The Union Government has urged Odisha to accept foreign documents authenticated by the member-countries of The Hague (Apostille) Convention without seeking further legalisation.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MoEA) has written to the State Government in this regard as many students, technocrats and general public are facing uncomfortable situation over such an issue.
Any student comes to the State to pursue study, his /her birth certificate and educational certificates are needed to be authenticated by the countries concerned and there is no need for insisting legalisation by the Indian Mission abroad.
Similar is the situation in abroad. Any students from Odisha who go to the USA, the UK or any foreign countries to pursue study have to get their documents authenticated by the respective State authorities.
The Apostille System came to operation in order to avoid such harassments. Since 2005, India is a member to the Hague(Apostille) Convention, 1961.
As the capital city of Bhubaneswar is fast emerging as an educational hub, a large number of foreign students are visiting the State to pursue higher education.
Similarly, a large number of workers and technical officials are coming to the State as major industries are deploying foreign hands.
So their certificates, which are authenticated by the respective countries, need not require any authentication by the Indian Mission abroad.
The Apostille System is in operation with effect from August 29, 2007 in the country. However, after 10 years of operation, thousands of people are facing tough time as the State authorities are insisting on legalization of foreign documents by the Indian Mission.
As India is a member of the Hague (Apostille) Convention, the State authorities are to accept documents authenticated by the member countries without insisting certification of the Indian Mission in that foreign country, where the document is authenticated by respective State authorities.
Joint Secretary MoEA Upendra Singh Rawat has written to the State Government urging this.
Rawat has brought to the notice of the State Government that the Hague Conference On Private International law has recently pointed out that authorities in several Indian States are not accepting Apostille validly issued in other State authorities of the country, which is a member of the Hague.
In the State, the Department of Home handles the issue of Apostille and the MoEA has urged the State Government to generate awareness among various authorities to accept these documents in the State.
The MoEA has also written to all other State Governments in this regard.