capitol, Room 260, 1301 E. 6th Ave., Helena, MT 59601 | P.O. Box 202801, Helena, MT 59620 -2801 |
| Nebraska | Secretary of State, Business Services | 1201 N Street Suite 120, Lincoln, NE 68508 | P.O. Box 94608, Lincoln, NE 68509 |
| Nevada | Secretary of State, Commercial Recordings Division | 401 North Carson St., Carson City, NV 89701 [13, 144, 260, 299, 307] Or 2250 Las Vegas Blvd North, Ste 400, Las Vegas, NV 89030 | 401 North Carson St., Carson City, NV 89701 |
| New Hampshire | Secretary of State, Apostilles & Certificates | State House, Room 204, 107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301 | State House, Room 204, 107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301 |
| New Jersey | Division of Revenue, Notary Unit | 33 West State Street, 5th Floor, Trenton, NJ 08608 | PO Box 452, Trenton, NJ 08646 |
| New Mexico | Secretary of State, Business Services Division | 325 Don Gaspar, Suite 300, Santa Fe, NM 87503 | 325 Don Gaspar, Suite 300, Santa Fe, NM 87501 |
| New York | Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, Apostille and Authentication Unit | One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue 6th floor, Albany, NY 12201-2001 Or 123 William Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY, 10038-3804 | P.O. Box 22001, Albany, NY 12201-2001 |
| North Carolina | Secretary of State, Authentication Office | 2 South Salisbury Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-2903 | Post Office Box 29622, Raleigh, North Carolina 27626-0622 |
| North Dakota | Secretary of State, Authentications Division | 600 East Boulevard Avenue, Dept 108, Bismarck ND 58505-0500 | 600 East Boulevard Avenue, Dept 108, Bismarck ND 58505-0500 |
| Ohio | Secretary of State, Records and Client Services | 180 E. Broad St., Suite 103, Columbus, OH 43215 | 180 E. Broad St., Suite 103, Columbus, OH 43215 |
| Oklahoma | Secretary of State, Certification Department | 421 N.W. 13th, Suite 210, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73103 | 421 N.W. 13th, Suite 210, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73103 |
| Oregon | Secretary of State – Corporations Division | Public Service Building Suite 151, 255 Capitol St.NE, Salem, OR 97310 | Public Service Building Suite 151, 255 Capitol St.NE, Salem, OR 97310-1327 |
| Pennsylvania | Department of State, Apostilles & Certifications | North Office Building, Room 201, 401 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0029 | North Office Building, Room 201, 401 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120-0029 |
| Rhode Island | Secretary of State, Attention Apostilles | 148 West River Street, Providence, RI 02904-2615 | 148 West River Street, Providence, RI 02904-2615 |
| South Carolina | Secretary of State’s Office, Authentications | 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 525, Columbia, SC 29201 | 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 525, Columbia, SC 29201 |
| South Dakota | Secretary of State, Apostille Office | 500 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501 | 500 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501-5070 |
| Tennessee | Secretary of State, Business Services Division, ATTN: ATS Section | 312 Rosa L. Parks Ave – 6th Floor, Nashville, TN 37243 | 312 Rosa L. Parks Ave – 6th Floor, Nashville, TN 37243 |
| Texas | Secretary of State, Authentications Unit | 1019 Brazos, Austin, TX 78701 | P O Box 13550, Austin, TX 78711-3550 |
| Utah | Lieutenant Governor’s Office | 350 N State Street, Suite 220, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114 | PO Box 142325, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114 |
| Vermont | Vermont State Archives and Records Administration, Authentication Services | 1078 US RTE 2, Middlesex, Montpelier, VT 05633-7701 | 1078 US RTE 2, Middlesex, Montpelier, VT 05633-7701 |
| Virginia | Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office, Authentication Division | 1111 East Broad Street, 1st Floor, Richmond, VA 23219 | 1111 East Broad Street, 1st Floor, Richmond, VA 23219 |
| Washington | Secretary of State, Corporations Division, Apostille and Certificate Program | 801 Capitol Way South, Olympia, WA 98501 | PO Box 40228, Olympia, WA 98504-0234 |
| West Virginia | Secretary of State, Business & Licensing Division | 1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, Bldg. 1, Ste. 157-K, Charleston, WV 25305 | 1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, Bldg. 1, Ste. 157-K, Charleston, WV 25305 |
| Wisconsin | Secretary of State, Certification Desk OR Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services | 30 W. Mifflin St., 10th Floor, Madison, WI 53703 Or 4822 Madison Yards Way, North Tower, Madison, WI 53705 | PO Box 7848, Madison, WI 53707-7848 Or PO Box 7838, Madison, WI 53707-7838 |
| Wyoming | Secretary of State, Compliance Division | 200 West 24th Street, Cheyenne, WY 82002 | Herschler Building East, Suite 100, 122 West 25th Street, Cheyenne, WY 82002-0020 |
FAQ’s
Do I need to get my company documents notarised before apostilling them?
It depends on the specific document and state requirements. Generally, documents that were not issued by a government authority (such as board resolutions or powers of attorney) need notarisation first. Government-issued documents (like certificates of Incorporation) typically do not require notarisation before apostille. Check with the specific apostille issuing authority for their requirements, as these can vary by state.
How long does it take to get an apostille?
Processing times for apostilles vary between state and federal agencies. A state apostille generally takes 5 to 10 business days, while a federal one can take 4 to 6 weeks. Expedited services are often available for an additional fee, potentially reducing the wait to just a few days or even offering same-day service in some areas. To avoid delays, it’s wise to allow extra time, particularly during peak periods.
After receiving a US apostille, do I need additional authentication for India?
No, since both the United States and India are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention, documents with a valid US apostille are generally accepted in India without requiring additional authentication or legalization from the Indian Embassy or Consulate. This is one of the primary benefits of the Apostille Convention – it eliminates the need for multiple levels of authentication between member countries.
Can I get an apostille for a document issued in a different US state?
No, you must obtain the apostille from the authority of the state where the document was issued, regardless of where you or your company is currently located. This is because the apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature, seal, or stamp of the issuing authority. For example, a Delaware Certificate of Incorporation must be apostilled by the Delaware Secretary of State, even if your company now operates primarily in California.
Can I use a courier service or agent to obtain apostilles on my behalf?
Most state and federal apostille authorities accept document submissions through authorised representatives like courier services or attorneys. This is convenient if you’re far from the issuing authority. Make sure your representative has the required authorization documentation.
Do digital or electronic signatures qualify for apostille certification?
Acceptance of electronic signatures for apostille varies by state. Some states allow them on government-issued documents, but many private documents, like board resolutions or powers of attorney, still require traditional “wet” signatures. Check with the apostille authority for their current policies.
How do I know if my apostille is valid?
A valid apostille must contain all elements required by the Hague Convention, including the title “Apostille (Convention de La Haye du 5 October 1961),” information about the document and signatory, details about the issuing authority, and proper seals and signatures. Some authorities now include security features like watermarks or holographic elements. Contact the issuing authority for verification if you’re uncertain about an apostille’s validity.
Author Bio
