Adoption or Guardianship Documents

The Department of State states Pakistani law does not recognize adoption. Family courts can grant guardianship, but grants of guardianship under Islamic sharia law do not create a legal permanent parent-child relationship.

The Islamabad supplement tells adopted applicants to bring adoption papers or custody documents, translations, and photocopies. Whether a particular Pakistani guardianship document is acceptable is a legal determination for USCIS/consular officers, not this website.

Applicants in an adoption, guardianship, or custody-based case.

The issuing court, if a court order exists. Confirm acceptability with official adoption/immigration sources.

The reciprocity page advises those wishing to take children to the United States to finalize adoptions to first contact an immigration attorney or the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad.

Official guidance states affidavits or court documents claiming a child has been adopted in Pakistan are not acceptable for immigration purposes.

City-by-city office addresses, phone numbers, and local fees are not published here unless an administrator later enters a sourced government record. Until then, use the issuing authority named by the official source and verify locally.

This is not legal advice. Use official intercountry adoption resources.