Documents Attestation Procedure

 Documents Attestation

Board verification 

Before national bodies (IBCC/HEC) can attest your certificates:

• You first get your documents verified by the issuing board.
• For matric (SSC), intermediate (HSSC), and technical certificates, verification must be done by the relevant Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education (BISE) or Board of Technical Education (BTE).
• Some boards are now directly connected to the IBCC portal, meaning you can verify online without sealed envelopes; for others you still need physical board verification. (ibcc.edu.pk)

 

Common requirements for board verification:

• Original certificates and mark sheets.
• CNIC/B-form copy.
• Any board fees for verification.
• For boards not connected to IBCC portal, the board must issue a verified copy in a sealed envelope. (ibcc.edu.pk)

 

IBCC attestation (for SSC/HSSC and equivalent)

Who handles this:
Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC) attests certificates up to the intermediate level (SSC, HSSC), including equivalence for O/A Levels, diplomas, and some foreign qualifications once equivalence is granted. (apostille.mofa.gov.pk)

How to apply:

• Online application: Use the IBCC attestation portal and fill in details.
• Choose mode: Appointment, courier submission, or express service.
• Submit documents:
  • Original documents + mark sheets.
  • Board-verified copies or verification print (if board linked to portal).
  • CNIC copy (student and father).
  • Printout of fee challan or payment receipt. (ibcc.edu.pk)

 

HEC attestation (for degrees)

Who handles this:
Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Pakistan attests university degrees and their transcripts (bachelor, master, MS, MPhil, PhD), including equivalence certificates for foreign degrees. (Higher Education Commission)

Process:

• Register on HEC’s online attestation system and log in.
• Upload/enter required information about your degree, marks, transcripts.
• Pay the prescribed fee.
• Submit original degree, transcript, and CNIC copy as per HEC instructions.
• HEC verifies with the issuing university and then attests. (Higher Education Commission)

Notes:

• HEC’s online system is mandatory for degree attestation.
• Processing times can vary and sometimes take weeks; many people choose courier submission.
• Some universities also require you to get your degree certified or attested at the university level before HEC submission.

 

Other attestations (if needed)

After IBCC and HEC attestation, if you need international recognition (for embassy or foreign institutions):

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attestation: Further legalizes the documents for use abroad.
• Apostille (if destination country is Hague Convention party).
• Embassy attestation of the target country (e.g., UAE, Canada). (apostille.mofa.gov.pk)

 

Apostille

As a consequence, the Most of the Embassies  no longer legalises official Pakistani documents (police character certificates, degrees, transcripts, marriage/divorce/birth registration certificates, Nikah Namas, etc.).

Please contact the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs or consult its website for any questions regarding the apostille procedure. After getting an apostille from the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, legalisation by the Embassy in Islamabad is no longer necessary or possible.

Apostille as part of visa applications. For all official Pakistani documents that are part of a visa application for long stay, an apostille from the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to be obtained first (however, for diplomas, degrees and transcripts, please see below).

Diplomas, degrees and transcripts submitted in the framework of a student visa application are always to be attested by the Ministry of Education, more specifically by the Higher Education Commission or the Inter Boards Coordination Commission.

While these documents should in general Not be attested by an apostille from the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the rules and procedures of the Some Foreign  higher education institution concerning admission/enrollment must always be observed and might nevertheless require documents with apostille. It is up to the student visa applicant to enquire about these rules and procedures, as it is up to the higher education institution concerned to accept or not the documents put forward.

Only in rare/specific cases (legalisation of personal signatures, of commercial documents, etc.) legalisation by the Embassy remains possible if certain conditions are fulfilled. For more information, please check the official website of embassy.

Link to Verify an Pakistani Apostille issued from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.