An original PCC issued by a Regional Passport Office (RPO) or Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) qualifies for MEA’s direct apostille route: MEA recognizes the issuing officer’s signature and office seal directly, so the original PCC goes straight to apostille — no Notary, no SDM, no further attestation. Not sure whether your PCC is an RPO/PSK certificate rather than an Embassy or police-issued one? Check our Indian PCC issuing-authority comparison first, then use this finder to confirm that the office printed on your PCC appears in the current MEA directory.
Once your issuing office is confirmed below, your original PCC is apostilled directly on the strength of the RPO/PSK officer’s recognized signature and seal. Send a complete front-and-back scan first so we can confirm the signature and seal are legible and current before you courier the original.
What “direct MEA apostille” means here
A direct original-PCC route means MEA authenticates the recognized signature on the original Passport Office PCC itself and apostilles it — the PCC never needs to be converted into a notarized/SDM-certified copy.
It does not mean an individual can walk into MEA and submit the PCC. MEA says documents are not accepted directly from individuals at its central counter; applicants use designated outsourced service providers — including when you’re applying for the apostille from outside India.
Why the office name matters
The apostille authenticates the origin of the public document. On an original RPO PCC route, the apostille can identify:
- the Passport Office official who signed the PCC;
- the capacity in which that officer acted; and
- the Regional Passport Office or Passport Office seal borne by the PCC.
If the receiving authority specifically asks for the RPO officer’s name or office seal on the apostille, use the original PCC route after verification. Read the original vs scan-copy PCC apostille comparison.
Passport Office directory vs decentralized service locations
These are separate lists:
- The MEA Regional Passport Offices directory identifies the Passport Offices and current office contacts.
- The MEA apostille procedure names 16 cities where attestation/apostille services are decentralized: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, New Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Panaji, Jaipur, Patna and Thiruvananthapuram.
A PCC can come from an office outside those 16 cities. That does not automatically make it ineligible; it means the correct recognized-signature and submission jurisdiction must be confirmed rather than inferred from the directory. Our PCC apostille service handles that verification for you, whichever city your office is in.
How to use the finder
- Read the issuing office printed near the top of the PCC.
- Search the office city, office name, or State/UT.
- Confirm that the result matches the PCC—not merely the PSK appointment location.
- Note whether the city is separately identified as a decentralized apostille location.
- Send the complete front and reverse scan for signer and route verification.
Information needed for route confirmation
- complete front and reverse of the original PCC;
- issuing Passport Office name;
- officer’s name and designation;
- visible signature and office seal;
- PCC issue date and reference/file number;
- destination country;
- receiving authority’s written original/copy requirement.
Found your office above? Send the PCC scan and we’ll confirm the route, price, and ETA the same day.
Frequently asked questions
RPO PCC apostille office finder FAQs
Can a PCC from an MEA-listed Passport Office be apostilled directly?
Yes. MEA directly accepts the signature of Regional Passport Office and Passport Office officers, so the original PCC is apostilled without Notary, SDM, or any further attestation. We still check the complete scan first, to confirm the officer's signature and seal are legible and on current record before you courier the original.
Does this finder show Passport Seva Kendras?
No. It shows the Passport Offices listed in MEA's Regional Passport Office directory. A PSK or POPSK appointment location is not necessarily the issuing office printed on the PCC.
Why does the tool show only 16 decentralized apostille cities?
MEA's apostille procedure separately names 16 cities where attestation/apostille services were decentralized from 1 January 2019. That list is different from the broader Passport Office directory.
Can I submit my PCC directly at the MEA counter?
No. MEA states that it does not accept documents directly from individuals at its central counter. Documents are submitted and collected through designated outsourced service providers.
