MOFA Attestation 2026 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs Document Attestation, Fee and Offices

MOFA attestation is the official verification of your documents by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the final stamp in Pakistan before a document is used abroad. Since 12 October 2026 you apply online at portal-attestation.mofa.gov.pk and receive an electronic attestation certificate by email. General attestation carries no MOFA fee, only the prescribed revenue stamp. An apostille costs Rs 3,000 for a personal or educational document. This guide covers both routes, the fee, the documents you need, and the step your issuing body must take first.

MOFA Attestation at a Glance#

What Is MOFA Attestation?#

MOFA attestation is the official verification of a document by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan. MOFA is the final authority in Pakistan to verify documents before they are sent abroad. After the issuing body confirms the document, HEC for degrees, IBCC for school certificates, NADRA for personal documents, MOFA adds its own stamp that confirms the prior verification. A foreign university, employer or embassy then accepts the document as genuine.

MOFA offers two different services, and you must pick the right one before you start. General attestation confirms the authenticity of a document for regular use, and it feeds into the embassy step for countries that are not members of the Hague Apostille Convention. Apostille certification is a single authentication certificate that confirms a public document is genuine so it can be accepted in another member country, without extra embassy legalisation. Pakistan acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention, in force since 9 March 2023, so documents apostilled in Pakistan can be used directly in other member states, and foreign apostilled documents are accepted here without further MOFA attestation.

What Changed: the Digital Attestation System#

MOFA launched a Digital Attestation System on 12 October 2026. From that Monday, MOFA Islamabad and its Liaison Offices at Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Gujrat adopted the system for attestation of consular documents. After submission of documents for General and Apostille attestation, an electronic certificate (e-Certificate), similar to the system adopted by HEC, is issued to applicants via email upon completion of the required process and payment of the prescribed fee. This facility enables applicants to get their documents attested from the comfort of their homes, without the need to visit the Ministry or its Liaison Offices in person, except in exceptional cases where physical presence may be required.

Most guides still describe the old system: book an appointment online, take a printed slip, and attend in person. That system is superseded. The Ministry now directs its officers to encourage applicants to submit documents electronically through the portal at portal-attestation.mofa.gov.pk. Some documents may still require additional physical verification at a MOFA office.

General Attestation or Apostille: Which One Do You Need?#

Check whether your destination is a Hague Apostille Convention member before you start. For countries that are members of the convention, an apostille replaces the older chain of attestations. For countries that are not members, including several Gulf states, you still need the traditional route: verification by the relevant authority, MOFA attestation, and then the destination country’s embassy. The UAE is not a contracting party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so a document for the UAE needs MOFA attestation and then the UAE Embassy in Islamabad. An apostille is not accepted for the UAE.

Germany, the Netherlands and Poland are members of the convention but objected to Pakistan’s accession, so the apostille is not accepted there. Check with the receiving office in the destination country before you apply. Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, China, the UK and Australia are among the member states that accept a Pakistani apostille.

Before You Apply: Get Your Prior Verification First#

MOFA does not attest a document directly unless it is already verified by the relevant authority. A degree or transcript must first be attested by the Higher Education Commission. Our HEC degree attestation guide covers that process. A Matric or Inter certificate must first be attested by the Inter Boards Coordination Commission. Our IBCC attestation guide covers that process. Technical qualifications must be verified by the relevant technical education board and the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC). Commercial documents must be authenticated by a Chamber of Commerce, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) or another authorised body. Birth, marriage and death certificates come from NADRA. A power of attorney must first be notarised, and the executants must come in person for attestation.

Complete these preliminary requirements first to avoid application delays or outright rejections. MOFA only attests documents in Urdu or English. A translation needs English in one column on the same page, alongside the other language.

Documents You Need#

Have these ready before you open the portal. A valid CNIC. An active email address. Clear digital copies of the documents you want attested. The prior verification record for each document, HEC for a degree, IBCC for a school certificate, NADRA for a personal document, a Chamber of Commerce for a commercial document. For an apostille, the original document, because an apostille is affixed only to original documents and photocopies are not accepted. An authorisation letter, if someone else applies on your behalf, and proof of relationship if you are applying for a minor or a family member. Keep the attested document with your application file. Our documents checklist lists every document a government job application needs.

How to Apply for MOFA Attestation Online#

You apply on the MOFA attestation portal. The portal takes both general attestation and apostille applications, and you receive the certificate by email.

1. Get prior verification. Get the document verified by the relevant authority first: HEC for a degree, IBCC for a Matric or Inter certificate, NADRA for a personal document, a Chamber of Commerce or TDAP for a commercial document.
2. Create an account. Open portal-attestation.mofa.gov.pk and select the registration option if you are a new user. Enter your first name, last name, email address, CNIC number and password. Enter your CNIC number without any dashes.
3. Apply and upload documents. After logging in, choose either general attestation or apostille certification based on what the foreign authority, university, employer or organisation is asking for. Complete the application form. Upload readable digital copies of your documents alongside any requested supporting certificates or prior verification records. Review your information carefully before proceeding.
4. Pay the fee. Pay the prescribed fee based on the on-screen instructions. The amount varies depending on your document category and selected service. General attestation carries no MOFA fee, only the prescribed revenue stamp. An apostille costs Rs 3,000 for a personal or educational document, Rs 4,500 for a legal document and Rs 12,000 for a commercial document. Confirm all charges displayed on the portal before finalising the payment.
5. Wait for verification. Submit your application through the portal. MOFA will review your details. Monitor your application online and check your email for updates. Some documents may still require additional physical verification at a MOFA office.
6. Download your e-Certificate. MOFA will issue an electronic attestation certificate upon successful verification and send it directly to your registered email address. Download it and keep it ready for submission. Anyone who needs to confirm an apostille can check it at apostille.mofa.gov.pk or by the QR code on the certificate.

