How to self-attest a document without a printer

Application forms often ask for "self-attested copies" of your documents: mark sheets, certificates, ID proofs, address proofs. Traditionally that meant photocopying each page, signing it with a pen and scanning it again. If you do not have a printer or scanner at home, there is a simpler way for many online applications.

What self-attestation usually means

Self-attesting a copy means you, the owner of the document, confirm that the copy is a true copy of the original. In practice it usually involves:

• Your signature on the copy, often on every page
• Sometimes the date
• Sometimes a short line such as "self-attested" or "true copy", if the form asks for it

Many applicants sign in a way that does not cover important details like photos, numbers or seals, so the document stays readable.

The digital way: no printer needed

For online uploads you can add your signature and the date to the copy on your phone. Here is the general process:

1. Get a clean copy of the document. Scan the original with a document scanner so it is flat with a white background. See our tips on making clean, small PDFs.
2. Capture your signature once. Sign on plain white paper with a dark pen and photograph it in good light, or sign on the screen with your finger or a stylus. Crop it tightly and remove the background so it looks like ink, not a photo of paper.
3. Place the signature on each page. Put it in a blank area, usually near the bottom, without covering text, photos or seals.
4. Add the date beside it if the form asks for it.
5. Add the wording, if asked. Some forms want "self-attested" written near the signature. Only add it if the instructions mention it.
6. Save as one PDF and check every page before you upload.

Tips for a signature that looks right

• Use the same signature you use on the form and on your ID documents.
• Keep it a sensible size, similar to how it would look if you signed the paper by hand.
• Use dark blue or black ink when you capture it; pale ink can disappear when the file is compressed.
• Do not stretch it; resize it evenly.

When you still need a pen and paper

Some processes, such as physical document verification, counselling rounds or bank and legal paperwork, may ask you to bring self-attested photocopies in person, or to sign in front of an official. In those cases a nearby photocopy shop can print the pages and you sign them by hand. Keep your digital copies anyway: they are useful for the online part of the application and as a backup.

Keep your copies safe

Self-attested copies carry your signature, so treat them carefully. Share them only with the organisation that asked for them. When you send a copy for one purpose, it can help to mark on it who it is for, so it is harder to misuse elsewhere.

Self-attest in a few taps with Stash-it!

Stash-it! is a free Android app for keeping documents and handling form paperwork. Its Self-attest tool puts your signature and the date on every page, then you can share the PDF directly. Other tools help with the rest of the job: Sign, Stamp, Mark up, Merge PDFs to combine several attested documents into one upload, and Share-safe copy to mark who a copy is for and cover numbers before you share.

Everything happens on your phone, with no account and no ads. Tools use a few Stash coins: 25 free every morning, and the first use of every tool is free. The app works in English and Hindi.

Next steps

Once your copies are attested, you may need to fit them into the portal's size limit or combine them. These guides help:

• How to merge multiple PDFs into one on Android
• How to compress a PDF to 100 KB on your phone
• How to resize a photo or signature to 20 KB / 50 KB

Checklist before you upload

• The form accepts digitally signed copies (check the instructions)
• Signature on every page that needs it, not covering details
• Date and wording added only if asked
• All pages in one PDF, in the right order, within the size limit