Can Someone Else Submit My Documents for Apostille in India?

I would be particularly careful about using unofficial agents.

MEA specifically says applicants should use the authorized outsourced service providers for submission and advises applicants not to rely on unauthorized persons or touts for apostille or attestation services.

If your father is helping you, there is a difference between your father physically submitting your documents at an authorized center and handing your original documents to an unknown person who claims they can arrange an apostille.

I'd first check the current MEA list of authorized providers and the applicable collection center.

Also remember that MEA doesn't authenticate the contents of the document. Its role is to legalize/authenticate based on the signature of the designated authority. So if you're dealing with a degree certificate or marriage certificate, the required prior authentication is important.

I'd keep copies/scans of everything before handing over the originals.

My experience was slightly different because I used the e-Sanad route for one of my documents.

I initially thought that because I was abroad, I had to give someone a power of attorney just to submit my certificate. That wasn't necessarily the issue. The bigger question was whether my document was eligible for the particular authentication/e-Sanad process.

For documents that aren't covered by e-Sanad, MEA currently describes a process involving authentication followed by submission to an authorized outsourced service provider.

So I would separate the two questions:

1. Is your document eligible and properly authenticated for apostille?
2. What does the authorized submission center require if another person physically deposits it?

For your situation, I'd have your father contact the authorized center before carrying the originals there. Ask specifically whether they accept submission by a family member and whether they require an authorization letter or ID.

I wouldn't rely on an old forum post for this because apostille procedures and service-provider arrangements have changed over the years.

Yes, I had someone in India handle the submission while I was living in the US.

In my case, my brother took care of the document submission because I was not in India. The important part was making sure the documents had already gone through the required authentication before the MEA apostille stage.

The current MEA procedure says documents that aren't covered under e-Sanad are submitted through an authorized outsourced service provider. MEA also says it no longer accepts these documents directly from individuals at its CPV Division counter.

I would check the current checklist of the particular outsourced provider before sending your documents. Don't assume that an authorization letter is or isn't required based on someone's older experience.

I also sent a photocopy of my passport along with the documents. MEA's published instructions specifically mention a photocopy of the applicant's passport accompanying the original document/true copy.

The requirements can change, so I'd verify the current submission instructions before your father goes to the center.