Pakistan Civil Documents · Updated August 2026
The Civil Documents You Need From Pakistan for a U.S. Marriage Green Card
For a U.S. marriage green card from Pakistan, you will generally need a NADRA computerized birth certificate, a police character certificate, and proof of your marriage (the Nikah Nama plus a NADRA Computerized Marriage Registration Certificate).
Quick answer
For a U.S. marriage green card, the Pakistani spouse generally needs the Birth Certificate, Police Certificate, and Marriage Certificate. An apostille is generally not required by USCIS for a filing inside the U.S. Non-English documents need a certified English translation, which you can self-certify.
- 3 core documents
- Birth Certificate
- Police Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- No apostille needed
For a filing inside the U.S., USCIS accepts a certified copy plus an English translation.
- Translate it yourself
Any bilingual person can certify the English translation. No licensed translator required.
The documents you actually need
Start with these core records in order. Each one lists who issues it, what it costs, how long it takes, and exactly what USCIS wants.
Birth Certificate
What USCIS needs: USCIS and the National Visa Center want the NADRA computerized birth certificate, not the old handwritten or 'rupee paper' municipal record, which is not accepted for U.S. visa processing.
How to get it: Apply at your local Union Council or NADRA registration center where the birth was recorded, or online through the Pak-Identity portal (id.nadra.gov.pk) or the Pak Identity app. You provide parents' CNIC details and existing records; the record is standardized into the computerized bilingual (Urdu and English) certificate. Older manual births may first need to be registered before a computerized certificate can be issued.
- Issued by
- NADRA / Union Council (also Municipal Corporations, Cantonment Boards, or the CDA in Islamabad)
- Cost
- Approx. Rs 50 for standard processing; approx. Rs 500 for expedited (executive) service. Fees vary by local council.
- Timing
- Approx. 3 to 7 working days once the underlying record exists; longer if the birth must first be registered.
Police Certificate
What USCIS needs: Consular processing applicants (interviewing at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad) generally must present a police certificate for Pakistan and for any other country where they lived 6 months or more after age 16. For adjustment of status inside the U.S., USCIS usually does not require a Pakistani police certificate, though it can be requested.
How to get it: Apply through your local district police or the relevant provincial police service; several provinces (notably Punjab) offer online applications. If you live outside Pakistan, request it through the nearest Pakistani Embassy or Consulate, which forwards the request to authorities in Pakistan.
- Issued by
- Local district police / Provincial police (e.g., Punjab Police online portal); from abroad, a Pakistani Embassy or Consulate coordinates issuance
- Cost
- Approx. Rs 350 to Rs 1,000 locally, depending on province and service; approx. US $30 when requested through a Pakistani consulate abroad.
- Timing
- Approx. 3 working days in Punjab; roughly 3 to 7 working days elsewhere depending on verification.
Marriage Certificate
What USCIS needs: USCIS and the NVC now typically require BOTH the Urdu Nikah Nama (the legal marriage contract) AND the NADRA Computerized Marriage Registration Certificate. If you are unmarried, single status is shown via a NADRA CNIC/FRC reflecting marital status or an affidavit; there is no separate single-status certificate. Submitting only the Nikah Nama is a common reason for a request for evidence.
How to get it: Keep the original Urdu Nikah Nama signed at your marriage. Then have the marriage registered at the Union Council (or relevant local authority) so a NADRA Computerized Marriage Registration Certificate (MRC) can be issued in bilingual Urdu-English form. For non-Muslim citizens, the MRC is issued by the relevant religious authority, though some Union Councils issue civil MRCs to Hindus and Christians.
- Issued by
- NADRA / Union Council (the Union Council, TMA office, Cantonment Board, or Arbitration Council that registered the Nikah Nama)
- Cost
- Approx. Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 depending on the local council and whether standard or urgent service is chosen.
- Timing
- Approx. a few days to a couple of weeks; longer if the Nikah Nama was never formally registered and must be registered first.
