Self-Attestation Declaration
Declares copies of documents are true copies of the originals.
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Dear Sir / Madam,
I, [your name], aged [age] years, son / daughter of [parent name], residing at [your address], declare as follows.
The copies of the following documents submitted by me are true copies of the originals in my possession: [list of documents].
I undertake to produce the originals for verification whenever required, and I am aware that submitting a false or altered document may render me liable to action.
What is a Self-Attestation Declaration?
A self-attestation declaration is a short signed statement in which you confirm that the photocopies you are submitting are true copies of documents you hold in original. It matters because many offices will not process an application on unsigned photocopies, and going back to a counter with originals costs a day. Self-attestation lets you file the copies now, with your signature carrying responsibility for their accuracy.
Students attach it to admission forms, scholarship claims and examination entries; job applicants to appointment paperwork; applicants to banks, insurers, licensing offices and government schemes. It is used mainly where a body has moved away from requiring a notary, a gazetted officer or a solicitor to certify copies, and now accepts the applicant's own signature instead. Employers and institutions also ask for it when a file is being reconstructed and the originals are held elsewhere or have been sent away for verification.
Who may certify a copy varies. India accepts self-attestation for a wide range of submissions following the move away from affidavits and gazetted officer attestation, though individual bodies still publish their own lists. The United Kingdom generally expects a solicitor, notary or a professional in a listed occupation to certify. Australia uses statutory declarations under Commonwealth or state Acts with a defined list of authorised witnesses. Canada uses a commissioner for oaths or a guarantor; the United States commonly uses a notary, with declaration rules differing by state. Check the receiving body's own list before signing.
Self-attestation says the copy matches your original. It says nothing about whether the original is genuine or valid, and it does not upgrade a document the issuing authority would not recognise. It is not a notarised affidavit or a statutory declaration, and where a form specifically asks for one of those, a self-attested copy will be rejected. The receiving body can still call for the originals at verification, and signing a declaration you know to be untrue carries consequences under the law that applies, which can reach beyond losing the application.
What to put in a Self-Attestation Declaration
These are the details this template asks for. Anything left blank is marked in red on the preview so you can see what is still missing.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Issuing organisation | For example: Maple Grove Homeowners Association |
| Organisation address | For example: 1420 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212 |
| Age | For example: 34 |
| Father's / mother's name | For example: K. Subba Rao |
| Their address | For example: 588 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212 |
| Documents | For example: High school transcript, college diploma, driver license and Social Security card |
| Issued to (full name) | For example: James Whitfield |
How to write a Self-Attestation Declaration
Check what the receiving body accepts
Read the form's instructions before you sign anything. Some bodies accept self-attestation outright, some accept it for supporting documents but require certified copies of identity, and some still insist on a notary or an authorised witness. If the instruction is unclear, ask the office in writing and keep the reply. A file rejected for the wrong form of attestation usually goes to the back of the queue.
List each document you are attesting
List the enclosures individually and number them: matriculation certificate, degree certificate, mark sheets for six semesters, identity card, address proof, experience letter. Give the issuing authority and certificate number for each where the form has room. A numbered list matched to numbered copies lets the verifier query one document rather than returning the whole set unprocessed.
Sign across the copy itself
Most bodies want the signature on the photocopy, not only on a covering page — sign in the blank margin or across the lower part of each page, with the date, and add your name in capitals beneath if the signature is not legible. Do not sign over printed text or over a photograph. Where a form specifies a position for the signature, use exactly that spot.
Write the declaration wording plainly
Keep the declaration short and specific: your name, a statement that the copies listed above are true copies of original documents held by you, a confirmation that the originals will be produced for verification when required, and the date and place. Avoid borrowed affidavit language. A plain sentence you understand is stronger than a paragraph of formal wording copied from somewhere else.
Keep the originals ready for verification
Have the originals available, in order, matching your numbered list, and take them to any interview or verification appointment. Where an original is genuinely unavailable — held by another authority, lost, or issued abroad — say so in the declaration and explain what you are producing instead. Do not simply stay silent about a missing original and hope the copy passes unnoticed.
Common mistakes
- Self-attesting where the form requires a notary, a solicitor or an authorised witness, which gets the application rejected on a formality after weeks of waiting.
- Signing only the covering letter and not the copies themselves, so the enclosures count as unattested and the whole file is returned.
- Signing across a photograph or over printed text, which obscures the detail the verifier needs and can make the copy unusable.
- Listing documents generically as certificates enclosed, which leaves the office unable to say which one is missing when the set turns out incomplete.
- Declaring that originals will be produced when one has in fact been lost, which creates a false statement and a much larger problem at verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is self-attestation?
It is signing your own photocopies to confirm they are true copies of originals you hold, instead of having them certified by a notary, gazetted officer or other authorised person. It shifts responsibility for accuracy onto you and lets a file be submitted without producing originals at the counter, on the understanding that they can be called for later.
How do I self-attest a document?
Photocopy the original clearly, then sign in the blank margin or across the lower portion of the copy with the date, adding your name in capitals if your signature is not legible. Do not sign over text or a photograph. Add a short declaration listing the documents and confirming the originals are held by you and will be produced on request.
Is self-attestation the same as notarisation?
No. Notarisation, certification by a solicitor, and a statutory declaration before an authorised witness all involve a third party verifying something; self-attestation is only your own signature. Where a form asks for a notarised or certified copy, a self-attested one will not be accepted. Read the instruction on the form rather than assuming the two are interchangeable.
Where is self-attestation accepted?
It depends entirely on the receiving body. It is widely accepted for Indian applications following the move away from affidavits, but many organisations still require certified copies of identity documents, and the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and the United States generally expect a listed professional or an authorised witness. Check the body's published list before you submit.
What happens if a self-attested copy turns out to be false?
The application is normally cancelled, and a false declaration can have consequences beyond that under the law where it was made — from disqualification to prosecution, depending on the document and the jurisdiction. If you are unsure whether a document you hold is valid, get that checked before you attest a copy of it rather than after.
This page explains general practice and is not legal advice. Requirements differ between countries and, in some cases, between states — check what applies where the document will be used.