GI Certified explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Chapters 13 and 14 of the Manual gather the service and housekeeping parts of GI practice: how to obtain a document that a court or a foreign office will accept, how affidavits and translations must be prepared, what powers the Registrar has, how a decision can be reviewed, and who may act for a party.
The Manual (Version 01.11, 26 July 2011) is the GI Registry's guidance and does not have the force of law; the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 and the Rules of 2002 as now in force prevail. The current position should be checked on ipindia.gov.in.
A certified copy of an entry, sealed by the Registrar, is admissible as evidence and is the document used in court and for registration abroad. Affidavits before the Registrar must follow set formalities, and foreign-language documents need an attested translation. The Registrar has civil-court powers for evidence and may award costs and review his own decision on a prescribed application. A party can act through a legal practitioner, a registered GI agent or a regular employee, on a signed authorisation. Forms, periods and fees are those of the Rules as now in force, which prevail.
Certificates and certified copies (Chapter 13)
If you are unsure which document your situation needs, a short legal consultation before applying saves a rejected request.
For legal use (13.01). The Manual says a copy of any entry in the Register, or of any document, certified by the Registrar and sealed with the Registry's seal, is admissible as evidence and can be produced in all courts and proceedings without production of the original. This is the document to use when the registration has to be proved. The certificate of registration itself is not for that purpose, as explained in our guide on Manual Chapter 7.
For use abroad (13.02). Where a certificate of the registration is wanted for registration in another territory, the Registrar includes a copy of the indication suited to that use, may ask the applicant to furnish such a copy, and may refuse to issue the certificate if the applicant does not. Where an indication is registered without limitation of colour, the certificate may show it in any colours and says so. The Registrar may also state particulars of the application or registration and the terms and limitations on the Register. Read with rules 94 to 97 on inspection, certified copies and certificates for registration abroad.
Inspection (13.03). The documents listed in section 78(1) are open to inspection at the head office of the Registry on payment of the prescribed fee, at times fixed by the Registrar on days the office is open to the public. The Central Government may also direct distribution of the Journal and other documents to places notified after consulting State Governments.
Certified copies (13.04). On an application on the prescribed form with the prescribed fee, the Registrar may furnish certified copies of an entry or of documents, and may certify his decision or order or other matters he is authorised to certify. He need not include a copy of the indication in a certified copy unless the applicant supplies one suited to the purpose.
Affidavits and translations (Chapter 14)
Affidavits (14.01). The Manual lists the formalities. An affidavit before the Registrar must be duly stamped, headed in the matter it relates to, written in the first person and divided into consecutively numbered paragraphs, each confined to one subject so far as practicable. It states the deponent's description and true place of abode and the name and address of the person filing it and on whose behalf it is filed. Where several persons join, each deposes separately to facts within his own knowledge, in separate paragraphs. It must be taken before a person authorised in India, or before a diplomatic or consular officer, notary or judge or magistrate abroad. Alterations are initialled by the person before whom it is sworn, and for an illiterate or blind deponent, or one who does not know the language, a certificate that it was read and explained appears in the jurat. The related rule is in rule 93 on the form of affidavits.
Translations (14.02). Words in an indication in characters other than Devanagari or Roman need a sufficient transliteration and translation. Where an application contains words in a language other than Hindi or English, the Registrar may ask for an exact translation, and a foreign-language document used in a proceeding needs an attested English or Hindi translation in duplicate.
Notice of non-completion (14.03). The notice under section 16(3) goes to the applicant's principal place of business in India or, if none, to the address for service; if an agent is authorised, to the agent with a duplicate to the applicant. The notice gives a short period from its date, extendable on request, to complete registration. The period of twenty-one days and the form are in the rule post on rules 52 and 53.
The Registrar's powers, costs and review
Powers and discretion (14.04). The Manual says the Registrar has the powers of a civil court for receiving evidence, administering oaths, enforcing attendance, compelling discovery and production of documents and issuing commissions, may award costs, and may review his own decision. He may not exercise a discretionary power against a person without giving an opportunity of being heard, except that he need not hear parties before disposing of an application for extension of time. His decision is notified to the person affected. See sections 60 to 62 on powers of the Registrar.
