Studying in the world’s best educational institutions or universities is a dream shared by many students who seek knowledge. The current political and economic situation in Pakistan has intensified the desire to seek opportunities abroad. If you are considering studying abroad or applying for immigration, you will need to get your educational documents attested first.
Attestation, verification, and legalization of educational documents is a lengthy process, that involves government organizations like the concerned Board of Education, IBCC, HEC, and MOFA.
Let me explain the whole procedure step by step for your better understanding;
Step 1: Verification from the Board of Education
The first and foremost step in the process of document attestation is to have your ‘documents verified’ by the Board of Education or the relevant organization from which you obtained your Matric, Intermediate, Diploma, or Aama and Khasa degrees.
Verification and attestation are two distinct processes. Verification involves the issuing authority of a specific certificate or degree confirming that it is an original document and not a forgery. On the other hand, attestation is carried out by an organization authorized by the government to verify and authenticate the document for submission to foreign missions or universities.
For instance, if you completed your studies under the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Islamabad (FBISE), the first step is to verify your documents through FBISE’s online services or manually, following the payment of a prescribed fee. FBISE will then provide you with a verified copy of your document. The next step involves IBCC attestation. Verification fees vary from board to board. FBISE charges Rs. 1000/- for each document or certificate, whether it is an original or a copy.
Step 2: IBCC Attestation
After the verification process, you will need to bring your verified copy, along with the original documents, to the IBCC office or through online service. Once again, you will be required to pay the prescribed fee and submit both your original documents and the verified copy provided by the board.
IBCC will retain the verified copy and stamp and seal your original documents on the back. It’s important 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, allowing you to access attestation services conveniently in cities near you, such as 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 structure 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/-.”
Step 3: HEC Attestation
For the attestation of graduation and higher-level certificates, you will need to follow the Higher Education Commission (HEC) attestation process. After your documents have been verified by the board and attested by IBCC, the next step is to schedule an appointment with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) online to verify your degrees for graduation, master’s, and higher academic qualifications.
HEC requires all of your degrees from Matric (SSC) onwards to be presented before you can submit your documents. Therefore, it’s essential to complete the first two steps before accessing the HEC online portal or visiting their office.
For online attestation, you’ll need to book a ticket and send your documents to HEC via a designated courier service. If you require urgent attestation, 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.
Step 4: MOFA Attestation
After completing the verification and attestation processes with the Board, IBCC, and HEC, the final step is to obtain an attestation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
To have your documents attested by MOFA, you must submit all the documents that have been verified and attested by the organizations mentioned above, each bearing their respective stamps and seals, at the MOFA attestation wing.
There is a minimal fee of Rs. 200/- for each attestation, which is for a postage ticket on each document.
In addition to educational documents, MOFA also attests to various other types of documents that may be required 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.
Step 5: Embassy/Consulate Attestation
The final step is to submit your documents to the relevant embassy or consulate in the country where you intend to study or work. The embassy will verify the authenticity of your documents by cross-referencing the verifications and attestations obtained from the relevant departments mentioned earlier. Once you have completed all these steps, your documents will be ready for submission to your chosen institution or destination for study, work, or immigration.
