Does forgery of official state-issued documents, such as identity cards and passports, warrant imprisonment and punishment in the hereafter, unlike forgery for private institutions or companies?

Changing a professional ID card and entering incorrect information therein is a form of forbidden deception and forgery, based on the Almighty's saying: ﴿So avoid the uncleanliness of idols and avoid false statement﴾ [22:30], and the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: “Whoever deceives is not of us,” and his saying: “Shall I not inform you of the gravest of the major sins, three times? Associating partners with Allah, disobedience to parents – and indeed, false speech and false testimony.”

Forgery includes deception in documents and records, and imitating handwriting and signatures with the intent to deceive. Changing a doctor's ID card or obtaining a forged experience certificate to circumvent the conditions of study, work, or promotion is considered deception, forgery, and fraud. Its perpetrator is exposed to Allah's wrath and punishment.

Worldly punishments, whether a legal hadd (prescribed punishment) or a ta'zir (discretionary punishment), may be an expiation for sin, which is the more prevalent view. As Ibn Rajab mentioned, legal and divine punishments, such as calamities and illnesses, expiate sins, and as narrated from Ali, the hadd is an expiation for whoever has it inflicted upon him. And Allah knows best.