MOFA Attestation Fee#

MOFA charges no attestation fee for general attestation of any document type. Only the prescribed revenue stamp is required. The apostille is a separate service with its own fee: Rs 3,000 for a personal document, Rs 3,000 for an educational document, Rs 4,500 for a legal document and Rs 12,000 for a commercial document, per document, in force from 8 July 2024. Fees are revised from time to time, so confirm the current amount on the portal before you pay. Educational documents usually need HEC attestation first, which carries its own fee of Rs 3,000 per document.

How Long Does MOFA Attestation Take?#

MOFA states that all general documents, except powers of attorney and affidavits, are processed or attested within two hours. An apostille takes the same day, around 3 to 4 hours. The e-Certificate is sent to your registered email address once the process is complete. An apostille remains valid indefinitely unless the document itself expires.

Where to Submit: MOFA Offices#

MOFA has its headquarters in Islamabad and Liaison Offices in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Gujrat. Six offices in total. The Ministry states that camp attestations are at par with Islamabad, so the office nearest you is not a lesser stamp. Under the digital system you apply online and receive the e-Certificate by email, so in most cases you do not need to visit an office at all. Physical presence may still be required in exceptional cases.

Getting an Apostille by Courier#

If you are already abroad, you do not have to fly back. MOFA has authorised five courier companies to collect documents for apostille: TCS, Gerry’s International, Leopards, Excellent Courier Services (ECS) and M&P Express Logistics. You hand over the original documents at a courier centre and pay the government apostille fee plus the courier’s own service charge. The courier submits the document to MOFA and brings it back to you with the apostille certificate attached. Not every document can go by courier. A power of attorney, an affidavit, a divorce certificate and a commercial document need the applicant at a MOFA counter in person. Whatever you send must already carry the verification its issuing body requires, such as IBCC for Matric and Intermediate certificates. You can also appoint a close blood relative in Pakistan to submit and collect documents on your behalf.

Common Mistakes That Delay Attestation#

• Choosing the wrong service. General attestation and apostille are different services. Check whether your destination is a Hague member before you start. An apostille is not accepted for the UAE, Germany, the Netherlands or Poland.
• Skipping prior verification. MOFA does not attest a document directly. Get HEC, IBCC, NADRA or Chamber verification first, or the application is rejected.
• Applying for an apostille without online registration. From 27 July 2026, apostille attestation is not entertained without prior online registration. Submit the application through the portal before visiting.
• Sending a photocopy for an apostille. An apostille is affixed only to original documents. Photocopies are not accepted.
• Paying the wrong fee. General attestation carries no MOFA fee. The Rs 3,000, Rs 4,500 and Rs 12,000 figures are apostille fees, by document category. Confirm the charges on the portal before you pay.
• Using the old appointment system. The walk-in and appointment-slip system is superseded. Apply through the digital portal at portal-attestation.mofa.gov.pk.
• Name or detail mismatch. Make sure names and details match across all your documents, and complete the local verification step first.
• Trusting an agent’s promise. Be cautious of agents promising same-day results for large fees. The official fees are on the portal.
• Forgetting the embassy step. For a non-Hague destination, MOFA attestation is not the last step. The destination country’s embassy must legalise the document after MOFA.
• Submitting a document in another language. MOFA only attests documents in Urdu or English. A translation needs English in one column on the same page.

Frequently Asked Questions#

How to attest documents from MOFA?

Apply online at portal-attestation.mofa.gov.pk. Register with your CNIC, email and mobile number, choose general attestation or apostille, upload clear digital copies of your documents with their prior verification records, pay the fee shown on the portal, and receive the electronic attestation certificate by email. Get HEC, IBCC or NADRA verification first. MOFA does not attest a document directly.

What is MOFA attestation?

MOFA attestation is the official verification of a document by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the final stamp in Pakistan before a document is used abroad. MOFA confirms the prior verification by the issuing body (HEC for degrees, IBCC for school certificates, NADRA for personal documents) and adds its own stamp. A foreign university, employer or embassy then accepts the document as genuine.

How to attest degree from MOFA?

Get the degree attested by HEC first, through eservices.hec.gov.pk. Then apply on the MOFA portal at portal-attestation.mofa.gov.pk, choose general attestation or apostille, upload the HEC-attested degree, pay the fee shown on the portal, and receive the e-Certificate by email. MOFA does not attest a degree that HEC has not verified.

How to get MOFA attestation?

Register on the MOFA attestation portal at portal-attestation.mofa.gov.pk with your CNIC and email. Choose the service your destination needs: general attestation for a non-Hague country, apostille for a Hague member. Upload your documents with their prior verification, pay the fee, and download the e-Certificate from your email. MOFA has offices in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Gujrat, but under the digital system you usually do not need to visit one.

Why is MOFA attestation required?

A foreign university, employer or embassy will not accept a Pakistani document on its own. MOFA attestation is the final government verification that confirms the document is genuine and that its prior verification by HEC, IBCC or NADRA is valid. Without it, the document cannot be used abroad. For a Hague member country, an apostille from MOFA replaces the embassy step entirely.