Your child was born last week. The hospital gave you a small paper with the name, the date, and a doctor's signature. You went home tired. The paper sits in a drawer. That is where most birth registrations in Pakistan end.
The law says the birth must be registered with the state, not just with the hospital. Here is what the law actually requires, and how to do it in 2026.
Why does a birth need to be registered?
A birth record is the first official proof that a person exists. Without it, your child cannot get the B-Form, and the B-Form is what schools ask for at admission, what a minor's passport is built on, and what you need before a SIM card can be issued in a child's name. When your child turns 18, the CNIC starts from this same record. We have a full guide on what the B-Form is and why it matters in Pakistan. The World Bank's 2018 ID4D dataset estimated that only about 34 percent of Pakistanis were registered at birth. The rest have no birth record at all, which makes every later step harder.
What does the law say?
Two laws matter here. The first is the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1886 (Act VI of 1886). It set up the registration system where each province appoints a Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and certified copies of entries are admissible as evidence.
The second is the NADRA Ordinance 2000. Section 9(1) says a parent or guardian of a citizen under 18 shall get that citizen registered not later than one month after the birth. Section 21 says the birth of a newly born citizen must be reported to the District Registrar. NADRA can extend the one month period case by case, but the starting rule is clear: one month.
Where does a birth get registered?
First at the local authority, then at NADRA. The Union Council does the first registration, and it issues the paper birth certificate. In cities the Municipal Committee or Town Committee does it. In cantonment areas it is the cantonment board, under section 32(c) of the Cantonments Ordinance 2002. In Islamabad the Union Council under the ICT Local Government Act 2015 does it. The Punjab Local Government Act 2013 puts the same duty on Union Councils in section 72(1)(m).
Once the local authority has the record, NADRA picks it up through its civil registration system and can issue the computerized documents.
How do you register a birth online with the Pak ID app?
Since October 2026, NADRA's Pak ID app handles birth registration from home. The steps, as shown in NADRA's own instructional flow:
- Download the Pak ID app and log in.
- Open Provincial Civil Registration Services, pick your province, then pick Birth.
- Select the district, tehsil and Union Council. The app shows a Calculate Fee button before you start.
- Enter the child's details. If the child is already in NADRA's records, give the B-Form number and the app pulls the data.
- Enter the parents' details. They must match the official identity records.
- Photo and biometrics depend on age. Under 3 years, no fingerprints. From 3 to 10, a photo. From 10 to 18, photo and fingerprints.
- Choose the address that will appear on the certificate.
- Pay online by card, Raast, JazzCash, EasyPaisa or e-Sahulat.
- Review everything, then submit.
The registering authority processes the application, and once the certificate is ready it appears in your ID Vault inside the app.
What is the B-Form, and what does it cost?
The B-Form is the Child Registration Certificate (CRC) that NADRA issues to Pakistani citizens under 18, under Rule 18(1) of the NADRA (NIC) Rules 2002. The same rule covers the Juvenile Card, which carries the same value. Under NADRA's current fee list, the CRC costs Rs 50 on normal processing, there is no urgent option, and Rs 500 on executive. The Juvenile Card is Rs 750 normal, Rs 1,500 urgent and Rs 2,500 executive.
One thing changed in NADRA's Registration Policy (September 2026): the birth certificate is now the primary or breeder document for registration. If a name or date of birth needs to change later, it is changed in the birth certificate first, and only then in the ID card. A wrong birth record now travels into every later document, so it is worth getting right the first time.
NADRA's civil registration system handles more than births. Marriages go through the same network, and you can read how nikah registration works in Pakistan or how getting a marriage certificate from NADRA is done if you need those records too.
What if your child was born abroad?
For births outside Pakistan, registration happens through the Pakistani embassy or consulate using the S-1 form. You submit the form, the foreign birth certificate, copies of both parents' passports and CNIC or NICOP, and photos. The consulate forwards the record to NADRA, and the child gets registered as a Pakistani citizen born abroad.
What if the birth was never registered?
It can still be done. This is called late registration, and the Union Council handles it. You may need extra documents, like an affidavit on stamped paper, and the fee can be higher. The delay matters in one province in particular: the Balochistan Local Government Act 2010, through its section 133, allows a fine of up to Rs 5,000 on the head of the family who fails to report a birth, plus Rs 200 for every continuing day. Other provinces set their own rules, so ask the local registrar what applies to you.
The longer you wait, the more documents get involved. A child over 10 needs a school certificate or another proof of age on top of the birth record. Do it in the first month, and it stays simple.
For more guides on Pakistani law and records, browse the Lexiber blog or start from the home page.
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