If you graduated years — or decades — ago, you may worry that your degree is “too old” to apostille. The good news: an apostille does not care how old a document is. The real question is whether the degree can still be verified, and that is where age can complicate things. Here is what to expect.
Age itself is not a barrier
There is no expiry on a degree, and no rule preventing an old certificate from being apostilled. A genuine degree from thirty years ago is as apostillable as one from last year, in principle. The apostille authenticates the signature and seal, not the date.
The real challenge: verification
The complication is that state HRD attestation relies on the issuing university confirming the degree. For older degrees, this can be harder because:
- Older records may be archived, paper-based, or slower to retrieve.
- The university’s systems, staff or verification process may have changed.
- In some cases the institution may have merged, been renamed, or closed.
How to handle it
- Contact the university early: ask specifically about verifying an old degree and what they need from you.
- Gather supporting records: old mark sheets, provisional certificates or enrolment records help establish authenticity.
- Consider the SDM route: where your destination accepts it, the SDM route can proceed without direct university verification — useful when a university is slow with archives.
- For merged or closed institutions: trace the successor university or the relevant state authority now responsible for those records.
An old degree can absolutely be apostilled. The key is anticipating that verification may take longer, starting early, and keeping supporting documents ready — so the age of your certificate becomes a minor wrinkle rather than a roadblock.
Quick FAQ
Is a degree ever too old to apostille?
No — an apostille has no age limit. The challenge is verifying an old degree, not its age.
Why is an old degree harder to apostille?
Because university verification can be slower for archived records, or complicated if the institution has merged, been renamed or closed.
What helps with an old degree?
Contact the university early, gather supporting records, and consider the SDM route where your destination accepts it.
How Manav Corporate Consultants can help
At Manav Corporate Consultants (MCC), we handle the complete apostille and attestation journey — checking your documents for issues before submission, then managing notarisation, state and Chamber of Commerce verification, MEA apostille and embassy legalisation — with doorstep pick-up and drop across India and genuine, online-verifiable results. As an ISO 9001:2015-certified, MEA-licensed firm, we help you avoid the errors that cause rejections and delays.
Mumbai – +91 7738980318 / Chennai – +91 96770 59423 / Pune – +91 9970466594 | info@manavconsultants.com | www.manavconsultants.com