Attest Your Nikah Nama at the Foreign Ministry in Pakistan for a Spouse Visa: Papers and Steps
Take the original Nikah Nama, the MRC and the bride's CNIC to the Foreign Ministry. See the extra papers for foreign, online and AJK marriages, and how to book.
Short answer: To use a Pakistani Nikah Nama abroad, take the original to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Marriage Registration Certificate and the bride's CNIC showing her husband's name. The ministry says complete files are usually done in about two hours. Attestation costs only revenue stamps.
A spouse visa office, an embassy or a foreign court will often ask for an attested Nikah Nama. A plain photocopy or a union council copy is not enough. The ministry stamp tells the foreign office that a Pakistani authority has checked the paper.
We read the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular page on attestation on 13 October 2026. This guide follows that page. Rules for apostille and for each destination country are separate, and we point you to them below.
Know which stamp your destination wants
Two services exist. Ordinary attestation costs only the prescribed revenue stamps. Apostille is a different certificate for countries in the Hague convention, and it carries a fee.
The ministry's current apostille fee is Rs 3,000 per personal or educational document, Rs 4,500 for a legal document and Rs 12,000 for a commercial one. The page does not name a Nikah Nama in those groups, so ask the ministry which group applies. Our guide to apostille or attestation explains how to decide which one you need.
From Monday 27 July 2026, the ministry says apostille services are not given without prior online registration at the apostille portal. Register first and pay by challan, Easypaisa or bank.
Bring these papers for a Pakistani marriage
The ministry lists the following. Missing any one of them is the usual reason a file is sent back for re-verification.
- The original Nikah Nama, signed and stamped by the Nikah registrar.
- The Marriage Registration Certificate (MRC).
- The bride's computerised CNIC showing her husband's name, or a Family Registration Certificate from NADRA.
- Prescribed value revenue stamps pasted on the document.
If you do not yet have an MRC, read how it works in our guide to the NADRA marriage certificate. If the Nikah Nama is lost, use the steps in how to get a copy from the union council.
Special cases have extra papers
Some marriages need more than the basic set. The ministry lists these cases.
| Case | Extra requirement |
|---|---|
| Marriage with a foreign national | Copy of the foreign spouse's passport, the Pakistani visa and proof of entry date |
| Online marriage | Original signed by bride, groom and witnesses with thumb impressions |
| Marriage in Azad Kashmir | Signature and stamp of the Tehsil Mufti |
| Marriage held abroad | Attested by the local foreign office, then countersigned by a Pakistani mission |
For a marriage held abroad, the Pakistani embassy step matters. Our guide to registering with a Pakistani embassy online helps you reach the right mission.
Where to go and what to expect
The main office is in Islamabad. Liaison offices work in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Gujrat. Regular hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
The ministry says complete documents are usually attested within two hours. Incomplete ones are sent for re-verification. Three courier firms are named for sending documents: Gerry's International, Leopards and TCS. They add a service fee. Powers of attorney and affidavits still need you to attend in person.
For questions, the page gives 051-9215803-4 and c2@mofa.gov.pk, plus a WhatsApp help desk at +92 307 1339682.
Avoid the common reasons for a return trip
Most failed visits come from small gaps. A wife whose CNIC still shows her father's name has no proof of the husband's name, so she needs the NADRA Family Registration Certificate instead. A Nikah Nama without the registrar's stamp is not accepted. A file brought to a liaison office for a ministry-only case can also waste a day, so call first.
Keep one set of clear photocopies for yourself. The foreign office may ask for them later, and you will not get the originals back quickly.
Check the page before you travel
Do three things before you leave home. Make sure the Nikah Nama is the original and not a copy. Make sure names match across the Nikah Nama, CNIC and passport. Check whether your destination wants a translation, because the page does not cover that.
The ministry says Nikah Nama attestation is permanently valid. It also says domicile certificates, photographs, invitation letters, visa notes and property registry papers cannot be attested at all. If a foreign office asks for a spouse visa file, see the Pakistan family visit visa for foreign spouses for the opposite direction.
Common questions
How much does it cost to attest a Nikah Nama in Pakistan?
Ordinary attestation costs only revenue stamps. Apostille is Rs 3,000 for a personal document, per the ministry page, so confirm the group first.
How long does it take?
About two hours for a complete file, according to the ministry. Incomplete files are sent for re-verification.
Do I need an appointment?
For apostille, yes. From 27 July 2026 you must register online first. For ordinary attestation, ask the ministry or your liaison office.
What if I married abroad?
The Nikah Nama must be attested by the foreign office of that country and countersigned by the Pakistani mission there.
Does the attestation expire?
The ministry lists the Nikah Nama among documents with permanent validity. The foreign office may still set its own rule.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 13 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation of documents page. We did not check the apostille portal, any destination country's rules, or whether a Nikah Nama falls in the personal document fee group.
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.