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At a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Apostille status | Pakistan acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention, which entered into force for Pakistan on 9 March 2023 (accession with objection; it does not apply between Pakistan and a few objecting states such as Germany). Where an apostille is needed, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the competent authority. For a U.S. marriage green card, USCIS generally does NOT require an apostille or consular legalization on civil documents; you submit the certificate plus a certified English translation where needed. |
| How records are kept | Since 2001, civil records across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad Capital Territory, and Gilgit-Baltistan are computerized through NADRA and issued via local Union Councils, Municipal Corporations, Cantonment Boards, and the CDA (Islamabad). Older 'manual' or 'rupee paper' records are not accepted for U.S. visa purposes and must be converted to the NADRA computerized version. A few districts in Azad Kashmir remain outside the NADRA system. |
| Typical time to gather | Most computerized certificates issue within about 3 to 7 working days when the underlying record already exists; allow additional weeks if an unregistered birth or marriage must first be registered. |
| Translation | NADRA computerized certificates are bilingual (Urdu and English), so they usually need no separate translation. Purely Urdu documents, such as the Nikah Nama, require a certified English translation. USCIS allows a competent bilingual person to translate and self-certify accuracy and competence; no sworn or government translator is required. |
Source: U.S. State Dept Reciprocity Schedule: Pakistan. Verified August 2026. Need to translate a document? See our certified translation guide.
What officers watch for
Full document reference
Every civil record from Pakistan that can come up in a marriage green card case, with the issuing authority, cost, and how to obtain it.
| Document | Issuing authority | Cost | How to obtain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth Certificate | NADRA / Union Council | Approx. Rs 50 standard, Rs 500 expedited | Apply at the Union Council or NADRA center, or online via Pak-Identity; must be the computerized version |
| Marriage Certificate | NADRA / Union Council (via the registering authority) | Approx. Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 | Register the Nikah Nama with the Union Council; obtain the Computerized Marriage Registration Certificate plus keep the Nikah Nama |
| Divorce Certificate | NADRA / Union Council (Arbitration Council) | Approx. Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 | After the Talaq/divorce deed and the mandatory waiting period, the Union Council/Arbitration Council issues the computerized Divorce Registration Certificate; keep the original divorce deed |
| Death Certificate | NADRA / Union Council | Approx. Rs 50 to Rs 500 | Register the death with the Union Council or NADRA center and obtain the computerized certificate; older records may need converting |
| Police Certificate | Local/Provincial police; Pakistani consulate if abroad | Approx. Rs 350 to Rs 1,000 locally; approx. US $30 via consulate | Apply to district/provincial police (online in some provinces) or through a Pakistani embassy/consulate if outside Pakistan |
What applicants report
“The most common surprise for Pakistani applicants is that the Urdu Nikah Nama alone is no longer enough. USCIS and the NVC now routinely expect the NADRA Computerized Marriage Registration Certificate as well, and couples who submit only the Nikah Nama often get a request for evidence. Applicants also report that getting the computerized certificate first requires formally registering the marriage at the Union Council, which can take longer than expected, so filers advise starting the NADRA paperwork as soon as the case begins.”
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See how it worksFrequently asked questions
Is the Urdu Nikah Nama enough to prove my marriage, or do I also need a NADRA certificate?
You generally need both. The Nikah Nama is the legal marriage contract, but USCIS and the National Visa Center now typically also require the NADRA Computerized Marriage Registration Certificate. Submit the Nikah Nama with a certified English translation plus the computerized certificate to avoid a request for evidence.
Does the old handwritten birth certificate work for a U.S. green card?
No. A manual or 'rupee paper' civil record is not accepted for U.S. visa or green card processing. You need the NADRA computerized birth certificate, which you can obtain through your local Union Council or online via Pak-Identity.
Do I need to apostille or legalize my Pakistani documents for USCIS?
Usually not. Although Pakistan joined the Hague Apostille Convention (in force since 9 March 2023, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the competent authority), USCIS generally does not require an apostille or consular legalization for a marriage green card. You submit the NADRA computerized certificate and a certified English translation where the document is not already in English.
Do NADRA documents need to be translated into English?
NADRA computerized certificates are already bilingual in Urdu and English, so they usually need no separate translation. Urdu-only documents such as the Nikah Nama do need a certified English translation, which any competent bilingual person may prepare and self-certify.
Do I need a Pakistani police certificate?
It depends on your pathway. For consular processing at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, you generally need a police character certificate for Pakistan and for any country where you lived 6 months or more after age 16. For adjustment of status inside the United States, USCIS usually does not require it, though it can be requested.
Key takeaways
- ✓
The core documents most Pakistani applicants need are the Birth Certificate, Police Certificate, Marriage Certificate.
- ✓
Pakistan is a Hague Apostille Convention member, but USCIS generally does not require an apostille for a marriage green card filed inside the U.S.
- ✓
You do not need a licensed translator: any competent bilingual person can translate a document and self-certify it for USCIS.
- ✓
A home-country police certificate is generally needed only for consular processing abroad, not for adjustment of status inside the U.S.
- ✓
Order fresh certified copies directly from the official issuer and keep the originals; documents from Pakistan draw closer scrutiny.
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