Document attestation refers to the bureaucratic process of verification and legalisation of documents by the concerned authorities to guarantee the legitimacy of the documents and their contents. Attestation is a basic legal requirement expected to be fulfilled by candidates trying to move abroad. Commercial document attestation refers to the verification process of documents needed for international business trade and transactions by various concerned authorities.

Many individuals want to immigrate abroad for better education, higher pay and an overall improved quality of life. However, to participate in any of these activities as an immigrant, one needs to have their documents in order. One such category of documents requiring an attestation stamp is commercial documents. They may not necessarily be needed in case of immigration, however, they are likely to be used in case of international business transactions taking place between two countries.

Commercial document attestation is a major part of the global business trade. Document attestation plays an important role in achieving commercial and financial goals.

It is needed to guarantee the authenticity of the documents, it also informs the concerned authorities in the destination country that the candidate is visiting with legal documents and for genuine reasons.

Apart from the reasons mentioned above, here are a few more reasons why you may need an attestation stamp on your commercial documents;

• To acquire a business visa
• Modification of share capital
• Introduce or cancel a partnership in business
• Starting a new business or a new branch of an existing business overseas
• Export or import merchandise
• Tourist license registration
• To open a bank account in another county
• To Sell properties in the home country

The original documents that may warrant an attestation stamp need to be submitted with certain supporting documents which depend on varying factors such as the reason for moving abroad, the duration of the stay, etc.Here is a list of documents required for commercial document attestation in Cochin;

• Original Commercial Documents that need Attestation
• Passport copy
• Cover letter on company letterhead with the purpose of attestation

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of the Commercial document attestation in Cochin;

• Chamber of Commerce : The first step in verifying a commercial document requires an attestation stamp from a registered chamber of commerce.
• MEA Attestation : Once verified by the COC, documents are scrutinised and attested by the Ministry of External Affairs.
• Embassy Attestation : In the final step, the destination country’s embassy verifies the documents before stamping them with their seal of approval.

• Chamber of Commerce
• MEA Attestation
• Embassy Attestation