Fifty-two years after the Apostille Treaty was created at the Hague Convention, growth in new signatories continues: On March 9th, 2023, Pakistan will become the newest participant.
As of this date, the Pakistani Embassy will no longer accept documents for the legalization process, but rather engage in the streamlined Apostille process, as established by the treaty. At WCS, we have already prepared for a smooth transition. WCS will provide you with an apostille for Pakistan. From there, your document will be completed and ready for use in Pakistan—no additional steps are required. Processing time at the U.S. Department of State is currently 11 weeks. All new document authentications, therefore, will be processed as apostilles starting March 9, 2023. Pakistan will abolish the traditional requirement for legalization, which is often a lengthy and costly legalization process, with the issuance of a single Apostille certificate. This simplified framework facilitates the international circulation of public documents for individuals, families, and regulatory operators. The HCCH 1961 Apostille convention has over 120 contracting parties and has become one of the most widely applied multilateral treaties in legal cooperation, with several million Apostilles issued each year. Pakistan now joins recent new participants to the Hague treaty, such as Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. As always, you can count on WCS to manage the transition. |