Planning to study abroad isn't the easiest thing, it's an exciting yet a tough decision to make which has the capability to reshape our academic and personal horizons. Having spent our entire lives in India, going to study in a foreign country at such a pivotal point of our life isn't easy, but the benefits are certain. And I guess, since you're reading this, chances are you've picked your country and university, and are currently navigating the visa application stage.
The visa application process is undeniably confusing. With a plethora of documents to prepare and numerous tasks at hand, it certainly can leave your head spinning. I found myself in the same position a few months ago while working on my visa application for an exciting opportunity to pursue my Masters at an Italian University. Everything was going smoothly until the challenging task of preparing and collecting documents for my VISA arose. After months filled with confusion, stress, and relentless effort, I have successfully completed the process and secured my visa. So, having successfully been through the entire visa process myself, I have an overview of all the intricacies involved. And through these articles, I aim to guide you through the vital steps towards securing your visa.
One of the first steps involved in the study visa process of Schengen countries is getting your academic degree and transcript HRD attested & MEA apostilled. Since I studied in Lovely Professional University (LPU), this article is majorly focused upon the HRD Attestation process in the state of Punjab, but if you wish to gather information about the same of another state, you can contact us, and we'll help you with that information.
WHAT IS HRD ATTESTATION? WHY IS IT REQUIRED?
HRD (Human Resource Development) attestation is a crucial procedure that aims to verify the legality of educational documents for international use, it can be for studying abroad or for securing a job overseas. So basically, HRD attestation involves the verification of educational documents by the Human Resource Development department of the state where these documents were issued. The state HRD conducts this verification to establish the authenticity of the documents which is essential to obtain the apostille from both the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the embassy of the destination country. This attestation certifies that the educational document is genuine, issued by the university, and approved by the state in which you have studied. The attestation itself involves obtaining an official stamp and signature from the state HRD department on the back side of every page of your documents, and that confirms the document's authenticity.
STEPS TO GET YOUR DOCUMENTS HRD ATTESTED IN PUNJAB
1. Get Your Degree and Transcripts Ready
The first and foremost step is getting your academic degree and transcripts sorted out, you would need it for both Declaration of Value (DoV) and your study visa. If, like me, you're planning to study abroad in the same year you completed your degree, then it may be challenging to get your degree on time. Typically, degrees are handed out during convocation, but universities often schedule convocations later in the year, which could be too late for the visa application process. However, there's always a solution to such problems.
If you are applying a year after graduating and already possess your degree, you can proceed directly to the second section. But if you've just graduated and cannot wait until convocation to receive your degree, keep reading.
I was a student of Lovely Professional University and graduated in the year 2023, so I can provide a detailed insights for this particular university. But please keep in mind that other universities in Punjab follow a similar process, so you can still find this helpful.
Universities understand that some students need their degree urgently, so they have a system in place. At LPU, you can apply for your degree through 'Degree in Absentia'.
Once you have marked your program as completed in UMS and have cleared your dues, you can successfully apply for the Transcript Records, which are usually free of cost.
However, to obtain the degree, you must fill the 'Application for Degree in Absentia' form. You can obtain this form by contacting LPU's record cell (ao.records@lpu.co.in) or downloading it directly from this Google Drive Link.
After you've filled out every detail in the form, the next step is to pay the application fee. The fee for applying for the degree in absentia is Rs.2500/- till 10 months after declaration of results.
When you're done with the payment, send the screenshot of the payment along with the filled form to the email of the record cell. It's advisable to call and inform them about the submission too. If you reside near the university, consider taking a printout of the form and submit it in person.
Make sure that when your degree is being processed, it displays the same in the UMS. Head on over to the list of issue documents in UMS, and 'Original Degree' should be in that list, but if you can't find it, contact the record cell as soon as you can.
After submitting your application, you'll need to wait for 3 days for processing. Once this period is over, visit Block-32 to collect your degree. There's also a courier option, but I advise you to travel to Punjab to collect your degree, because you also have to get it HRD attested by visiting Mohali.
2. Visit the Department of Higher Education at SAS Nagar, Mohali and Fill up the form
Once you have obtained your academic degree and transcript, your next step is to visit the Department of Higher Education, Government of Punjab, located in SAS Nagar, Mohali. There, you will need to fill up two similar forms.
Complete Address: Punjab School Education Board Building, E block 7th floor, Phase 8,Sector - 62, SAS Nagar Mohali, Punjab
If you're a LPU student, then you can catch a bus from the Jalandhar bus stand to Mohali or Chandigarh bus stand. From either of these bus stands, you can take a rickshaw that will bring you to the "Education Board" for a fare of 20-30 Rupees.
You should have the following documents with you, which you'll need to submit along with the forms:
Two photocopies each of your Original Certificates. (You can also get that done in the building of Education Board)
A self-attested (Signature) photocopy of your Passport.
One recent passport size photograph.
You also need to make sure that none of your documents are laminated, because the HRD stamp cannot be allocated in such laminated documents.
Complete both of the identical forms and submit them to the relevant authority. They will retain one copy for their records and provide you with the other copy, which you will need to return and submit to your university.
3. Submit the HRD form to your university, and obtain the verification envelop
Take the HRD form and submit it to your university. For LPU, you can submit it at Block 32 where you collected your degree. They will provide you with the envelope, usually within an hour, although it might take until the next day, depending on the rush and the time.
Now, you must not let your intrusive thoughts win and open up that envelop. It’s directly meant to be opened by the HRD authorities. So, keep that envelop intact, and submit it to the HRD office.
4. Submit the Verification Envelop, and get your Documents attested
Finally, for the last step, return to Mohali and revisit the Education Board. Here, submit the verification envelope along with your original degree. Be prepared to wait for some time, which can vary from a few minutes to a few hours. Once the process is complete, your documents will be attested, signed, and then handed over to you.
The HRD attestation of Punjab Board should look like the picture given below:
By following the steps outlined above, you can easily get your documents attested by HRD Punjab. However, if you encounter any challenges along the way and require assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. You can contact us through the particular section in the footer of this page, and we'll do our best to help you with your problems.
This is just the first part of the Document Legalization Process and after securing HRD attestation, the next step is obtaining MEA apostille, which is thoroughly explained in our next article. So, click on this link to learn about the MEA apostille process, and how to efficiently apply for it. Remember, both HRD attestation and MEA apostille are essential for your student visa application, so make sure you don't forget any of the steps. Thanks for reading this article.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about HRD Attestation in Punjab
1. How many days will the HRD Attestation procedure take?
2. Do I need to contact an agent for HRD Authentication, or can I do it on my own?
3. What are the office timings of Govt. of Punjab, Department of Higher Education, SAS Nagar?
4. What are the fees for HRD Attestation?