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Apostille Fee in Pakistan, Plus the Police Certificate and Attestation Costs You Will Also Pay

Tips · 2026-10-13 · 7 min read

The MOFA apostille fee itself is a small, published amount, but it is rarely the only document cost you will pay before leaving Pakistan. Between the police character certificate, the attestation chain for education and trade certificates, and the apostille step itself, the real total is spread across several offices. Here is every official rupee amount currently published, in one place, so you can budget before you start.

Police Character Certificate: the first cost, and it depends on where you apply

In Punjab, a Police Character Certificate is applied for at any Police Khidmat Markaz, costs a processing fee of Rs. 350, and takes 3 working days after the application date. In Islamabad Capital Territory, the same certificate costs Rs. 1000, also processed in 3 working days, and can be applied for online or at a Police Khidmat Markaz.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will only attest this certificate if it was issued by the local District Police Officer, or by the concerned Political Agent in tribal areas, so applying through the correct channel the first time avoids a repeat trip.

MOFA attestation itself: officially free

MOFA states plainly that no fee is charged for any type of attestation by the Ministry or its Camp Offices: applicants only pay for the prescribed revenue stamps pasted on the documents, and must bring their original identity card. If anyone asks you for a MOFA "attestation fee" beyond revenue stamps, that is not MOFA's own charge.

Before MOFA, the attestation chain has its own stops

Education and trade certificates cannot go straight to MOFA. Board (BISE) certificates must first be countersigned by the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC), university degrees attested by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and technical skills certificates attested by the local technical board and the National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC). Trade experience certificates follow their own chain too: Electrician/Technician and Workshop/Mechanic experience through NAVTTC or the National Training Bureau, Cooking/Chef certificates through the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, and engineering diplomas and experience certificates through the Pakistan Engineering Council. MOFA will also only attest an experience certificate if it is on the institute's or department's letter pad with the named seal and signature of the Head of Human Resources.

Trade workers can find the right office for their own letter in our guide to experience certificate attestation by trade.

IBCC's own submission process runs through an online application at attest.ibcc.edu.pk, followed by an appointment, an evening express service (Islamabad and Lahore only), or courier, with courier applications returned within fifteen working days. IBCC does not publish a fixed attestation fee on its own pages, so budget time for the step and ask the IBCC counter directly for the current charge before you submit.

This chain matters most for roles that specifically ask for a verified qualification, such as this Project Analyst role in Perth or positions under Accounting & Finance on the site, where an employer or assessing body will want to see the attested original, not just a photocopy.

The apostille fee itself, by document type

MOFA's apostille fee, revised with effect from 8 July 2024, charges by the kind of document.

Apostille requests also need prior online registration at apostille.mofa.gov.pk before MOFA will accept them; our separate guide to apostille registration, fees and offices in Pakistan walks through that online step and the office locations in full.

What these fees look like in Australian dollars

Using the State Bank of Pakistan's mark-to-market rate of 193.0839 rupees per Australian dollar for 7 October 2026, the top apostille fee of Rs. 12,000 for a commercial document works out to roughly AUD 62, and the Rs. 3,000 personal/educational fee to roughly AUD 16. These are rough comparisons at one day's published rate, and rates move, but they put the Pakistani-rupee figures into a scale most applicants can picture against Australian visa and migration costs. Those visa costs rarely stop at the headline charge either: applicants also pay separately for English language tests, health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

Getting your documents ready, in order

1. Apply for your Police Character Certificate at the correct office for your address: a Police Khidmat Markaz in Punjab (Rs. 350) or online or in person in Islamabad Capital Territory (Rs. 1000).
2. For education or trade certificates, complete the right attestation chain first: IBCC or HEC for academic certificates, NAVTTC, NTB, PTDC or the Pakistan Engineering Council for trade and professional experience.
3. Have experience letters issued on the employer's letter pad with the Head of Human Resources' named seal and signature, since MOFA will not attest a letter that is missing this.
4. Register online at apostille.mofa.gov.pk before attempting to submit an apostille request; MOFA will not accept a request without it.
5. Bring your original CNIC and budget for revenue stamps (MOFA's own attestation step itself is free) plus the apostille fee for each document type you are submitting.

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is budgeting only for the MOFA apostille fee and forgetting the earlier attestation chain. A university degree that has not been through HEC, or a trade certificate that skipped NAVTTC, will not reach MOFA's apostille desk no matter how much you are prepared to pay there.

The second mistake is paying someone an unofficial "service charge" for the MOFA attestation step itself, which MOFA says is free aside from revenue stamps. If a fee is quoted for this specific step, ask to see where it is published.

The same caution applies to the job itself: our guide to paying money for a job abroad explains who may lawfully charge you and who may not.

The third is applying for a Police Character Certificate at the wrong office for your registered address, which means starting the 3 working day wait over again at the correct office.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Police Character Certificate cost in Pakistan?

It depends on where you apply: Rs. 350 at any Police Khidmat Markaz in Punjab, or Rs. 1000 in Islamabad Capital Territory, both processed in 3 working days.

Does MOFA charge a fee to attest my documents?

No separate fee for the attestation itself; MOFA only requires prescribed revenue stamps on the documents and your original CNIC, regardless of how many documents you bring.

How much is the apostille fee at MOFA?

MOFA's fee, revised from 8 July 2024, is Rs. 3,000 per personal or educational document, Rs. 4,500 per legal document, and Rs. 12,000 per commercial document.

Do I need to attest my degree before MOFA will apostille it?

Yes. A university degree needs attestation by the Higher Education Commission first, and board certificates need countersigning by the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen, before MOFA's apostille step.

Can I submit an apostille request at MOFA without registering online first?

No. MOFA states that apostille requests are not accepted without prior online registration at apostille.mofa.gov.pk.

How much does IBCC charge to attest a board certificate?

IBCC does not publish a fixed fee on its own attestation pages, so confirm the current charge directly with IBCC when you submit your application at attest.ibcc.edu.pk.

Key takeaways

• A Police Character Certificate costs Rs. 350 in Punjab or Rs. 1000 in Islamabad Capital Territory, both in 3 working days.
• MOFA's own attestation step is free aside from revenue stamps; the apostille fee is separate and depends on document type: Rs. 3,000 (personal/educational), Rs. 4,500 (legal) or Rs. 12,000 (commercial).
• Education and trade certificates need their own attestation chain, such as IBCC, HEC or NAVTTC, before MOFA will apostille them.
• Apostille requests need prior online registration at apostille.mofa.gov.pk; MOFA will not accept a request without it.
• Budgeting for every stop in the chain, not just the final MOFA fee, avoids an unwelcome surprise near your departure date.

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