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A bonafide certificate is an official document that an educational institution or organization issues to confirm a person's association with them. It acts as legal proof that someone is a genuine student or employee of that institution. Generally, this certificate will include important details such as the individual's name, date of birth, information about their course or job, and the duration of their association with the organization. It is acceptable worldwide and generally required for different scholarships and internships. The reason why a bonafide certificate is important is that it is a reliable and legitimate verification of an applicant’s identity at a university or workplace. There are two types of bonafide certificates. These are student bonafide certificates for scholarships, colleges, or school applications or employer bonafide certificates to validate their work experience or skill expertise. Generally, students are required to contact the educational institution’s administration department for the certificate, and job seekers are required to contact their current organisation’s human resource department to avail one. Moreover, identity proof, fee receipts, course information documents, salary statements, university identity cards, etc are some of the documents required to apply for a bonafide certificate. Read the article to learn more about what is bonafide certificate, types, validity, who needs it, and more.
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The meaning of the word bonafide is 'in good faith'. A bonafide certificate is a legal document stating the relationship between the aspirant and the associated organisation. It is a crucial document for the application for different purposes such as visas, admission, scholarships, and more. It is used by both professionals and students for different purposes like job applications. A bonafide certificate is an official document provided by a recognized academic institution, confirming that a person is currently enrolled in one of its programs and is pursuing a specific degree. Similarly, employees can request a bonafide certificate from their employer, which serves as proof that they are indeed working for that company.
A bonafide certificate is an important document for several reasons including:
1. Proof of Enrollment: It shows that someone is truly a student or employee at a particular institution.
2. Required for Scholarships: This certificate is often a requirement when applying for scholarships.
3. Essential for Visa Applications: It serves as crucial evidence for student visa applications.
4. Bank & Loan Applications: You will need them to open student bank accounts or to apply for education loans.
5. Hostel Admission: It is frequently required for securing a spot in hostels or paying guest accommodations.
6. Travel Discounts: Students need this certificate to get discounts on public transport.
7. Internship & Job Applications: It verifies student status when applying for internships or training positions.
A bonafide certificate has many purposes. It is an important document for all students as well as other prospects. Understanding the key purposes of a bonafide certificate helps students to acquire the right kind of certificate. Here are the uses:
Application for student visa: The immigration authorities where the candidate is planning to study abroad may require a bonafide certificate to validate the student’s admission to the educational institution. This is an important document as it serves as a proof that the student is entering the country for the intended course and not due to other illegitimate reasons.
Renting accommodation: Students may require a bonafide certificate to prove that they are a student in a particular university. Many rental authorities ask for it before offering accommodation options.
Education loans: Students need to demonstrate their student status to financial institutions such as banks or private lenders to successfully obtain a loan or financial assistance.
Scholarships: To obtain a scholarship award or bursaries, many award granting authorities require a bonafide certificate to verify the admission of the student into a particular university or course.
Transfer from one institution to another: It is important to provide a bonafide certificate when a student is transferring from one educational institution to another. Proof of studies in the previous college must be submitted to the college administration of the current university.
Validate Work Experience: The organisation or the corporation may ask for a bonafide certificate from the job seeker to verify their previous work experience, skills, projects, and other related achievements.
Library Access: You might need a bonafide certificate to verify your student status when signing up for a public library.
Visa Extensions: To extend your visa, a bonafide certificate is required as it provides details about the course you are enrolled in, its duration, and your university.
Industrial Visits: If you are participating in industry projects for training or internships, you may also have to present bonafide certificates to confirm your student status to the organization.
Different types of bonafide certificates vary depending on their uses and validity. So, the format and the authorizing authorities issuing a bonafide certificate for studying abroad are different from getting a certificate for work purposes. The table highlights the different categories of bonafide certificates.
