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Pakistan
Document attestation
Attesting Pakistani documents for Saudi Arabia, the MOFA apostille route
Pakistani papers become valid in Saudi Arabia with an apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after your chamber of commerce has stamped commercial documents. MOFA has issued apostilles since 17 May 2024, so there is no Saudi embassy step. Send us PDFs and we tell you exactly which originals need stamping, in which order.
- No Saudi embassy step
- Checked from PDFs first
- Fixed fee, no hidden costs
The short answerPakistani company documents are made valid in Saudi Arabia in three steps: a chamber of commerce stamp for commercial papers, an apostille from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a certified Arabic translation. The Apostille Convention has applied to Pakistan since 9 March 2023 and MOFA has issued apostilles since 17 May 2024.
The stamping order
In what order are Pakistani documents attested?
Pakistani company documents are attested in a fixed order: SECP certified copies, ICAP for audit reports, the chamber of commerce, then the MOFA apostille. MOFA's attestation rules accept commercial papers only once the chamber has countersigned them.
- 1SECPCertified copiesCertified copies of the Certificate of Incorporation, memorandum, articles, Form A and Form 29.
- 2ICAPCountersigned audit reportFor private companies, MOFA attests audit reports countersigned by ICAP or with the auditor's affidavit.
- 3ChamberChamber of commerce stampYour local Chamber of Commerce and Industry countersigns the commercial documents.
- 4MOFAApostilleSince 27 July 2026, MOFA accepts an apostille request only after it is registered on its online portal.
- 5Saudi ArabiaCertified Arabic translationTranslated from the apostilled original, names checked against CNICs and passports.
Stamping order checked against MOFA's consular notices and the HCCH status table.
Document by document
Which Pakistani documents need what
Each Pakistani document has its own first stop. SECP certifies company papers, ICAP countersigns audit reports, and a notary handles the board resolution and the power of attorney. For a power of attorney, MOFA expects the owner, MD or CEO who signed it to appear in person.
| Document | First stop | Then | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Incorporation | SECP certified copy | Chamber, MOFA apostille | MISA and the CR |
| Memorandum and articles | SECP certified copy | Chamber, MOFA apostille | MISA and the CR |
| Audited accounts | ICAP countersignature | Chamber, MOFA apostille | MISA and a branch file |
| Board resolution | Notary | Chamber, MOFA apostille | MISA, CR, bank |
| Power of attorney | Notary, on stamp paper or letterhead | MOFA apostille, signatory present | All Saudi filings |
| Company NTN certificate | FBR | Shown to MOFA with commercial papers | MOFA's check on the company |
Key dates
The facts behind the Pakistan apostille
The Apostille Convention entered into force for Pakistan on 9 March 2023 and MOFA started issuing apostilles on 17 May 2024, so Pakistani papers used in Saudi Arabia no longer pass through the Saudi embassy in Islamabad or the consulate in Karachi.
9 Mar 2023Apostille Convention in force for PakistanHCCH status table
17 May 2024MOFA began issuing apostillesMOFA notice
6 Apr 2023SAMA circular 44073468 tells Saudi banks to accept apostilled papersSAMA Rulebook
27 Jul 2026From this date MOFA takes apostille requests only after online registrationMOFA consular services
What we handle
Attestation services for Pakistani documents
Our attestation work for Pakistani documents starts before you spend anything on stamps: every page is checked from PDFs, then each stamp is guided in order.
Chamber stamp guidance
Which chamber, which documents, what to bring.
Audit report countersignature
What ICAP or your auditor must provide for MOFA.
MOFA apostille guidance
Appointment, documents and what the apostille looks like when it is right.
Certified Arabic translation
In the Saudi format, ready for the MISA registration from Pakistan and the ministry.
Power of attorney drafting
Worded for the exact Saudi filings, so it isn't rejected.
Across Pakistan
Attestation for documents from any Pakistani city
Chamber stamps happen in your own city. MOFA issues apostilles in Islamabad and at its liaison offices in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Gujrat, and Gerry's, Leopards and TCS are authorised to collect papers for it. Wherever you are, you send PDFs first and we tell you what to stamp. The Pakistan country guide shows where this fits, and our worldwide document attestation and apostille guide compares other countries. Our guide to forming a Saudi company from Pakistan shows which stamped papers each later step reuses.
LahoreLahore chamber; meet at our office
KarachiKarachi chamber
IslamabadIslamabad chamber
RawalpindiRawalpindi chamber
FaisalabadFaisalabad chamber
SialkotSialkot chamber
MultanMultan chamber
PeshawarSarhad chamber
GujranwalaGujranwala chamber
QuettaQuetta chamber
HyderabadHyderabad chamber
Overseas PakistanisPakistani papers apostilled in Pakistan
Attestation questions
Pakistani document attestation for Saudi Arabia: your questions
Do Pakistani documents still go to the Saudi embassy?
No. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are both Apostille Convention parties, and since MOFA began issuing apostilles on 17 May 2024 Pakistani public documents are accepted in Saudi Arabia without a stop at the Saudi embassy in Islamabad or the consulate in Karachi.
Does the apostille work for Saudi Arabia given the EU objections?
Yes. The eight states that objected to Pakistan's accession (Austria, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and Poland) don't include Saudi Arabia, as the HCCH notifications for Pakistan show.
Why do audit reports need ICAP?
MOFA attests private-company audit reports when ICAP has countersigned them or the auditor has given an affidavit.
Can I send scans instead of originals?
Send scans first; we check them. Only the originals we list need to go to the chamber and MOFA.
What decides the apostille cost?
MOFA charges per document under a schedule in force since 8 July 2024, with commercial documents in a higher band than personal ones, so the number of papers on your list decides most of it. Chamber stamps and any courier you use are separate. Our own fee is fixed and quoted in writing.
Do Saudi banks accept apostilled Pakistani papers?
Yes. SAMA, Saudi Arabia's central bank, told banks in circular 44073468 of 6 April 2023 to accept apostilled papers without further authentication, MOFA's included. Our Saudi bank account page for Pakistani owners lists the rest of the bank file.
Is the Arabic translation done in Pakistan or Saudi Arabia?
We arrange a certified translation from the apostilled original, in the format the Saudi authorities accept.
Lahore office · Pakistan desk
Have your Pakistani papers checked before you stamp them
Send PDFs of your company papers. We reply within one working day with the exact stamping list.