Bonafide Certificate Format

A bonafide certificate is a formal document issued by an employer confirming that an individual is, or was, a genuine ('bonafide') employee of the organisation, typically stating their designation, tenure, and sometimes salary, without going into the detail of a full experience letter.

In India, employees commonly request bonafide certificates for purposes such as visa applications, loan processing, admission to further education, or other institutional verification, and HR issues them based on straightforward confirmation of the employment record, without requiring a formal exit or review process.

Bonafide Certificate — sample format

Copy the template below and replace the [bracketed] fields.

[Company Letterhead]

Date: [Date]

TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN

This is to certify that [Employee Name], holding Employee ID [Employee ID], is a bonafide employee of [Company Name], working as [Designation] in the [Department] department since [Date of Joining].

[Optional, if applicable: "The employee's current annual gross salary is [Amount] (Rupees [Amount in Words] only)."]

This certificate is issued at the request of the employee for the purpose of [state purpose, e.g. "visa application / loan processing / educational admission"] and is valid as of the date of issue.

For any verification or clarification, please contact HR at [HR Contact Email/Phone].

For [Company Name],

_______________________
[Authorised Signatory Name]
[Designation]
[Company Name]
[Company Seal, if applicable]

What to include

✓ Employee identification and tenure — name, ID, designation and date of joining establishing the genuine employment relationship
✓ Optional salary disclosure — included only when required by the requesting institution (e.g. for loan or visa purposes)
✓ Stated purpose of issue — many institutions require the purpose to be explicit on the face of the certificate
✓ Validity framing — clarifies the certificate reflects status as of the issue date, useful if employment later changes
✓ Authorised signatory and seal — required for the certificate to be accepted by external institutions

Legal notes (India)

§ A bonafide certificate is an administrative confirmation, not a statutory filing — but if it discloses salary, the figure must match payroll and tax records (Form 16/salary slips), since discrepancies can raise red flags with banks, visa authorities, or auditors.
§ Employers should avoid issuing this certificate for an employee who has already resigned or been terminated, stating present tense ('is a bonafide employee') unless truly still employed — a separate format ('was employed') should be used for former employees.
§ Since these certificates are often used for visa or loan applications, the details provided should be consistent with other official documents (offer letter, PF records, ITR) to avoid the certificate being flagged as unreliable during verification.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a bonafide certificate and an experience letter?

A bonafide certificate simply confirms current, ongoing genuine employment for a specific purpose (like a visa or loan), while an experience letter is typically issued at the time of exit and summarises the full tenure, role and performance.

Should salary be mentioned in a bonafide certificate?

Only if the requesting institution specifically requires it (common for loan applications); otherwise it can be omitted to keep the document general-purpose.

Can HR refuse to issue a bonafide certificate?

There's no legal obligation to issue one, but most companies do so routinely as a matter of employee support, provided the employee is in good standing. Kredily allows employees to raise a request for this certificate directly through the self-service portal.

Explore the platform

Payroll Compliance Free tools Pricing

Payroll & compliance, on autopilot.

Free for unlimited employees — PF, ESI, PT & TDS handled every cycle.

Start Free Book a Demo