How to Get a Passport for a Child in Pakistan

A child cannot get a passport without a B-Form, and that is where most families lose a week. The Child Registration Certificate, which everyone calls the B-Form, is the NADRA record that proves who the child is and who the parents are. The passport office works from it, so it has to exist and be correct before anything else happens.

The second requirement catches people out just as often. Both parents are normally involved in a child's passport application, and a single parent turning up with the child alone should expect questions rather than a counter that waves them through.

Get the B-Form right before you book anything

Check the B-Form against the documents it will be compared with. A spelling that differs from the parents' CNICs, or a date of birth that does not match the birth certificate, will stop the application at the counter.

If the B-Form does not exist or needs correcting, deal with NADRA first. Our guide to registering a child and getting a B-Form covers that process, and doing it before the passport appointment saves the wasted trip.

What to take to the passport office

1. The child's original B-Form and copies.
2. Original CNICs of both parents, with copies.
3. The child, in person, because biometrics and a photograph are taken.
4. The previous passport if this is a renewal.
5. The fee, paid through the official channel for the category you choose.

Book the appointment for a time of day that suits the child rather than one that suits you. A morning slot with a rested child goes better than an afternoon one after a missed nap, and the office is not able to hurry a photograph that will not come out. Parents who have done this twice will tell you the same thing.

Take the child properly presented and reasonably rested. The photograph is taken at the office to a standard, and a distressed toddler at the end of a long wait makes that harder than it needs to be.

When one parent cannot attend

This is the situation that generates the most anxiety, and it has no single answer, because the reason matters. A parent working abroad, a parent who has died, and parents who are separated or divorced are three different cases with three different sets of paperwork.

Expect to evidence the position rather than explain it. That may mean a consent document, an attestation from a Pakistani mission abroad, a death certificate, or court documentation on custody. Ask the passport office what it requires for your specific situation before you assemble anything, because paying for the wrong attestation is a common and avoidable cost.

We are not going to publish a definitive list here, because the requirements differ by case and by office and we could not read them at source. Getting the answer from the office in advance is the reliable route.

Validity and pages are a real decision for a child

Passports are issued in different validity periods and page counts, and for a child the calculation is different from an adult's. Children change appearance quickly, and a longer validity is worth less when the photograph stops resembling the holder.

Consider how much travel is actually planned before paying for the longest option. The official rates by category are set out in our page on passport fees, and the categories themselves in our guide to passport types.

After you apply

Keep the token or receipt with the tracking reference. Delivery timelines depend on the category you paid for, and normal and urgent categories are genuinely different products rather than the same product at different speeds.

Track rather than wait. Our guide to tracking a passport application covers the lookup, and checking is better than assuming, particularly if travel is booked.

Common questions about a child's passport

Can I apply without a B-Form?

No. The B-Form is the identity record the application is built on. Get it or correct it at NADRA first.

Do both parents have to come?

Both parents are normally involved. Where one cannot attend, the office will want evidence of the reason, and what it accepts depends on the circumstances.

Does the child have to attend?

Yes. Biometrics and the photograph are captured at the office, so the child needs to be there.

How long is a child's passport valid?

Several validity options exist, but a child's appearance changes, so the longest option is not automatically the best value. Weigh it against actual travel plans.

Can I do it online?

Online services exist for some passport categories and renewals, but a first child passport involves biometrics and a photograph in person. Check what your own office offers.

Last checked and sources

Last checked 26 August 2026. We attempted the online passport portal at onlinemrp.dgip.gov.pk on that date and it refused our request with a 403, so we could not read the document checklist, the consent requirements or the fee categories on the passport authority's own pages. The requirements described here are reported, drawn from how the process is documented and described, and the page deliberately declines to publish a definitive list for the case where one parent cannot attend, because that varies by circumstance and office. Fees are covered on our separate passport fees page rather than restated here. Confirm your own requirements with the passport office before travelling to it or paying for attestation.