Marriage certificates can be defined as legal documents that describe the marriage status of two people who wish to register their marriage. However, some countries need extra confirmation and identification of the given matrimonial certificates to be used for the legal formalities. One of the requirements is the attestation from the Ministry of Foreign Affair also known as MOFA Attestation. Let us find the detailed information regarding the procedure of receiving MOFA attestation to the marriage certificate.
Understanding the significance of MOFA attestation
MOFA attestation is one of the legal procedures that is very crucial that seeks to confirm the legitimacy and the legal recognition of marriage certificates that are issued in one country from another. It is an official statement of the body responsible for conducting such certifications in the country of issue with regard to its authenticity and accuracy. From this research it is clear that couples who get their documents attested from MOFA are assured that their marriage certificates will be recognized by foreign governments and organizations.
MOFA attestation usually comes after the documentation has been legalised by other local authorities. Here's a step-by-step breakdown:
1. Notary Attestation
The first procedure is that the members of the marriage have to get their marriage certificate legalized by the public notary of the country of origin. This legitimates the document.
2. Home Department or State Attestation
The following notary attestation the marriage certificate further attested by either Home Department or the State Authentication Department in the respective state. This is necessary in some cases for documents which were produced on the state level.
3. Ministry of External Affairs belongs to External Affairs Attestation.
The document is then forwarded to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India. The MEA confirms its authenticity and refection for attestation from the concerned foreign country.
4. MOFA Attestation
The last one is the attestation of the MEA followed by the attestation of Ministry of Foreign affairs of the destination country mostly through its embassy or consulate in India. A step that gives the document authenticity to be used in the country where it will be tendered.
- Attestation Certificate: They will be issued a certified attestation certificate, this is a legal document which will have displayed the attestation of the marriage certificate as well as the document's completeness. Often this certificate is created in the official language of the certain country of the jurisdiction.
But it is, however, crucial to realize that there is possibility that the MOFA office may reject a marriage certificate. Some common reasons for rejection include are as follows:
- Some documents information may be missing or the information may not be easily distinguished.
- These are some of the numerous complexities that may arise from time to time and some of them are doubts that may arise concerning the information entered in the marriage certificate.
- This may be occasioned by lack of proper authorization and this may, or may not have been supported by necessary documents from the concerned authority.
It is very important especially for those who wish or planning to visit or even live in that country which accepts registration of marriage certificates to apply for MOFA attestation. It is thus very crucial for couples to understand the checklist of the required documents in detail and make sure that they tender all the relevant and correct documents that would ensure that their cases are not declined by the immigration or officials so that the processes fulfils the intended purpose as a smooth MOFA attestation process.
