Marriage Registration Certificate (MRC)

The Department of State names the Marriage Registration Certificate (MRC) as the marriage certificate document for Pakistan. For Pakistani Muslim citizens, Union Councils, Municipal Corporations, the Capital Development Authority, and Cantonment Boards register Nikah Nama documents and issue marriage registration certificates.

The Islamabad immigrant visa supplement requires married applicants to bring an original marriage certificate with an English translation and a photocopy. NVC also collects civil marriage evidence.

Applicants who are married, including many IR-1/CR-1 and F2A principals, and others whose marital status is relevant to the petition.

The local government authority that registered the marriage: Union Council, Municipal Corporation, CDA (Islamabad), or Cantonment Board, as applicable. Document formats vary by province.

The Department of State states that for Muslim applicants, the Nikah Registrar signs and stamps four original Nikah Namas, submits the first copy to the local government authority, and should register the marriage within two months. Upon registration, the local government authority issues the marriage certificate. Muslim applicants can obtain a marriage certificate from their local government authority by presenting a handwritten Urdu language Nikah Nama.

A Nikah Nama is the underlying marriage contract for Muslim marriages. The MRC is the civil registration certificate issued after local-government registration. They are not the same document.

Formats vary from province to province. Azad Kashmir practice also varies by district, as described on the official reciprocity page. Specific office addresses are not listed here until verified.

MRCs for some non-Muslim citizens are issued by their respective religious authority; some Union Councils issue civil MRCs to Hindus and Christians. Fees vary by location. This is not legal advice.