A UK resident can execute a power of attorney for use in India before a UK notary public and have it apostilled by the FCDO Legalisation Office. When it reaches India, it must be stamped, usually within three months, and registered or authenticated where the purpose requires it. A specific power of attorney for one property or task is accepted more readily than a broad general one.
- Document route
- UK notary public, then FCDO apostille
- Time difference
- IST is 4h30 (BST) to 5h30 (GMT) ahead
- Recognition
- Section 33, Registration Act 1908
- Authentication
- Indian mission, or notary plus apostille
Power of Attorney from the UK: how it works
We draft the power of attorney for your exact purpose: sale, purchase, letting, a court case, mutation or banking. Indian sub-registrars and banks question vague or overly wide powers, so we name the property, the acts permitted and any limits. You sign before a UK notary, who checks your identity; the FCDO then adds the apostille, either by post or through its premium service.
In India, the attorney holder presents it for stamp duty adjudication within the time allowed, and for property transactions the sub-registrar may require the original. Some states require the attorney holder to swear an affidavit that the power is still in force. If you later want to revoke it, a registered revocation and notice to the attorney holder and relevant offices are needed.
What clients in the UK should know
- Some UK clients sign at the Indian High Commission in London or the consulates in Birmingham and Edinburgh; this is valid, though the notary and apostille route is often quicker.
- Stamp duty on a power of attorney differs by state and by whether the attorney is a family member.
- A power of attorney ends on your death; it cannot be used to transfer property after that.
Step by step from the UK
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits the UK, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in the UK
UK notary public, then FCDO apostille
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in the UK where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in the UK. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Power of Attorney, or see all services for clients in the UK and the Inheritance & Documents practice area.
Questions from clients in the UK
Does a UK solicitor's signature work instead of a notary?
For India, a notary public's attestation followed by an FCDO apostille is the safest route.
How long does the FCDO apostille take?
The standard postal service takes a few working days plus post; a faster service is available.
Can the power of attorney be used in any Indian state?
Yes, after stamping under the law of the state where it is used.