Costs (14.05). The Registrar may award costs as he considers reasonable having regard to all the circumstances, subject to the rules; see rules 89 to 91 on costs.
Review (14.06). The Manual explains that review is normally preferred where an application has been abandoned and the applicant is serious about prosecuting it, as an alternative to a fresh application. The application is made on Form GI-7 with a statement of grounds, within one month of the decision or such further period not exceeding one month as the Registrar allows on request; the live rule post on rule 92 confirms the form and period. If the decision concerns another person, the papers go in triplicate and a copy is sent to that person. The Registrar hears the parties and may reject or grant the application unconditionally or on conditions.
A word of caution on a review: it is not a second appeal. Where the order is appealable, the route now lies to the High Court as explained in section 31 on appeals, since the Appellate Board was abolished by the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021. The Act and Rules as now in force prevail.
GI agents (14.07)
Section 76 allows three kinds of person to act for another before the Registrar if duly authorised: a legal practitioner, a person registered as a GI agent, and a person in the sole and regular employment of the principal. The authorisation is executed on Form GI-10 (the form is also referred to in the rule post on notice of non-completion). Service on a properly authorised agent is service on the principal, and the agent may do any act required except make an affidavit. The Registrar may still require the personal signature or presence of a party. The Manual adds that an agent may compromise in good faith unless instructed otherwise, and refers to rules 102 to 114 on registration as a GI agent, covered in rules 102 and 103.
What has changed since the Manual
Fees for inspection, copies, review and agents' registration are now in the 2025 First Schedule; no figure in the Manual should be used. The Appellate Board is gone. The Manual's authorised-user references belong to the pre-2020 procedure. The Act and Rules as now in force prevail.
Preparation table
| Need | Document | Practical point |
|---|---|---|
| Prove registration in court | Sealed certified copy of the entry | Apply in good time; the certificate is not enough |
| Register abroad | Certificate with copy of the indication | Supply a suitable copy of the indication |
| Evidence before the Registrar | Affidavit in correct form | Stamped, numbered paragraphs, proper jurat |
| Foreign-language document | Attested translation | In duplicate |
| Challenge a decision | Review on Form GI-7 | One month, plus up to one month on request |
| Representation | Form GI-10 authorisation | Check who signs and who holds the authority |
A worked example
The Kaveripur Tea Estates' Federation (an invented body) needs to enforce its registered indication against a trader. Counsel asks for proof of registration. The federation applies for a sealed certified copy of the Part A entry rather than relying on the certificate.
In the same matter, an order of the Registrar abandons a pending authorised-user application because a reply was filed late. The federation's advocate files for review within one month, with grounds, explaining the cause of delay. The federation's agent on record holds a signed authorisation, and the deponent for the affidavit signs it personally, since an agent cannot make an affidavit on the principal's behalf.
Common lapses
- Using the certificate of registration as court evidence instead of a certified copy.
- An affidavit that is unstamped or has unnumbered paragraphs.
- Filing a foreign-language document with no attested translation.
- Letting the one-month review period lapse.
- Assuming an agent can swear the client's affidavit.
Need help with Registry papers?
If you need certified copies, a review application or an agent's authorisation prepared correctly, we can help; start with our legal consultation service.
Key takeaways
- A sealed certified copy of the Register entry is admissible in all courts and used abroad; the certificate alone is not.
- Affidavits and translations must meet fixed formalities.
- The Registrar has civil-court powers and may award costs and review his own decision.
- Review is on Form GI-7 within one month, with a possible further month.
- A GI agent acts on Form GI-10 but cannot make the client's affidavit.
Read next
- Manual Chapter 9: rectification of the Register
- Manual Chapter 12: renewal, removal and restoration
- What the GI Registry Manual and the drafts are, and which parts still hold
Disclaimer: Based on the documents of the Geographical Indications Registry named in the article (the Manual of Geographical Indications Practice and Procedure, Version 01.11 of 26 July 2011, and the draft guidelines published for comments in October 2025 and September 2026), as consulted on 4 October 2026. A draft is not final; none of these documents has the force of law; the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 and the Rules of 2002 as now in force prevail and the current position should be checked on ipindia.gov.in. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.