Quick answer
A Florida company setting up an Indian subsidiary as a subscriber, or registering a branch or liaison office, files with India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and documents executed abroad by the foreign subscriber are expected to be notarized and apostilled. One Florida apostille is all the U.S. side needs — $220, 5–7 business days.
- Issued by
- The Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), as a certified copy of the articles of incorporation or, for an LLC, the articles of organization.
- Florida state fee
- $10 — included in $220
- Route
- Apostille only — Hague member since 2005
- Online notarization
- Not applicable — needs a certified copy
- Consulate serving Florida
- Consulate General of India in Atlanta
- Translation
- Florida documents are in English, which Indian authorities use, so translation is rarely needed.
How a Florida articles of incorporation is used in India
A Florida company setting up an Indian subsidiary as a subscriber, or registering a branch or liaison office, files with India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and documents executed abroad by the foreign subscriber are expected to be notarized and apostilled. Certified articles from the Florida Division of Corporations prove the company exists, along with a board resolution authorizing the investment. Indian company secretaries check names and addresses character by character against the incorporation filing, so give them a fresh certified copy and a matching resolution.
Getting a articles of incorporation Florida will apostille
An original certified copy issued by the Division of Corporations; not a Sunbiz printout or photocopy, and not a notarized copy, since Florida notaries can't attest copies of public records. Add certified amendments, name changes or conversions if the company's current name or structure differs from the original filing.
Request a certified copy from the Division with the entity name, document number, document type and filing date. The Florida Department of State also accepts a certified-copy request filed together with the apostille request, paid with two separate checks, which we can file for you. The Division's own fee (listed at $8.75 for a corporation and $30 for an LLC at this writing) is not included in our $220.
State fee for this document: $10 — included in our price. Full details on the articles of incorporation apostille page.
Who receives it in India — and translation
The OCI system and the Consulate General of India in Atlanta (which serves Florida) handle OCI and consular matters; sub-registrars and state stamp authorities handle property documents; Indian banks handle KYC and inheritance claims; the Ministry of Corporate Affairs handles company filings; Marriage Officers handle Special Marriage Act weddings; and CARA handles adoptions from India.
Florida documents are in English, which Indian authorities use, so translation is rarely needed. When a document is in another language, our rule applies: a translation certified by the translator, notarized by a different notary and apostilled in Florida. The OCI FAQ asks for an authorized English translation only for certificates not in English.
India has no general expiry for apostilled documents. Specific timing rules apply instead, such as stamping a power of attorney within three months after it first reaches India; banks and courts may also want recently issued copies.
Consular office serving Florida: Consulate General of India in Atlanta.
Four steps, one week
Order online
Pick the document and destination country on the order form and pay by card. After we review your documents, FedEx emails you a prepaid label.
Send your document
Drop the envelope at any FedEx location.
We file in person
We review it, then walk it to the Florida Department of State in Tallahassee for the apostille.
Returned to you
Back in 5–7 business days — anywhere in the U.S., or abroad for a flat $100.
Why articles of incorporations get rejected
- Sunbiz printout or photocopy
- Notarized copy of the articles
- Original articles only, with no amendments showing the current name
- Company inactive, so the foreign bank stops the file
What it costs for India
$220 per document, $380 for two and $160 each for three or more — the state fee, request form, in-person filing in Tallahassee and FedEx shipping inside the U.S. are included. Shipping the finished apostille to India is a flat $100 per order.
Not included: whatever the issuing office charges for the certified copy or certificate, and notarization (online notarization is $40 for the first document — $10 notarization fee + $30 technology platform fee — and $20 for each additional one).