Attestation of True Copies in Siliguri
A true-copy attestation means the notary has compared a photocopy with the original and states that the copy matches. You bring both to the Hill Cart Road chamber. The notary does not, by that stamp, certify that every fact inside the original document is true. The office that issued the original remains responsible for its contents.
Why a true copy is asked for
Banks, universities, visa files and government counters ask for a notarised copy so they can keep a photocopy while you keep the original. In Siliguri this is common for marksheets, birth certificates, sale deeds and identity cards.
If the original is lost, this is the wrong service. A true copy cannot be made from a photograph of a photograph when the original is not shown. A loss affidavit is a different paper.
What the stamp means
Under the Notaries Act, 1952, a notary's functions include certifying copies of documents as true copies. The comparison is physical: page against page. The stamp does not investigate whether the university really issued the degree, or whether the deed was registered, unless that check is a separate job you ask for.
If the copy is for use abroad, a true-copy stamp may still need an apostille. See the foreign checklist. Stamp charges for the notarial certificate follow the work done. Notarisation at this chamber starts at Rupees 100. Stamp paper, when your paper needs it, is extra and follows the West Bengal rate in force that week. Send the details on WhatsApp and we'll reply with the exact cost. The work depends on how many pages are compared.
What must be on the table
No original, no true-copy stamp.
Bring together
- The original, complete, including blank scheduled pages if they are part of it
- A clean photocopy of every page you want attested
- Your identity
- The cover note that says how many copies the office wants
Do not bring only
- A phone photo in place of the original
- A copy that already has another notary's stamp as the only source
- A set with a page missing
Which case is yours?
Find the row that matches your papers. The first step is yours. The last column is the office that still has to accept the paper.
| Your situation | What you do first | Who else is involved |
|---|---|---|
| A bank or college wants a copy and you hold the original | Bring the original and the photocopy together | The bank, college, or visa desk that asked for the copy |
| The original is lost | This is the wrong service. A loss affidavit is the other paper | The issuer of the missing document |
| The copy is for use abroad | Ask whether they also want an apostille | The foreign desk, and the apostille channel if their list names it |
First 24 hours
Bring the original and a clean photocopy of every page you want compared. A phone photo is not the original.
You stay while the pages are compared, and you take the original back the same visit. The stamp means the copy matches the original you showed. It does not, by itself, prove that a university issued the degree.
How comparison is done
Come to the PNB building, Hill Cart Road.
- Count the pages We see that the copy has the same number of pages as the original you want copied.
- Look for alterations A smudged figure, a pasted photograph, or a page of a different size is pointed out. We do not attest past a doubt.
- Seal the set The copy is attested as a true copy of the original produced. You keep the original unless you choose to leave a spare copy.
When you know which row matches your papers, call or send them on WhatsApp.
Copies that will be refused
A copy of only the first and last page of a deed, offered as the whole deed, is misleading. A marksheet copy with the photograph replaced is not a true copy. Asking the notary to ignore a mismatch is asking for a false certificate. We decline that.
Laminated originals that hide a corner can still be compared if the text is visible. If it is not visible, we cannot say the copy matches.
Limits
True-copy attestation does not renew an expired licence, does not replace a lost original, and does not prove title to land. It does not translate the document. There is no long validity printed by the Act. The receiving office may want a recent attestation. If they stated a date, bring that instruction. Send the details on WhatsApp and we'll reply with the exact cost if you have a thick deed. Page count changes the work, and Send the details on WhatsApp and we'll reply with the exact cost.
Why we insist on the original
The sentence 'true copy' is false if we never saw the original. That is why a PDF emailed from home is not enough for this particular service. Send the details on WhatsApp and we'll reply with the exact cost and then come with the original in hand.
People are afraid to carry originals
That caution is sensible. Bring the original, sit while it is compared, and take it back the same visit. Do not leave a deed in a vehicle outside. The chamber returns the original to the person who brought it.
What we do
We compare and attest. We do not issue a fresh government certificate.
- Compare the photocopy with the original produced
- Refuse a copy that does not match
- Attest the true copy at the notary chamber
- Tell you if an apostille is a further step
- Tell you to send the details on WhatsApp and we'll reply with the exact cost
Questions people ask
How much does true copy attestation cost?
Notarisation at this chamber starts at Rupees 100. Stamp paper, when your paper needs it, is extra and follows the West Bengal rate in force that week. Send the details on WhatsApp and we'll reply with the exact cost.
How long does it take?
A short certificate is often done in one visit. A long deed takes longer because each page is compared.
Can I come without the original?
No. The original has to be produced for a true-copy certificate.
Does the stamp mean the degree is genuine?
It means the copy matches the original you showed. It is not a verification letter from the university.
Will you attest a copy of a copy?
No. A true copy means the photocopy was compared with the original in the room. If you only have a photocopy, bring the original before you ask for that stamp. When the original cannot be found, a loss affidavit is the other paper.
Can this be used for a visa?
Only if the visa checklist accepts a notarised true copy. Many then ask for an apostille. Read their list.
Do you keep my original?
No. It is compared and handed back at the visit.
Talk to the office
Bring the papers you have. Notarisation at this chamber starts at Rupees 100. Stamp paper, when your paper needs it, is extra and follows the West Bengal rate in force that week. Send the details on WhatsApp and we'll reply with the exact cost.
This page is general information for people in Siliguri and North Bengal. It is not legal advice for your papers. Rules, stamp requirements and office practice change. Call the chamber before you rely on it.