LAHORE – Pakistan’s new online document attestation service has drawn complaints from citizens after several countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Germany and Austria, were found missing from the list of destinations available to applicants.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) launched its Digital Attestation System on October 12, 2026. The service was introduced at the ministry’s headquarters in Islamabad and its liaison offices in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Gujrat.
According to a ministry circular dated October 14, applicants can submit documents for general attestation and apostille through the online portal. They can also pay the prescribed fee and receive an electronic certificate by email without visiting a MoFA office, except in exceptional cases.
However, users say the system does not allow them to select certain destination countries during the application process. Some of these countries reportedly appear on the portal’s homepage but are unavailable in the application lists.
Users question missing destinations
In a Facebook discussion, a user questioned why the UAE, Germany and Austria were absent from the lists for both general attestation and apostille.
Other users said they had received no clear explanation for the omissions. Some suggested that applicants might have to visit a MoFA office in person, undermining one of the main purposes of the new service.
The missing destinations have raised questions about the portal’s coverage and whether applicants can complete the process online for all countries where they need to use their documents.
Read more: Google hosts Think Apps 2026 in Lahore to boost Pakistan’s app industry
Several apostille member countries missing
The portal currently lists 114 destinations, while the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) lists 130 contracting parties to the Hague Apostille Convention.
According to the HCCH’s official status table, the following convention members are missing from the portal’s list:
- Algeria
- Armenia
- Austria
- Germany
- Greece
- Liechtenstein
- Netherlands
- Rwanda
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Vietnam
Algeria and Vietnam are recent additions to the convention. It entered into force for Algeria on July 9, 2026, and for Vietnam on September 11, 2026.
However, membership alone does not mean that the apostille procedure applies between every pair of countries.
Germany, Austria, Greece and the Netherlands have formally objected to Pakistan’s accession to the convention, according to the HCCH. As a result, the convention does not apply between Pakistan and these countries. Documents intended for use there require the applicable regular attestation process instead.
Users have nevertheless reported that Germany and Austria are missing from the portal’s general attestation list as well.
The Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland and Poland have also objected to Pakistan’s accession. However, these countries appear on the portal’s list.
Major non-Hague destinations also absent
Several important destinations for Pakistani workers, students and families are also missing from the portal’s list.
These include the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Malaysia, Thailand, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Kenya.
Countries outside the Hague Apostille Convention generally require the applicable regular document attestation process rather than an apostille.
Thailand has joined the convention, but its membership is scheduled to take effect on February 28, 2027.
The absence of these destinations could create difficulties for applicants who need to authenticate educational certificates, personal documents or other records for use abroad.
Read more: Anthropic reports $80.7bn loss ahead of IPO
Country list contains alphabetical errors
The portal’s country list has also drawn attention because it is not arranged entirely in alphabetical order.
Although the list runs alphabetically from Albania to Venezuela, Bangladesh, the Czech Republic, Canada, Finland, Denmark and Poland appear at the end rather than in their expected positions.
The ordering issue adds to users’ concerns about the portal’s current organisation and usability.
MoFA had previously said the online service would allow citizens to have their documents attested from home. For countries supported by the system, applicants can follow the process outlined in ProPakistani’s guide to online MoFA document attestation.
Questions remain over family verification
Applicants have also sought clarification on whether family members can use the portal to verify documents on someone else’s behalf.
Questions include whether a sibling, spouse, parent or child can complete the process for a relative. The absence of clear guidance has left applicants uncertain about the procedure.
The reported omissions and unanswered questions have raised concerns about the service’s coverage and the information available to users.
MoFA’s clarification on the missing destinations and family verification procedures would help applicants understand whether they can complete their attestation requests online or need to visit a ministry office.
Read more: Study identifies 31 new genetic regions linked to liver fat
Key points:
- Pakistan’s new online attestation portal has drawn complaints over missing destination countries, including the UAE, Germany and Austria.
- The portal lists 114 destinations, while the Hague Apostille Convention has 130 contracting parties.
- Several countries that require general attestation, including Qatar, Kuwait and Malaysia, are also absent.
- Germany and Austria are missing from the general attestation list, according to users, despite objections that prevent the apostille system from applying between them and Pakistan.
- Applicants have also raised concerns about the lack of guidance on verifying documents on behalf of family members.
