A New Zealand resident can execute a power of attorney for use in India before a New Zealand notary public and obtain an apostille from the Department of Internal Affairs. When it reaches India, it must be stamped, usually within three months, and registered or authenticated where the purpose requires. Offices in India are noticeably more comfortable with a narrowly drafted power for a named property or task than with a sweeping general authority.
- Document route
- New Zealand notary public, then apostille from the Department of Internal Affairs
- Time difference
- New Zealand is 6h30 (NZ winter) to 7h30 (NZ summer) ahead of IST
- Recognition
- Section 33, Registration Act 1908
- Authentication
- Indian mission, or notary plus apostille
Power of Attorney from New Zealand: how it works
We draft the document for your exact purpose: sale or purchase, letting, mutation, a court case or banking. Indian sub-registrars and banks question vague or very wide powers, so we name the property, the acts permitted and any limits on price or duration. You sign before a notary in New Zealand, who verifies your identity, and the Department of Internal Affairs adds the apostille, which can be requested by post.
In India, the attorney holder presents the document for stamp duty within the time allowed, and for property transactions the sub-registrar may require the original and the stamping receipt. Some states ask the attorney holder for an affidavit that the power remains in force. To revoke a power of attorney, a registered revocation and notice to the attorney holder and relevant offices are needed, and we can prepare those too.
What clients in New Zealand should know
- Some clients sign at the High Commission of India in Wellington; it is valid, but the notary and apostille route is often more convenient for those in Auckland or Christchurch.
- Stamp duty on a power of attorney varies by state and is often lower where the attorney is a close family member.
- A power of attorney ends on the death of the person who gave it and cannot be used afterwards.
Step by step from New Zealand
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits New Zealand, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in New Zealand
New Zealand notary public, then apostille from the Department of Internal Affairs
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 New Zealand where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in New Zealand. 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 New Zealand and the Inheritance & Documents practice area.
Questions from clients in New Zealand
How long does the apostille take in New Zealand?
Usually a few working days after the Department of Internal Affairs receives the document, plus postage.
Can one power of attorney cover several properties?
Yes, but naming each property clearly avoids questions at the sub-registrar's office.
Can I revoke it later?
Yes, by a registered revocation and notice to the attorney holder and the offices that hold a copy.