Types of Bonafide Certificate | Purpose | Uses |
Permanent Bonafide Certificate | Long term purposes |
|
Temporary Bonafide Certificate | Short term purposes |
|
Bonafide Certificate for Employees | Shows the candidate’s employment relationship with the corporate organisation |
|
Bonafide Certificate for Students | Shows the candidate’s relationship with the educational institute |
|
There are several institutional bodies and organisations that demand a bonafide certificate either from the candidate’s academic institution or the work structure. It is an important document for them to assess the prospect. A few of the entities that require a bonafide certificate include the following:
Organisation/Person | Why is a bonafide Certificate required? |
Banks/financial institutions | To verify the applicant’s identity and address while opening a bank account and to validate the admission of the student for educational loans. |
Current employers | They require it as a part of the recruitment process to evaluate past performance, employment history, experience, background checks, and more. |
Immigration authorities | The immigration authorities of the selected country may ask for a bonafide certificate when students apply for visas or passports to know their relationship with the university/college. |
Government | These government agencies require a bonafide certificate for validating purposes at the time of nominating students for scholarships, providing scholarships, ration cards, and others. |
University/College | They use a bonafide certificate to keep a record of student data and track their academic performance in the future. These are also important while issuing academic transcripts, school leaving certificates, migration certificates, transfer documents, etc. |
Students | Students need a bonafide certificate for various educational reasons, like applying for scholarships, securing education loans, attending conferences or workshops, pursuing higher studies abroad, or taking competitive exams. Moreover, these certificates can be essential for verification related to hostel accommodations, student discounts, or joining student-specific programs. |
Also Read: What is a Police Clearance Certificate
To obtain a bonafide certificate, the applicant must send an application to the concerned authority including the purpose of acquiring the certificate, who needs it, course information, job history, personal information, and more. The application process is same for students and employees, however, the only difference is the concerned authority.
Students must submit a written application to the head of their college or institute. Additionally, first-year and direct second-year students may be required to include a leaving certificate from their previous college along with their application.
An employee needs to submit a written letter or an email to the head of their organization or department or the HR department.
Follow the following steps to apply for a bonafide certificate:
Step 1: Application Form: Obtain the application form from the concerned authority. It can be a physical form or an online form, depending on the authority. Carefully fill out an application form by mentioning your personal details, course or employment details, purpose for requesting the bonafide certificate, etc.
Step 2: Gather Documents: Gather the relevant documents required with the application such as residence proof, identity card, academic mark sheets, fee slips, job experience letters, pay slips, and more. (whichever is required as per the reason for obtaining the certificate.
Step 3: Submit the form: Submit the application form with the documents and pay the necessary processing fees if applicable. A fee of INR 50- 500 may be applicable depending on the requirements of the authority.
Note: Bonafide Certificate application fees may or may not be charged by the organisation.
Step 4: Wait for the Certificate: The authority will confirm the information provided and process the bonafide certificate request. Processing time for the bonafide certificate can vary depending on the authority’s procedures. However, once processed, you can collect the certificate from the designated department. Carefully review the certificate after receiving it in case of any errors.
The document requirement of the aspirant may vary as per the type of bonafide certificate. These documents help in the verification of the candidate’s connection with the firm/university/corporation. A list of specific documents required to apply for a bonafide certificate is:
The common document checklist for obtaining the bonafide certificate for student based purposes such as admission applications, visa processes, accommodation needs, and more is mentioned below:
Photograph
A student ID Card
Admission letter
Residence proof (Passport/Aadhaar card)
Completed application form
Fee Slips
Any specific academic record required by the authorities
As an employee, another organization may ask for a bonafide certificate while applying for events such as work visas, new jobs, financial assistance, employee benefits, and more. The common list of required documents for an employee's bonafide certificate is:
Photograph
Company employee ID
Appointment letter
Address proof (Passport/Aadhaar card)
Completed application form
Salary slips
Work experience letter
Employment contracts
A bonafide certificate is received from the concerned authorities. The format of a bonafide certifcate includes the following components.
The bonafide certificate format for students includes the format for the application form required to obtain this certificate. This letter should be sent to the head of the institution.
Employees need to send an application in written format or through email to the head of the department, organization or HR department to receive a bonafide certificate. The sample for the application for an employee bonafide certificate is as follows.
After sending an application to the concerned authority, the applicants will receive the certificate. The certificate will contain it will definitely contain the letterhead, date of issuing, details of the applicant, and signature. The sample of the bonafide certificate is as follows.
The following example is how the student will receive their bonafide certificate.
The following sample is how the employee will receive their bonafide certificate.
Also read: Sample Bonafide Certificate
To obtain a bonafide certificate, there may or may not be some kind of application processing fee associated with it. The Bonafide Certificate application fees may vary depending on the institute's policies. It can range from INR 50- 200 as per the type of certificate.
