On this page 9 sections
- Attestation at a Glance
- Who Can Attest Documents in Pakistan?
- Do I Need Originals Attested?
- Which Documents Need Attestation for a Government Job in Pakistan
- How to Get a Gazetted Officer’s Attestation
- The Correct Order: Five Steps
- What the Department Asks for at Scrutiny
- Mistakes That Get Documents Rejected
- Frequently Asked Questions
Attestation in Pakistan is the step that proves your photocopy is a true copy of your original. A gazetted officer compares the copy with the original, then signs and stamps it. For a government job, you attest photocopies before you submit them, and the commissions and departments check them again at scrutiny.
This guide is the hub for attestation. It explains who can attest, whether originals are attested, the correct order of the five steps, what each step costs, and where the three detailed guides fit in.
Attestation at a Glance#
| Step | Who does it | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gazetted officer | Gazetted officer, BPS-17 or above | No set fee |
| 2. Board verification | Your BISE board | Set by the board |
| 3. IBCC | Inter Board Committee of Chairmen | Rs 1,200 per original |
| 4. HEC | Higher Education Commission | Rs 3,000 per document |
| 5. MOFA | Ministry of Foreign Affairs | No fee (revenue stamp only) |
Attestation is usually done by a designated agency of the federal, provincial or local government. If no agency is designated, a Gazetted Officer is authorized to do it. The order matters. IBCC will not attest a certificate the board has not verified. HEC will not attest a degree the university has not verified. MOFA will not attest an educational document that IBCC or HEC has not attested first.
Who Can Attest Documents in Pakistan?#
A gazetted officer can attest your documents. Gazetted officers are senior government officials whose appointments are published in the Gazette of Pakistan. They are typically BPS-16 and above. For attestation, the rule most departments use is a gazetted officer of BPS-17 or above. That is the rule in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs procedures: a photocopy is attested when the original is presented, or when it is attested by a gazetted officer of BPS-17 or above.
A gazetted officer is, for example:
- Assistant Superintendent of Police
- Principal or faculty member of a government college
- Government doctor or engineer
- Armed forces officer
- Junior Commissioned Officer
A clerk, a peon, a private school teacher or a private doctor cannot attest your documents.
A notary public is different: a notary attests signatures and affidavits, not document copies. For a government job, the department asks for the gazetted officer’s attestation.
Do I Need Originals Attested?#
No. Originals are never attested. Only photocopies are attested, against the originals. You take the original and the photocopy to the officer. The officer compares them, signs the photocopy and stamps it. The original comes back to you unstamped. If anyone offers to stamp your original degree or certificate, do not let them. An original with a stamp on it is a damaged original.
The same rule applies at every step. IBCC attests the original certificate itself, because that is its own verification. HEC attests the original degree. MOFA attests the document after IBCC or HEC has attested it. But the gazetted officer’s attestation, which is what most job applications need, is always on the photocopy.
Which Documents Need Attestation for a Government Job in Pakistan#
The advertisement tells you which documents to submit, and it usually says “attested copies”. The usual set is:
- CNIC
- Domicile certificate
- Matric and Intermediate certificates and DMCs
- Bachelor and Master degrees and transcripts
- Experience certificate
- Character certificate
Each document follows its own route:
- Board certificates: go to the board and then IBCC.
- Degrees: go to HEC.
- Character certificate: comes from the police.
- Domicile: comes from the district administration.
- Experience certificate: comes from your employer, and it is the employer who signs it, not a gazetted officer.
Make two attested sets, not one. One set goes with the application. The second set stays ready for scrutiny, when the commission asks for it at short notice. A set that is attested once can be photocopied again, but the new photocopy is not attested. Each copy must carry the officer’s own signature and stamp.
How to Get a Gazetted Officer’s Attestation#
Take the original document and two photocopies to a gazetted officer. The officer compares each photocopy with the original, signs every page of the photocopy and stamps it. The stamp must show the officer’s name, designation and office. Check that the signature and stamp are clear on every page before you leave. There is no set fee for this. The officer is doing a public duty, and no payment is required. If the officer is busy, ask when to return rather than leaving your originals behind. Never leave an original document with anyone.
The Correct Order: Five Steps#
Step 1. Gazetted officer. Get photocopies of your documents attested by a gazetted officer of BPS-17 or above. This is the step most job applications need. Our documents guide lists what a government job application needs.
Step 2. Board verification. Before IBCC can attest your Matric or Intermediate certificate, the board that issued it must verify it. The board checks its own record and confirms the certificate is genuine.
