APOSTILLE SERVICES IN PAKISTAN – ADV. NAZIA

APOSTILLE IN PAKISTAN

An apostille in Pakistan is a substitute for embassy attestations. In the past, when you wanted to submit a document abroad, the destination country required that its own embassy also attest the document. Now, once the document is apostilled, more than 150 countries around the world accept it. After completing the apostille requirements in Pakistan and attesting the document, more than 150 countries accept its. You may also get assistance from a lawyer in the procedure of apostille services in Pakistan. 

APOSTILLE REQUIREMENTS IN PAKISTAN

These are the apostille requirements in Pakistan.

HOW TO GET AN APOSTILLE IN PAKISTAN

To get a document apostilled from Pakistan, you have to courier the document to the office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If you fulfill the apostille requirements in Pakistan, they will attest the document and send you the attested document by post. The process takes about 30 to 45 days. If you need urgent attestation, you may avail yourself of apostille services in Pakistan.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR APOSTILLE IN PAKISTAN

Below is the list of documents required for apostille in Pakistan

  • ID card copy
  • Copy of document to be apostilled
  • Orginal ID document on which the apostille is required

APOSTILLE PROCESS IN PAKISTAN

The apostille process in Pakistan is that you take the original document to the courier services and submit the document along with the fees, and once it is attested, you will get the document back through the courier.  

APOSTILLE ATTESTATION APPOINTMENT IN PAKISTAN

The MOFA office does not take apostille attestation appointments in Pakistan. You have to send the documents by courier service.

WHAT TO DO BEFORE APOSTILLE – PRE-REQUISITE ATTESTATION

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not just attest the documents from scratch. The required documents need to be attested by their relevant departments before submitting them for apostille. Below are the pre-requisite attestation requirements for different documents.

  • EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTS

The educational documents need to be first attested by their relevant boards. The Matric and Intermediate degrees and result cards need to be first attested by IBCC, and the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees need to be first attested by HEC before getting them apostilled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan.

  • COMMERCIAL DOCUMENTS

The commercial documents need to be first attested by the Chamber of Commerce before getting them apostilled.

  • APOSTILLE OF POLICE CHARACTER CERTIFICATE

The Police Character Certificate should be first attested by the concerned police officer, or it should have the seal of the Police Khidmat Markaz.

  • APOSTILLE UNMARRIED CERTIFICATE IN PAKISTAN

The unmarried certificate in Pakistan should have the seal of the Nikah Registrar of the concerned area, along with the seal and signatures of the local government department, such as Union Council, Municipal Committee, Union Committee, Cantonment Board, Municipal Corporation

The certificate should have these requirements before it is submitted for apostille services in Pakistan.

  • MARRIAGE & DIVORCE CERTIFICATE

The marriage and divorce certificates in Pakistan should have the seal of the relevant Union Council before submitting them for apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan.

Apostille in Pakistan

HAGUE CONVENTION

Pakistan is a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention since 1961 and started the services of apostille in Pakistan in March 2023.

WHICH COUNTRIES ACCEPT APOSTILLE?

All the countries that are signatories to the Hague Apostille Convention accept apostille attestation from Pakistan from the Foreign Ministry, except Germany, Greece, Cyprus, Spain, and Austria, which have placed an objection to Pakistan’s accession. For these countries, regular embassy/consular legalization is still mandatory.

HOW TO VERIFY APOSTILLE IN PAKISTAN

The apostille sticker fixed on the document can be verified by scanning the barcode on the sticker, along with putting the tracking number on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You can visit this link for the e verification of the apostille.

WHO CAN SUBMIT DOCUMENTS FOR APOSTILLE?

The following people can submit the documents for apostille in Pakistan:

  • Applicant himself

  • His blood relative

  • His lawyer

APOSTILLE VS MOFA

The apostille and MOFA attestation are done by the same Ministry, but they are both different. The MOFA is to authenticate the document, whereas the apostille is an alternative to embassy attestation in Pakistan.

APOSTILLE BY COURIER

The government has also allowed courier companies like TCS, Leopard, and Gerry’s to collect the documents for apostille.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Apostille services in Pakistan are a substitute for the embassy attestation in Pakistan. Now, if a document is apostilled, then you don’t need to get the document attested from the embassy of that country.

Yes! The apostille is available in Pakistan.

The apostille time limit in Pakistan is officially 30 to 45 days. If you need quick services, you may contact our law firm.

Yes! The HEC and IBCC must attest educational documents before apostille.

Yes! Your blood relative or You may hire the services of an attorney to apply for an apostille on your behalf.

No! The apostille stamp on the document never expires. The apostille stamp on the documents are for ever unless the government changes any law or rules in the future

An apostille is acceptable in more than 150 countries. If a country does not accept an apostille, then you have to attest the document from the embassy or consulate of that country.

The fastest way to get apostille services in Pakistan is to hire the services of our law firm.

The fee for an apostille in Pakistan is about Rs3000 to Rs15000 for each document. The lawyers charge additional fees for the legal services.

Yes! You can hire an apostille agent in Pakistan through our law firm.