ISLAMABAD: The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has announced a significant change in its policy regarding passport issuance for children, directly impacting thousands of Pakistani families.

According to the new directive, the previously accepted B-Form will no longer be valid for obtaining a child’s passport. Instead, parents will now be required to present a Child Registration Certificate (CRC) for their children’s passport applications.

This move is part of broader reforms aimed at improving identification and registration systems across the country, NADRA officials stated.

NADRA officials say the move has been taken to ensure a separate and certified identity of children, so that their personal data can be protected and confident.

NADRA has taken another important step and legalized the Family Registration Certificate (FRC), now the FRC can be used as a official document in inheritance, judicial cases, and other legal matters.

Earlier, the FRC was used only as a record or general identity, but now it has become an official legal document.

Meanwhile, NADRA has also updated the FRC format so that different family structures can be accurately represented, such as combined family, several weddings, or different units consisting of parents and children.

The public has been advised to confirm the accuracy of their collected data, as the FRC will now be released only on the basis of NADRA records. Any wrong entry can be corrected through NADRA offices or mobile apps.

The move is being considered a major step towards making the civilian identity and family record system in Pakistan in a global standard.