1. If it is a movable property like Bank deposit or share investment them Succession Certificate will be required. If it is for an immovable property like house/building, then legal; heir certificate will be required.
2. For obtaining Succession Certificate, you shall have to apply before the Court and for obtaining legal Heir Certificate, you shall have to approach the Ward Counselor of your Municipal Corporation.
3. Succession certificate might take 1 to 2 years ordinarily though it will depend on the sitting of the Court. Legal heir certificate might take one month. For issuing Legal Heir Certificate by the Municipal Corporation, the Ward Counselor might ask an affidavit from all of you affirming that there is no other legal heirs left, to play safe.
4. For Succession Certificate the Court fee will depend on the value of the property and the maximum Court fee is Rs.50 K. Legal Heir Certificate does not attract any Court fee. However, there might me Misc. expenses which might be any thing in between Rs.25 K to Rs.100K depending on your Counselor.
5. You can take a POA from other legal heirs and come to Kolkata once to finish of all the jobs in one go. Meeting and managing the Counselor is the most important of the job. Fot succession certificate also you shall have to come once to Kolkata once with the POA form filing the application before the Court.