Acquiring a birth certificate is one of the fundamental steps in providing a child with legal identity. A birth certificate in Pakistan is known as a Child Registration Certificate (CRC) or B-form. The document is used to register minors under the age of 18 years. Without a CRC for legal identification, it can be hard to acquire a Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) for and individual once he/she reaches the age of 18 years. A CNIC not only enables an individual to prove Pakistani citizenship but also provides access to social allowances, healthcare, school enrolment, voter registration and access to banking services, mobile phone SIM registration, acquiring a passport to travel abroad, etc.
According to the World Bank Group’s 2018 #ID4D Global Dataset, nearly 34% people in Pakistan have birth registration, including only 34% males and 33% females. This results in a number of complications for individuals acquiring a CNIC later on. Resulting in depriving many people of essential services.
In this article, we will explain the basic steps for acquiring a Child Registration Certificate (CRC) or B-form in Pakistan.
Child Registration Certificate (CRC)
In Pakistan, CRC can be obtained by providing documented proof of childbirth from the union council to NADRA. Parents are required to be a holder of Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) to register their child.
Note: If parents are outside the country or dead, the first blood relative can apply for birth registration with a certified copy of a Guardian Certificate issued by court and death certificate (if parents are deceased).
Proof of Childbirth from Union Council or Alternative Documents
To register a child at the Union Council, the parents must submit the following documents:
- Copy of CNIC of parents.
- Certificate issued by hospital/traditional birth attendant.
- Form provided by the Union Council duly filled in along with signature and thumb impression
There is no fee for proof of childbirth from Union Council. The delivery period for the document is as follows:
- 3 working days in case of normal registration.
- 7 working days in case of late registration (child who is between 61 days – 7 years).
- 20 working days for registration beyond age of 7 years.
Required Documents for CRC
- Presence of any one of the parents or guardian with a CNIC is necessary. Biometric verification will also be performed.
- Proof of Childbirth from Union Councilor School Certificate (children aged 10 or more)
Or
Attestation of CRC form by a gazzeted officer.
Note: The Guardian is authorized to process through guardianship certificate only.
You can also see a detailed list of required documents to obtain a Birth Certificate on NADRA’s website in English and Urdu.
CRC Application Steps:
You can apply for Child Registration Certificate (CRC) by going to the nearest NADRA Registration Center (NRC) and following the steps given below. You can locate your nearest NRC by accessing this website.
- The Parent/Guardian will be issued a token. Wait for your turn until your token and counter number is announced.
- The photograph of the Parent/Guardian will be captured, followed by fingerprints and signature.
- The form will be printed to be reviewed by the Parent/Guardian.
- The Parent/Guardian will be handed over a printed version of the application form which will have to be attested by a gazetted officer before submission.
Note: If the Parent/Guardian has his/her father or mother present at the registration center, they can skip the attestation of the form by providing their biometric verification. The individual providing biometric verification should also be a holder of a valid CNIC.
The fee for obtaining CRC is PKR 50. You can also apply for a CRC via a NADRA Executive center for PKR 500 to acquire the certificate sooner. It takes up to 5 working days to obtain a Child Registration Certificate after submitting the documents.
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