The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced significant changes to the apostille verification procedures for educational, legal, and commercial documents, aimed at enhancing accessibility and transparency.
Previously, securing appointments for apostille attestation often fell prey to agent monopolies, who would resell them at exorbitant prices, exploiting the urgency of applicants.
To counteract this, the Ministry has abolished the appointment system altogether. Now, applicants can directly visit designated centers in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi for document verification.
New fee structure introduced
Alongside procedural changes, a revised fee structure has been implemented:
- Personal and educational documents: PKR 3,000 per document
- Legal documents: PKR 4,500 per document
- Commercial documents: PKR 12,000 per document
This marks a significant increase from previous rates of PKR 500, PKR 700, and PKR 3,000 respectively. The Ministry asserts that these adjustments are necessary to maintain service standards and cover administrative costs.
Distinguishing between attestations
It is important to differentiate between Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation and Apostille attestation. Documents certified by the Ministry are valid for six months unless used, necessitating re-certification thereafter.
Conversely, Apostille certification, governed by an international agreement under The Hague Conference, ensures perpetual validity across 166 member countries, including Oman and Bahrain for which it is mandatory.
