School Leaving Certificate Apostille & Attestation
Apostille and attestation for school leaving and transfer certificates issued by Indian schools, for school admission abroad, family visas and proof of age.
What this certificate is
A school leaving certificate is issued by your school when you leave. Depending on the state and board, it may be called a Transfer Certificate (TC) or Leaving Certificate (LC). It typically records your date of birth, dates of admission and leaving, the last class attended and your conduct, and it is signed by the principal.
Do not confuse it with an SSLC. In Karnataka and Kerala, for example, "Secondary School Leaving Certificate" refers to the Class 10 board certificate, which is authenticated like a board marksheet rather than a school-issued document.
How it is authenticated
Because a school is not itself a board or university, an extra layer usually comes first. In many states, the certificate is countersigned or verified by the district or regional education officer before the State School Education Department authenticates it. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) then issues an MEA Apostille or attests it for embassy attestation.
For schools affiliated to central boards such as CBSE or CISCE, the verifying officer may differ, so confirm the route for your school before you start.
Why families need it
- School admission abroad. Children moving with a parent on a work or family visa often need a TC to join a new school. In the UAE, for example, admission for students arriving from India can involve an equivalency step that asks for attested school documents.
- Proof of age. Where a birth was registered late, a leaving certificate is sometimes accepted as supporting evidence of date of birth, although most authorities abroad prefer a birth certificate.
- Adult applicants occasionally need it as proof of schooling for employment or residence.
Issues to watch
- Schools usually issue one original. A replacement is generally marked "duplicate", which many authorities accept, but check first.
- Older certificates are often handwritten or in Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi or another regional language, and may need document translation for use abroad.
- If the school has closed, the education department or the trust that ran it may hold the records needed for a duplicate.
- Make sure the school's seal, the principal's name and signature, and the issue date are clearly legible.
Check your route with the Service Finder or request a quote.
Common reasons it is needed abroad
- School admission abroad for relocating children
- Family visa applications
- Education equivalency for school students
- Supporting proof of date of birth
- Proof of schooling for employment or residence
What we need from you
- Original school leaving or transfer certificate
- Student's passport copy, and a parent's for minors
- Latest report card or marksheet, if the new school asks for it
- Destination country and purpose of use
Which route for your destination?
MEA Apostille is usually enough
United States
United Kingdom
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
Ireland
France
Italy
Spain
Netherlands
Belgium
Switzerland
Portugal
Sweden
Japan
South Korea
Singapore
Saudi Arabia
Oman
Bahrain
Vietnam
South Africa
Mauritius
Philippines
Indonesia
United Arab Emirates
Qatar
Kuwait
Egypt
Iraq
Jordan
China
Thailand
GermanyFrequently asked questions
Is a transfer certificate the same as a school leaving certificate?
In most cases, yes. States and boards use different names for the certificate a school issues when a student leaves, and the authentication route is broadly the same.
We have moved cities since my child left school. Where is the certificate authenticated?
In the state where the school is located, not where you live now. For example, a certificate from a school in Mumbai is authenticated in Maharashtra. Documents can be collected from anywhere in India by pickup or courier.
Do I need to attest my child's report card too?
Often, yes. Schools abroad and equivalency authorities frequently ask for the latest report card or marksheet along with the leaving certificate. Ask the new school for its exact list before you start.
Can an old handwritten leaving certificate be apostilled?
Often it can, provided it is legible, carries the school's seal and signature, and the education officer is able to verify it. Badly damaged or laminated certificates may be refused, in which case a duplicate from the school is the usual fix.
Related documents
Not sure which route your document needs?
Tell us the document and the destination country. We will confirm the route, the documents we need from you and a quotation — before you send anything.