Apostille or Attestation in Pakistan: Fees and Which One You Need
MOFA attestation is free, apostille is Rs 3,000 to Rs 12,000 a document. Since July 2026 apostille starts online. Which one your paper needs.
Ordinary attestation by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is free: you only paste the prescribed revenue stamps. Apostille costs Rs 3,000 a document for personal and educational papers, Rs 4,500 for legal papers and Rs 12,000 for commercial papers. Since 27 July 2026, an apostille must be registered online first, and since 12 October 2026 both services issue an e-Certificate by email.
Which one you need depends on the country the paper is going to. If that country accepts apostille, you need apostille. If it does not, you need ordinary attestation and usually that country's embassy stamp afterwards. We read all of this on the Ministry's consular page in November 2026.
Apostille fees are charged per document
The Ministry's apostille fees have applied since 8 July 2024. Ordinary attestation has no fee at all, only revenue stamps.
| Document type | Apostille fee per document |
|---|---|
| Personal document | Rs 3,000 |
| Educational document | Rs 3,000 |
| Experience certificate | Rs 3,000 |
| Legal document | Rs 4,500 |
| Commercial document | Rs 12,000 |
| Ordinary attestation, any type | No fee, revenue stamps only |
It is per document. A family of four sending personal documents pays four times, and a commercial file with several papers adds up fast. The experience certificate rate was read on the Ministry's apostille fee page in August 2026; the other rates are on the consular page now.
Apostille replaces the embassy step for member countries
An apostille is a single certificate that makes a Pakistani document valid in another member country of the Apostille Convention. No embassy stamp is needed after it.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is Pakistan's apostille authority, and its portal lists the member countries. If your destination is on that list, apostille is the route and it is worth the fee. If it is not, use ordinary attestation and expect the destination's embassy to stamp it afterwards. Embassy fees differ by country; for example, see the Pakistan Consulate Dubai attestation fees for papers attested abroad.
Since July 2026, apostille starts online
From 27 July 2026, the Ministry says apostille requests "shall no longer be entertained without prior online registration". Applications not submitted online are not accepted.
- Create an account on the Ministry's attestation portal, portal-attestation.mofa.gov.pk, and fill in your details.
- Attach both sides of your CNIC.
- Create a new application, fill in all details and attach the documents to be apostilled.
- Review and submit. Keep checking your email, because the Ministry writes if it needs more documents.
- Visit the office only after approval. The Ministry says to visit once you have been told your application can be processed.
From 12 October 2026, the Ministry and its offices at Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Gujrat also use a Digital Attestation System at portal-attestation.mofa.gov.pk, for both general and apostille attestation. After processing and payment, an e-Certificate is emailed to you, and a visit is needed only in exceptional cases. Our guide to MOFA attestation online with the e-Certificate has the screens.
The order of attestations before the Ministry
The Ministry is the last step. Each document must first be attested by the body that issued or regulates it.
- Board certificates are countersigned by the IBCC first.
- University degrees are attested by the HEC first.
- Technical certificates go through NAVTTC.
- Engineering diplomas go through the Pakistan Engineering Council.
- Commercial documents are countersigned by the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The degree route is in our HEC attestation guide, and foreign qualifications needing equivalence are in the IBCC equivalence guide. For trade certificates and where they lead abroad, see technical education in Pakistan.
Court decrees, such as a family court decree, count as legal documents. If you need a khula decree recognised abroad, it follows this route; the court process is in khula in Pakistan.
Papers the Ministry will not attest
The Ministry lists these as non attestable: domicile, photographs, invitation letters, visa notes, papers on political or criminal disputes, registry and sale or purchase papers for land, and applications of any kind.
The domicile surprises people most, because it is often requested. If a foreign employer or university asks for an attested domicile, go back and ask what they actually need before you spend a day at a counter.
Offices, hours and help lines
| City | Where | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Islamabad | Consular Services Hall, Constitution Avenue, G-5 | 051-9215803-4 |
| Lahore | 43-N, Gulberg III | 042-99268247-8 |
| Karachi | Main Shahrah-e-Faisal, next to FTC Building | 021-99204989-90 |
| Peshawar | 18-c/2, Gul Mohar Lane, University Town | 091-9218126 |
| Quetta | Room 28, 2nd Floor, Block 07, Civil Secretariat | 081-9203155 |
Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, shorter in Ramadan. For consular queries the Ministry lists 051-90569524, and a WhatsApp help desk on +92 307 1339682. A Gujrat liaison office also handles attestation; its address was not on the page we read.
The Ministry says general documents, except powers of attorney and affidavits, are processed within two hours. Authorised couriers listed on the page are Gerry's International, Leopards and TCS, and they charge their own fee on top.
Use the Verify function on the apostille portal if someone abroad doubts your certificate. Overseas Pakistanis dealing with a mission should also see our NICOP and POC guide.
Questions readers are asking
What does an apostille cost in Pakistan?
Rs 3,000 for personal and educational documents, Rs 4,500 for legal documents and Rs 12,000 for commercial documents, per document, under the fees in force since 8 July 2024.
Is ordinary MOFA attestation free?
Yes. The Ministry states no fee is charged for any type of attestation by it or its camp offices. Only prescribed revenue stamps are pasted on the documents.
Can I walk in for an apostille without registering online?
No. Since 27 July 2026 the Ministry does not accept apostille requests without prior online registration, now on the attestation portal at portal-attestation.mofa.gov.pk.
Do I need apostille or attestation?
It depends on the destination. If the country is an apostille member, use apostille. If not, use ordinary attestation and the country's embassy stamp.
Can I get my domicile attested?
No. Domicile is on the Ministry's list of non attestable documents, with photographs, invitation letters, visa notes and land sale papers.
How long does attestation take?
The Ministry says general documents, other than powers of attorney and affidavits, are processed within two hours. Apostille follows the online approval first.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 8 November 2026. We read the fees, notices, online steps, offices, hours, help lines, couriers and non attestable list on the Ministry's consular attestation page, and confirmed that portal-attestation.mofa.gov.pk opens to a login page. The apostille portal did not answer a plain request from us in November, so the experience certificate fee is from our August reading. We did not lodge an application ourselves.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
