Pakistan: NADRA makes birth and death certificates faster, digital, and hassle-free

Dubai: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), in collaboration with provincial governments, has launched a modern, automated system to simplify the registration of births and deaths across Pakistan.

The initiative, part of the National Biometric and Registration Policy Framework, aims to make the process faster, more transparent, and citizen-friendly. Under the pilot phase, the system has been deployed in more than 50 hospitals and health centres, including major facilities in Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit.

Through this automated mechanism, hospitals and health centres now directly transmit birth and death notifications to NADRA. Parents of newborns or legal heirs of the deceased are notified via the NADRA mobile app or SMS and guided to complete registration at their local Union Councils. So far, over 4,000 births and 407 deaths have been registered through this digital system.

“The new system ensures citizens no longer face long queues or complicated paperwork. It also improves accuracy, transparency, and accessibility while reducing reliance on middlemen,” said a NADRA spokesperson.

How to apply

Birth Certificates: Citizens can obtain Child Registration Certificates (CRC/B-Form) or Computerized Birth Certificates by visiting their nearest Union Council, NADRA Registration Center, or through the NADRA mobile app. Required documents include parents’ CNICs and a hospital birth slip or vaccination card. Certificates are typically issued within 24—72 hours.

Death Certificates: Applicants must provide the hospital death report, CNIC of the deceased, and proof of relationship. Certificates are issued within 1—5 working days through Union Councils or NADRA-linked offices.

Benefits

• Legal recognition for children for school admission, passports, and identity documents.

• Easier inheritance, pension claims, and property transfer for families.

• Digitised, internationally accepted records for overseas Pakistanis.

• Reduced corruption and elimination of unnecessary agents.

With the pilot phase successfully underway in selected districts of Punjab, NADRA plans to expand the system nationwide, covering both public and private hospitals, health centres, and Union Councils, ensuring citizens across Pakistan can access swift and reliable birth and death registration.