How to Apply for a MOFA Apostille Online in Pakistan: Registration Required Since 27 July 2026
MOFA has refused apostille requests without online registration since 27 July 2026. See the eleven steps, the approval email, the challan and first stamps.
Since Monday 27 July 2026 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) no longer takes apostille requests without prior online registration. Create an account at apostille.mofa.gov.pk, submit the application, wait for an approval email, pay the emailed challan, and only then visit the office on the date you are given.
Many people still walk into the Consular Services Hall with a file of documents and a day off work. MOFA says that is no longer accepted. We opened MOFA's consular notice and the apostille portal on 15 October 2026, and every rule below comes from them. If you are still deciding whether you need an apostille at all, which one your documents actually need explains the difference and the fees MOFA listed in August.
MOFA rejects apostille requests that were not filed online first
MOFA's notice says apostille services will not be entertained from 27 July 2026 without prior online registration. Applicants must apply on the portal before visiting the Ministry or its liaison offices. Applications not submitted online will not be accepted or processed.
The rule covers the Ministry in Islamabad and its five liaison offices. The portal itself says MOFA has started online apostille attestation and offers a "Sign Up Now" link.
One old notice still sits on the same MOFA page. It is dated 5 March 2026 and says online portals, including the apostille portal, were suspended for cybersecurity reasons. The portal homepage was open when we checked on 15 October 2026, and the 27 July notice came later. We did not create an account, so we cannot confirm every function works.
Follow eleven steps from sign-up to the counter
MOFA lists the steps in order. You create an account and attach both sides of your CNIC. You file a new application with the documents to be apostilled. MOFA approves, emails a challan, and you pay it and visit on the date given.
- Create your account at apostille.mofa.gov.pk.
- 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 your application and documents carefully.
- Submit the application.
- Wait for an email telling you the application is approved for further processing.
- Receive the challan by email.
- Pay the challan online, by Easypaisa or into the bank account given.
- Visit the selected office on the given date and time: Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta or Gujrat.
Visit the office only after the approval email arrives
MOFA says to visit the consular office only after you receive approval for further processing. Staff may email you to ask for more documents, so keep checking your inbox after you submit. A visit before approval risks a wasted trip.
For questions, MOFA gives the Consular Section's help desk on WhatsApp at +92 307 1339682. Use a working email address when you register, because the approval and the challan arrive by email.
| Stage | How MOFA contacts you | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Application checked | Reply with any extra documents asked | |
| Approved | Wait for the challan | |
| Challan issued | Pay online, by Easypaisa or by bank | |
| Visit | Date and time given to you | Go to the selected office with your originals |
Get the earlier attestation first: IBCC, HEC or NAVTTC
The portal checklist, revised on 11 June 2024, says board certificates need the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen first. University degrees need the Higher Education Commission. Technical certificates need the local technical board and NAVTTC. MOFA is the last stamp, not the first.
| Document | Attest first at |
|---|---|
| Matric and Intermediate certificates | IBCC, after the board |
| University degrees | HEC; medical degrees need HEC and the health ministry |
| Technical skills certificates | Local technical board and NAVTTC |
| Hifz ul Quran certificates | IBCC |
Our guides cover the first stamps: IBCC attestation of Matric and Inter certificates and HEC degree attestation online. MOFA and HEC also signed a deal to link their databases, as reported in the October 2026 MoU on degree attestation.
A power of attorney has its own conditions
MOFA says a power of attorney from abroad must first be attested by the Pakistan Embassy or Consulate there. The attorney in Pakistan then comes in person with an original CNIC. Validity is 120 days from the mission's attestation.
A power of attorney for use abroad must be on stamp paper with passport size photographs of the person signing. That person must appear in person with an original identity card. Land transfer letters are attested only with a power of attorney or an authority letter.
If you are making one from abroad, how to make a power of attorney from abroad explains the order of steps and why a special one is safer than a general one. Overseas Pakistanis can also register with a Pakistani embassy online.
Check a finished apostille with the QR code or tracking number
The portal has a "Verify Apostille" tool. It checks an apostille by QR code scan or by tracking number. Use it before you send documents abroad, or when a foreign office asks you to prove the stamp is real.
The portal also holds the checklist, a list of attestable documents, the country list and the fee page. The list groups documents into personal, legal, educational and commercial papers. We could not load the fee page on 15 October 2026, so check fees on the portal before you pay.
Common questions about the MOFA apostille portal
Can I still walk in without registering online?
No. MOFA says applications not submitted online will not be accepted or processed from 27 July 2026.
Which offices handle apostille?
The Ministry in Islamabad and its liaison offices in Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar and Gujrat.
How do I pay the fee?
MOFA emails a challan after approval. You pay it online, by Easypaisa or into the bank account given, then visit the office.
What do I upload with my account?
Both sides of your CNIC, then the documents to be apostilled, attached to a new application.
Who can I ask for help?
The Consular Section's help desk answers on WhatsApp at +92 307 1339682, according to MOFA's notice.
How can a foreign office check my apostille?
Through the portal's Verify Apostille tool, using the QR code or the tracking number.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 15 October 2026. The 27 July 2026 rule, the eleven steps, the help desk number and the power of attorney conditions come from MOFA's consular services page. The portal features, document list and checklist come from the MOFA apostille portal, which we opened that day. We did not register an account or apply. MOFA can change the process, so confirm on the portal.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
