How to Attest Educational Documents in Pakistan?
Many students aspiring for knowledge dream of studying in the world’s premier educational institutions or universities. The current political and economic conditions in Pakistan have heightened the inclination to explore opportunities abroad. If you’re contemplating studying abroad or pursuing immigration, the initial step involves the attestation of your educational documents.
The attestation, verification, and legalization of educational documents constitute extensive processes that necessitate involvement with government bodies such as the relevant Board of Education, IBCC, HEC, and MOFA.
To enhance your comprehension, let me elucidate the entire procedure step by step.
Guide #1 Verification from the Board of Education
The initial and crucial phase in the document attestation process is to undergo ‘document verification’ through the Board of Education or the relevant institution where you acquired your Matric, Intermediate, Diploma, or Aama and Khasa degrees.
Verification and attestation represent two separate procedures. Verification entails the issuing authority of a specific certificate or degree confirming its authenticity and verifying that it is not a counterfeit. On the other hand, attestation is performed by a government-authorized organization to validate and authenticate the document for submission to foreign missions or universities.
For example, if you completed your studies under the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Islamabad (FBISE), the initial step involves verifying your documents through FBISE’s online services or manual verification, with the payment of a specified fee. Once verified, FBISE provides a verified copy of your document. The subsequent step includes IBCC attestation. Verification fees differ among boards, with FBISE charging Rs. 1000/- for each document or certificate, whether it is an original or a copy.
Guide# 2 IBCC Attestation
Following the verification process, you must present your verified copy, alongside the original documents, to the IBCC office or through online services. Once again, you’ll need to pay the specified fee and submit both your original documents and the verified copy provided by the board. IBCC will retain the verified copy, affix a stamp, and seal your original documents on the back. It’s essential to note that IBCC is authorized to attest documents only up to the 12th grade or intermediate level, including mark sheets, certificates, diplomas, equivalence certificates of O & A levels, Shahadat-ul-Saanviat-ul-Aama, and Shahadat-ul-Saanviat-ul-Khasa.
IBCC has established regional offices in all provinces of Pakistan, making attestation services easily accessible in cities like Islamabad (Head Office), Karachi (Regional Office), Lahore (Regional Office), Peshawar (Regional Office), Quetta (Regional Office), and Bahawalpur (Regional Office). For complete addresses, locations, and contact numbers, please refer to this article.
The fee for attesting each original document or certificate is Rs. 1200/-, while the fee for attesting each copy of an original document or certificate is Rs. 600/-.
Guide #3 HEC Attestation
To attest graduation and higher-level certificates, the next phase involves following the Higher Education Commission (HEC) attestation process. Once your documents have been verified by the board and attested by IBCC, the subsequent step is to arrange an appointment with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) online to authenticate your degrees for graduation, master’s, and advanced academic qualifications.
HEC mandates the presentation of all your degrees from Matric (SSC) onwards before you can submit your documents. Consequently, it is imperative to complete the initial two steps before accessing the HEC online portal or visiting their office.
For online attestation, you must book a ticket and dispatch your documents to HEC via a designated courier service. If urgent attestation is required, you can personally visit the HEC office or send an authorized representative with an authority letter.
The fee for normal/online attestation is Rs. 1000/- per original document and Rs. 700/- per photocopy of the original.
Guide #4 MOFA Attestation
Following the completion of the verification and attestation processes with the Board, IBCC, and HEC, the concluding step involves obtaining attestation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
For MOFA attestation, you need to submit all documents that have undergone verification and attestation by the aforementioned organizations, each featuring their respective stamps and seals, at the MOFA attestation wing.
There is a nominal fee of Rs. 200/- for each attestation, covering a postage ticket on each document.
In addition to educational documents, MOFA also attests to various other document types necessary for immigration or study purposes. These include birth certificates, marriage certificates, family registration certificates, divorce certificates, death certificates, property documents, experience certificates, police character certificates, and any other relevant documents.
Guide #5 Embassy/Consulate Attestation
The ultimate stage involves presenting your documents to the pertinent embassy or consulate in the country of your intended study or employment. The embassy will validate the legitimacy of your documents by cross-checking the verifications and attestations acquired from the previously mentioned relevant departments.
Upon completing all these stages, your documents will be prepared for submission to your selected institution or destination, be it for study, work, or immigration.