The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has issued an important advisory for parents applying for identity documents for children under the age of 18.
The instructions apply to applications for the Child Registration Certificate (CRC), known as B-Form, Juvenile Card and NICOP.
According to the advisory, parents should first make sure that their marital status is correctly recorded in NADRA’s database. Parents who are married should ensure that their status is not incorrectly shown as ‘unmarried.’
Under Rule 18 of the NADRA (NIC) Rules, 2002, Pakistani citizens below the age of 18 can be registered with NADRA and obtain a CRC or Juvenile Card. These documents provide children with an official identity record and establish their link with their parents or legal guardian. NADRA’s official information also confirms that CRC and Juvenile Cards are identity documents for children under 18.
Child’s presence and documents required
NADRA has also explained when a child must be present during the application process.
For a CRC application involving a child above three years of age, the child must be present. However, for children aged up to three years, their presence is required only when the CRC is being processed for passport purposes.
Parents applying for a child born in Pakistan must provide a computerized Birth Registration Certificate. The certificate should have been issued by the relevant Union Council, Municipal Committee or Cantonment authority.
Children born outside Pakistan need to provide a Detailed Birth Certificate or S-1 Form.
B-Form fee and processing time
The advisory also provides details about the fees and expected processing times for CRC applications.
A normal CRC application costs Rs50 and has a stated processing time of seven days.
Parents who need the document urgently can use the urgent service option, which costs Rs500. The stated processing time for an urgent CRC is one day.
Parents are therefore advised to check their NADRA family information, particularly their marital status, before starting an application.
NADRA advisory for first-time CNIC applicants
Previously, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) issued advisory for parents whose children will apply for a CNIC for a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) for the first time.
NADRA advised parents to make sure their children have an updated Child Registration Certificate (CRC), commonly known as a B-Form, with the required photograph and biometric information. If the updated B-Form has not been prepared, the child’s latest photograph and fingerprints may not be available in NADRA’s records.