Step 3. IBCC. The Inter Board Committee of Chairmen attests Matric and Intermediate certificates. The fee is Rs 1,200 per original. Appointment same day, courier within 10 working days, express within an hour in Islamabad only. Attestation is lifetime. Our IBCC attestation guide covers the full process.
Step 4. HEC. The Higher Education Commission attests university degrees. The fee is Rs 3,000 per document. The process is fully online and paperless from 11 May 2026. There is no courier and no walk-in. Our HEC degree attestation guide covers the full process.
Step 5. MOFA. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs attests documents for use abroad. General attestation has no MOFA fee, only the prescribed revenue stamp. Apostille costs Rs 3,000 for personal and educational documents, Rs 4,500 for legal documents and Rs 12,000 for commercial documents. The Digital Attestation System started on 12 October 2026 at mofa.gov.pk, and the e-Certificate is issued by email. Our MOFA attestation guide covers the full process.
What the Department Asks for at Scrutiny#
After the test, the commission or department asks for your documents at scrutiny. The Balochistan Public Service Commission’s rule is the clearest example: one set verified by the Board or University and attested by a Gazetted Officer, including 4 photos, Matric and Intermediate DMCs and certificates, Bachelor, Master, M.Phil. or Ph.D. degrees, CNIC, experience certificate, local and domicile certificates verified, and the DPC for government servants, within 10 days of the notice. That is the set to prepare in advance, so a short notice does not catch you out.
For HEC, apply on the HEC portal at hec.gov.pk. For MOFA, the Ministry only attests documents in Urdu and English. Documents once attested remain valid forever and will not be re-attested. A camp office attestation in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta or Gujrat has the same weight as one from Islamabad.
Mistakes That Get Documents Rejected#
Getting the original stamped. Originals are never attested. Only photocopies are attested, against the originals.
Going to IBCC before the board. IBCC will not attest a certificate the board has not verified. Get the board verification first.
Going to MOFA before IBCC or HEC. MOFA will not attest an educational document that IBCC or HEC has not attested first. Board certificates need IBCC. Degrees need HEC.
Using a non-gazetted officer. A private teacher, a clerk or a private doctor cannot attest your documents. The officer must be gazetted, usually BPS-17 or above.
Paying an agent for gazetted attestation. A gazetted officer does not charge a set fee for attestation. If someone asks for money to get your documents attested by an officer, walk away.
Attesting the wrong set. Attest the documents the advertisement asks for, and keep one attested set ready for scrutiny. An attested copy of a document nobody asked for is wasted time.
Frequently Asked Questions#
Who can attest documents in Pakistan?
A gazetted officer can attest your documents, usually one of BPS-17 or above. Gazetted officers are senior government officials whose appointments are published in the Gazette of Pakistan, such as an Assistant Superintendent of Police, a government college principal, a government doctor or engineer, an armed forces officer or a Junior Commissioned Officer. For specific documents, the designated authority attests them: the board for board certificates, IBCC for Matric and Intermediate, HEC for university degrees and MOFA for use abroad.
Do I need originals attested?
No. Only photocopies are attested, against the originals. You take the original and the photocopy to the officer, the officer compares them, signs the photocopy and stamps it, and the original comes back to you unstamped. IBCC and HEC are the exceptions: they attest the original certificate or degree itself, because that is their own verification.
What is the correct order of attestation?
First, get photocopies attested by a gazetted officer. Second, get the board to verify your Matric or Intermediate certificate. Third, get IBCC attestation. Fourth, get HEC attestation for university degrees. Fifth, get MOFA attestation for use abroad. IBCC will not attest a certificate the board has not verified, and MOFA will not attest an educational document that IBCC or HEC has not attested first.
How much does attestation cost?
A gazetted officer does not charge a set fee. IBCC charges Rs 1,200 per original. HEC charges Rs 3,000 per document. MOFA general attestation has no fee, only the prescribed revenue stamp. MOFA apostille costs Rs 3,000 for personal and educational documents, Rs 4,500 for legal documents and Rs 12,000 for commercial documents.
How long does attestation take?
Gazetted attestation takes minutes. IBCC takes the same day by appointment, courier within 10 working days, or express within an hour in Islamabad only. HEC is fully online and paperless. MOFA’s Digital Attestation System issues an e-Certificate by email after the process is complete. IBCC attestation is lifetime, and a MOFA-attested document remains valid forever.
