Quick answer: TCS is one of the courier companies officially authorised by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to collect documents for attestation – including the newer apostille service – at its designated centres in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, and IBCC also accepts courier-submitted documents through TCS. Instead of standing in the MOFA queue yourself, you hand your documents to TCS, they are submitted to the authority, attested, and delivered back to you with tracking. The exception: Power of Attorney documents are NOT accepted through the courier facility.
In this guide
What exactly is the TCS attestation service?
Attestation itself is always done by the government authority – HEC, IBCC, MOFA or an embassy. TCS’s role is the authorised submission and return channel: MOFA runs a drop-box facility through authorised couriers (TCS among them) for its Islamabad head office and camp offices, and since Pakistan joined the Hague Apostille Convention, the same courier channel handles apostille attestation in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
IBCC works similarly: its attestation-by-courier service (available at the IBCC Secretariat, Islamabad, and the Regional Office, Karachi) lets applicants send documents by courier instead of visiting in person, and HEC applicants likewise dispatch and receive degree documents by courier after applying on the HEC portal. In short: you deal with a TCS counter, not a government queue – and every movement carries a tracking ID, like sending your documents the safe way but with an official submission desk at the other end.
The attestation chain: which stamp comes first?
Most people need more than one stamp, in a fixed order. TCS can carry your file through the courier-eligible stages, but the sequence is set by the authorities:
| Stage | Authority | For what | Courier route |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Board verification | Your education board (BISE) | Matric / inter certificates first verified by the issuing board | Board-dependent |
| 2. IBCC attestation | IBCC | SSC, HSSC and equivalent certificates | Yes – courier submission at Islamabad / Karachi offices |
| 2. HEC attestation | HEC | University degrees and transcripts | Apply online, dispatch and return by courier |
| 3. MOFA attestation / apostille | Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Legalises documents for use abroad | Yes – TCS is an authorised MOFA courier |
| 4. Embassy attestation | Destination country’s embassy | Required for non-Hague countries (e.g. UAE, Qatar, Kuwait) | Separate process – not part of the MOFA courier facility |
Hague Convention countries (UK, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China and others) usually accept the MOFA apostille from stage 3 as the final step – no embassy stamp needed. Find your nearest submission point with our TCS office finder guide, and note that not every TCS centre is a designated attestation collection point – confirm before you travel.
How it works, step by step
- Complete the authority’s application first. HEC and IBCC both start online (HEC e-services portal, IBCC attestation portal) – apply, pay the authority’s fee challan, and only then prepare the courier submission. For MOFA attestation, make sure earlier stages (IBCC/HEC) are already done where required.
- Prepare the document set: original documents, CNIC copy, the application printout and fee receipt, and photocopies as the authority requires. Photograph every page before you hand it over.
- Visit a designated TCS centre and book the attestation submission. You pay the courier service charges there; government stamp expenditure, where applicable, is borne by you as the applicant.
- Get your tracking ID and follow the consignment on this site’s tracker – the submission, authority processing and return all move against that number.
- Receive the attested documents back by delivery or collection, and check every stamp and sticker before you sign – errors are far easier to fix immediately.
What does it cost?
Two different costs are involved: the authority’s attestation fee (paid to HEC, IBCC or MOFA) and the courier service charges (paid to TCS). Authority fees below are the published figures – always reconfirm on the authority’s portal, as fee schedules are revised:
| Item | Published figure |
|---|---|
| IBCC attestation – original certificate | Rs. 1,200 per document |
| IBCC attestation – photocopy | Rs. 600 per document |
| HEC degree attestation – original | Rs. 3,000 per document |
| MOFA attestation | Per-document stamp/fee per MOFA’s current schedule |
| TCS courier facility charges (MOFA drop box) | Per applicant/case – the facility’s published charges were Rs. 100 in-city and Rs. 200 out-city; confirm the current charges at the centre |
Timelines vary by authority, not by courier: IBCC courier cases commonly take days to a couple of weeks depending on board verification, HEC cases hinge on your university’s verification response, and MOFA itself is comparatively quick once the file reaches it – the courier legs add transit days on top. For irreplaceable originals, also consider declaring their importance at booking and read our shipment insurance (CVI) guide – though note insurance values money, and an original degree’s real cost is the re-issuance hassle, which is exactly why tracked authorised channels matter.
The limits: what TCS attestation cannot do
- Power of Attorney: expressly excluded from the MOFA courier facility – POA attestation must be done in person.
- Embassy attestation is a separate stage with its own submission channels; the MOFA courier facility does not include it.
- IBCC courier attestation is offered at the Islamabad Secretariat and Karachi Regional Office – not every regional office accepts courier cases.
- Deficient files come back: IBCC treats the fee as one-time – fix the deficiency against the same application rather than paying again – but the delay is yours.
- Transit risk is real: IBCC itself advises using secure, reliable couriers and notes it is not responsible for transit loss – under the MOFA facility terms, however, the courier company bears the reconstruction cost if documents in its custody are lost or damaged.
Hamza’s practical tip
Before handing over originals, scan every document and keep a full photocopy set at home – if anything is ever lost, reconstruction starts from those copies, and they speed up every objection reply. I also write my mobile number and application ID on the envelope’s inside flap, not just the booking form: if the file and the form ever get separated at a desk, the document itself still carries your identity. And never submit a file with a known deficiency hoping it passes – attestation desks reject on the first missing item, and each round trip costs you a week.
FAQs
Is TCS officially authorised for MOFA attestation?
Yes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ drop-box and apostille facilities name TCS among the authorised courier companies that can accept documents (all types except Power of Attorney) for attestation at MOFA Islamabad and its camp/liaison offices, including the apostille collection points in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
Can I get HEC attestation through TCS?
HEC attestation starts with an online application on the HEC e-services portal. After approval of your application, documents are dispatched to and returned from HEC by courier – TCS is the commonly used channel – rather than you visiting in person. The HEC fee is separate from courier charges.
How long does attestation via courier take?
Longer than walking in, by the transit days on both legs. The authority’s processing dominates the timeline: IBCC cases range from same-week to a few weeks if board verification is slow, HEC depends on your university’s verification, and MOFA’s own step is usually the quickest. Plan the full chain (board to MOFA) at several weeks, not days.
What documents do I need to submit?
Typically: the original documents to be attested, your CNIC copy, the printed online application (for HEC/IBCC), the paid fee challan or receipt, and photocopies as specified by the authority. Requirements differ per authority and document type – check the relevant portal before visiting the TCS centre.
What if my documents are lost in transit?
Under the MOFA courier facility’s terms, the courier company is responsible for the cost of reconstructing documents lost or damaged in its custody, plus related travel/lodging costs, at no extra charge to you. IBCC separately advises applicants to use secure couriers, as it does not accept transit liability – another reason to use the tracked, authorised channel and keep home copies.
Can TCS attest my Power of Attorney?
No. Power of Attorney is the one document type expressly excluded from the MOFA courier facility – it requires personal appearance. TCS cannot accept it for MOFA attestation.
Written by Hamza Ali. Fees and procedures checked against MOFA, IBCC and HEC published information and current attestation guides – authorities revise fees and processes, so confirm on the official portal before applying. This site is an independent guide and is not run by TCS.
