ITI Certificate Apostille and Attestation for Overseas Jobs
An ITI certificate apostille is often the first thing a Gulf contractor or overseas recruiter asks a welder, electrician or fitter to arrange. Most ITI passouts hold a National Trade Certificate (NTC) issued under the Directorate General of Training's Craftsmen Training Scheme, with the trade test sponsored by the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT). Others hold a state certificate from the State Council for Vocational Training (SCVT). INFINITYGRO takes either kind through the Ministry of External Affairs and, where needed, the embassy.
By the INFINITYGRO documentation teamUpdated Facts checked against MEA and HCCH
Degree certificate apostille sample
Can an e-NTC downloaded from the NCVT portal get an ITI certificate apostille? Usually yes, but it needs care. NCVT trade certificates and mark sheets are now issued electronically, digitally signed and carry a QR code. Because the MEA stamps a signed paper, the printout normally goes through notary and SDM verification on the Delhi route before the ITI certificate apostille. We check your printout and tell you if your ITI or state office should countersign it first.
First, check whether you hold NCVT or SCVT
Look at the top of your certificate. An NCVT certificate is a National Trade Certificate and refers to the All India Trade Test. An SCVT certificate is issued by your state and usually names the state council or directorate.
Both can be legalized. The difference matters for verification. NCVT certificates are verifiable through the QR code and the NCVT MIS portal. SCVT certificates are verified by the state office that issued them, so the state route depends on that office.
Employers abroad sometimes prefer NCVT because it is recognised nationally. That is the employer's choice. Our job is to make whichever certificate you hold acceptable in the destination country.
Key facts
| NCVT certificate | National Trade Certificate (NTC) under the Craftsmen Training Scheme |
|---|---|
| Conducted by | Directorate General of Training (DGT), Ministry of Skill Development |
| Portal | NCVT MIS, used for results and certificates since the August 2014 session |
| SCVT certificate | Issued by the state's technical education or employment and training department |
| Format | Electronic, digitally signed, with QR code (NCVT) |
| First step | Notary and SDM in Delhi, or the issuing state's department |
| MEA step | Apostille, Rs 50 per document; attestation for embassy countries |
| Embassy route | UAE (plus UAE MOFA), Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt |
Working with an electronic NTC
The DGT says trade certificates and mark sheets are issued electronically, digitally signed and embedded with QR codes to make verification easier. Many trainees therefore never receive a printed original.
A digital signature on screen is not something an SDM or MEA officer can stamp. So we work from a clean colour printout of the downloaded certificate.
- Download from the official portal, not from a cyber cafe copy saved months ago.
- Print in colour on plain A4, with the QR code sharp enough to scan.
- Send the matching mark sheet if your employer lists it.
Older certificates from before the portal era were issued on paper. Send the original paper certificate in that case.
ITI certificate apostille routes
Delhi route. Notary in Delhi, then SDM verification, then the MEA. It accepts certificates from every state and usually takes 2 to 3 working days at our end. This is how we handle most ITI certificate apostille requests.
State route. The state department that oversees ITIs or education verifies the document before the MEA. Use it only if your employer names it.
Embassy countries. The UAE needs MEA attestation, UAE Embassy attestation in New Delhi and then UAE MOFA attestation online. Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq and Jordan need MEA attestation followed by their embassy. See our embassy attestation service for the full picture.
Apostille countries. Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Japan, South Korea and European countries other than Germany accept the MEA apostille directly.
ITI Certificate route by destination country
Each card shows whether the country takes an MEA Apostille or embassy legalization. Click a flag for that country.
UAEEmbassy legalization
QatarEmbassy legalization
KuwaitEmbassy legalization
Saudi ArabiaApostille
OmanApostille
BahrainApostille
United KingdomApostille
United StatesApostille
ItalyApostille
FranceApostille
ChinaEmbassy legalization
MalaysiaEmbassy legalization
No country matches. Call us: we handle most embassies in New Delhi.
Apostille MEA Apostille is the final stepEmbassy legalization MEA attestation, then the embassy in New DelhiGerman verification verified through the German Embassy
Why Gulf employers ask for it
Skilled trade visas in the Gulf often depend on proof of qualification. Employers and visa agents frequently ask for attested trade certificates before the visa is processed. Saudi Arabia accepts the apostille. The UAE, Qatar and Kuwait use the embassy route.
Remember that MEA confirms the signature on your certificate. It does not confirm your skill. Some Gulf countries also run separate skill tests or professional checks. Those are outside our service.
Plan the order of work with your agent. Visa processing often cannot start until the attested certificate is in hand, so send your papers to us as soon as the offer letter arrives. Waiting until the last week before travel is the most common reason trade workers miss a joining date.
What to send, and what it costs
- Original NTC or SCVT certificate, or a colour printout of the e-NTC.
- Mark sheet, if requested.
- Apprenticeship or experience certificates in the same batch, if needed.
- Passport copy and the employer's checklist.
Our all-inclusive Delhi route costs Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per document, including notary, SDM, the Rs 50 MEA fee and our service. Courier is extra, and embassy fees are added for non-Apostille countries. For the UAE, see UAE attestation charges. If your 10th certificate is also on the checklist, send it with the ITI papers.
A short checklist before you courier
Most delays we see with trade certificates come from small details that are easy to fix at home. Spend ten minutes on these before you pack the envelope.
- Compare your name, father's name and date of birth on the certificate with your passport, letter by letter.
- Scan the QR code on an e-NTC with your phone. If it opens the verification page, the printout is good enough.
- Put each certificate in a separate plastic sleeve. Do not staple, fold or pin them.
- Write your phone number and the destination country on a slip inside the envelope.
- Keep photos of every page on your phone in case a courier delay happens.
If you find a spelling error, get it corrected by the issuing ITI or state office first. A mismatch that slips through can be rejected by the employer or the visa office abroad, and correcting it later means paying for a fresh ITI certificate apostille on the new document.
Common reasons ITI papers come back
- Faded or cropped e-NTC printouts with an unreadable QR code.
- Father's name or spelling on the certificate differing from the passport.
- Laminated original certificates.
- Choosing an apostille for the UAE, which needs embassy attestation.
- Training certificates from unrecognised centres.
What the MEA stamps look like
Click any sample to enlarge. Personal details are masked.
ITI Certificate apostille FAQs
Is an SCVT certificate accepted for apostille?
Yes. An SCVT certificate is issued by a state authority, so it can be verified and apostilled. Whether a foreign employer accepts SCVT as a qualification is their own decision.
How long does an ITI certificate apostille take?
On the Delhi route, usually 2 to 3 working days at our end, plus courier time. Embassy countries take longer.
Do I need the 10th certificate too?
Many Gulf checklists ask for it alongside the trade certificate. Check your list and send both together to save on courier.
Can an apprenticeship certificate be attested?
Yes. It follows the same route as the ITI certificate if it is issued and signed by a recognised authority.
My ITI is in Bihar and I work in Mumbai. Can you help?
Yes. Courier the papers to our Delhi office from anywhere. We return them by Blue Dart or a similar tracked courier.
Do you translate the certificate into Arabic?
We arrange certified translation when the destination asks for one.
How do I get a quote?
Send photos of the certificates on WhatsApp or via our contact page. We quote per document in writing.
Need your ITI Certificate legalized?
WhatsApp a photo of the document and the destination country. We reply with the route and a written quote.