Document attestation is mandatory to take admission to German universities and to apply for a visa for Germany. But students always remain confused about the right type of document attestation. They don’t know which type of attestation is required for original documents and which type of attestation is required for photocopies.
Why is document attestation necessary?
Document attestation is important because it proves the originality and authenticity of the educational certificates and degrees.
Which type of attestation is required to apply for admission to German universities?
If you want to apply for admission in German universities then you are required to attest all your credentials from the education boards that responsible to issue educational documents. Document attestation required for both types of admission processes e.g direct admissions and via uni-assist.
Attestation of original documents:
- Pakistani students: First, get attested your 10th & 12th-grade certificate from the board of intermediate and secondary education. After that, get attested to these certificates from IBCC (Inter Board Committee of Chairmen).
- Get attested to your Bachelor’s and Masters’s degrees from HEC (Higher Education Commission).
- International students: You can get attested your 10th, 12th and 13th-grade certificates/diplomas from the education departments that are responsible to issue these certificates and diplomas.
- You can get attested to your Bachelor’s and Masters’s degrees from the Higher Education Department of your country.
- O-level and A-level students: If you did O-level and A-level then you don’t need any kind of attestation. These certificates are acceptable in Germany without attestation.
Attestation of photocopies:
You don’t need to get attested photocopies from the education boards. Make photocopies of original documents and get notary attestation of these photocopies from a notary public.
How to use attested documents for online admission applications and by post?
Online admission applications:
Scan your attested certificates and degrees on your computer and use these scanned copies for all online applications.
Admission applications by post:
Use notary attested photocopies for all admission applications that you want to send by post. Please don’t send any original document by post, only use the notary attested photocopies.
Which type of document attestation is required for the visa application?
Don’t worry. You already did all the document attestation in the previous process. Now make photocopies of all original attested education documents and attach them with the visa application.
Note: You don’t need any kind of attestation on this step if you already completed the attestation of all original documents. Always use A4 size paper to make photocopies.
Do I need MOFA attestation for Germany?
No, you don’t need the attestation of educational documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).