The validity of a bonafide certificate depends upon the type of certificate as well as the purpose behind its issuance. So, permanent bonafide certificates generally have a longer period of validity. On the other hand, temporary bonafide certificates have a short validity of upto 6 months.
To confirm the authenticity of the certificate, you need some important details like:
Creating or presenting a fake a bonafide certificate is a serious crime with significant legal implications. The offender can be punished through several legal actions such as:
The institution’s name used in the document can legally sue the offender for misrepresentation.
The degree or employment can be revoked by the concerned authority.
Visa applications will be rejected which can lead to a permanent ban from entering that particular country.
An offender can be convicted of forgery or fraud.
To renew or replace a bonafide certificate, you usually need to follow these steps:
Step 1: Contact the issuing authority: Get in touch with the school, college, or university that originally gave you the certificate.
Step 2: Fill out necessary forms: Most places will have a specific form you need to complete to request a replacement or renewal of your bonafide certificate.
Step 3: Explain the reason: Let them know why you need a renewal or replacement, such as if you lost the original or if the certificate has expired.
Step 4: Pay the fees: There might be a processing fee for this service.
Step 5: Provide supporting documents: You may need to submit copies of your original certificate (if you have it) or other relevant documents.
Step 6: Wait for processing: The time it takes can vary by institution, but generally, you can expect this process to take about a month from when you apply until you receive your new certificate. Once done, some institutions will mail it to you, while others might ask you to pick it up in person.
There are a few tips to consider while applying for a bonafide certificate.
Also read: GAP Certificate Format
Avoid making these common mistakes to avoid delays in receiving your certificate.
1. Incomplete Information: Double-check that all necessary fields on the application form are filled out correctly.
2. Vague Purpose: Be specific while giving the purpose of the bonafide certificate. A clear and concise explanation will help the institution handle your request more efficiently.
3. Informal Language: Avoid using slang or casual terms, as they can make your application seem unprofessional.
4. Last-Minute Applications: Try not to submit your application at the last minute as it can cause delays.
5. Not Keeping a Copy: After you submit your application, make sure to keep a copy for your records. This can be useful for future reference or if you need to check on the status of your application.
There are several other academic documents required while applying to study abroad. The table below elaborates on how these documents differ from a bonafide certificate.
Documents | Uses | Purpose | Content | Validity |
Bonafide Certificate |
| Confirms current enrollment | Basic details | Specific period (Expires after a certain validity period). |
Academic Transcript |
| Records academic performance |
| No specific validity |
Certificate of Enrollment |
| Confirms enrollment in a specific program or semester | Details relevant to the program or semester | Program/semester duration |
Transfer Certificate (TC) |
| Issued when leaving an institution | Details about the completed program and the reason for leaving | No specific validity |
Read More
A bonafide certificate is a credible document to prove the identity of the applicant and can be issued by universities, colleges, schools, organisations, or any other authority.
A bonafide certificate letter is used for different purposes. The content and the issuing authorities of the document change with the usage. Some of the uses of a bonafide certificate include visa application, renting purposes, education loans, scholarships, demonstrating work experience, and more.
No, TC and Bonafide certificates are not the same document. A TC is a document that is issued only after the student leaves the university/college/school whereas a student can apply for a bonafide certificate anytime when they are still in the corporate/school for purposes such as visas, admission applications, scholarships, and more.
Students can get their bonafide certificates from the administrative department of the school. All they need to do is apply professionally through a letter stating the purpose of the certificate clearly. For an employee bonafide certificate, the applicant can request the same from their workplace.
A bonafide certificate can be used for different purposes such as scholarships, admission applications, work experience validity and credibility, etc.
Bonafide certificate is also known as a genuine certificate, a residence certificate, or proof of enrollment/affiliation. However cmost commonly, it is known as a bonafide certificate only.
Students, employees and government agencies require bonafide certificate. It is used for studying abroad, verification of employement, loan applications etc.
The bonafide certificate might cost you around INR 50-200 in India. The exact cost of bonafide certificate depends on the type of certificate required.
The validity of a bonafide certificate depends on the type of certificate. Temporary bonafide certificate can last upto 6 months whereas a permanent bonafide certifcate can last for the entire duration of the course or employement.
Yes, if you require a student bonafide certificate, then schools can issue the same. You can simply as for the same by providing relevant information and documents. Schools might charge a nominal fee for the certificate.
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