How to Get a NADRA Divorce Certificate After Talaq or Khula

A NADRA divorce certificate comes from the union council, not from a NADRA office. After talaq, written notice goes to the union council chairman, the divorce takes effect after 90 days, and the council then registers it and prints the computerised certificate. In Punjab, e-Khidmat Markaz issues it for Rs 200 in 7 working days.

We read the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961 on the government's Pakistan Code website, the Punjab e-Khidmat Markaz service page, the Foreign Office attestation rules and NADRA's overseas services page. NADRA's system only prints what the union council has registered, so the record has to start there.

This page explains paperwork only. It is not legal advice about whether or how to end a marriage. A family lawyer or a legal aid office can help with that.

The law requires written notice to the union council after talaq

Section 7 of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance says a man who pronounces talaq "in any form whatsoever" must give the union council chairman written notice, as soon as possible. He must also give his wife a copy. Skipping the notice can bring up to one year in jail, a Rs 5,000 fine, or both.

The chairman here means the chairman of the union council, or an officer the government appoints in cantonment areas.

1. Talaq notice. The husband sends written notice to the union council chairman and a copy to the wife.
2. Arbitration Council. Within 30 days of the notice, the chairman forms a council to try to bring the couple together.
3. 90 day wait. The talaq takes effect 90 days after the chairman receives the notice, unless it is taken back sooner.
4. Registration. Once effective, the union council registers the divorce in the civil registration system.
5. Certificate. The council, or e-Khidmat Markaz in Punjab, issues the computerised divorce certificate.

The Ordinance applies to all Muslim citizens of Pakistan, wherever they live. The federal text carries a 2021 amendment with separate rules for couples who follow Fiqh-e-Jafria, the Shia school. If that applies to you, check with a lawyer.

The 90 day period and the Arbitration Council

The 90 days start on the day the chairman receives the notice, not the day talaq was spoken. If the wife is pregnant, the divorce takes effect only when the 90 days or the pregnancy end, whichever is later. No certificate can be issued before that date.

Within 30 days of getting the notice, the chairman must form an Arbitration Council. It has the chairman and one representative from each side, and tries to reconcile the couple. If one side names nobody in time, it goes ahead without them.

Keep the stamped copy or receipt of the notice from the union council. It proves when the 90 days began.

Khula and court decrees go to the union council too

A divorce through khula or a court decree also ends up at the union council. In Punjab, the Family Courts Act says the court must send a certified copy of the decree to the chairman within three days. The chairman then treats it like a talaq notice.

Section 8 of the Ordinance covers the other routes. If the husband gave the wife the right to divorce in the nikah nama, called talaq-e-tafweez, she can use it. The same notice and 90 day process apply, "so far as applicable".

For a court case, the khula procedure runs through the family court first. After the decree, follow up at the union council yourself.

Documents for a divorce certificate

Punjab's e-Khidmat Markaz lists five items: the application form, the union council and Arbitration Council registration or the court order, the Rs 200 fee, the applicant's CNIC, and the CNICs of both former spouses. Bring originals with copies attested by a grade 17 or higher officer.

The same page adds three limits. It accepts cases only where the nikah was registered from 2001 onwards. It processes a case in the district where it is registered. And cantonment cases go to the cantonment board, not e-Khidmat.

A registered nikah is the base of the whole chain. If yours was never registered, start with nikah registration, because a divorce cannot be computerised against a marriage the system does not hold.

Applying in Punjab through e-Khidmat Markaz

In Punjab, take the documents to an e-Khidmat Markaz, pay Rs 200 in cash and collect the certificate in 7 working days. Centres open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm, and close for Jummah from 12:30pm to 2:30pm on Fridays. The Lahore ASTP and Town Hall centres also open 6pm to midnight.

The fee and timing match the Markaz's own marriage certificate service, which we read on the same day.

Outside Punjab, apply at the union council, town committee or cantonment board where the divorce was registered. We found no official fee for Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Balochistan, so ask the office before you go. NADRA refused our direct requests. Through a text reader we saw its list of identity documents, which has no separate divorce certificate.

Overseas Pakistanis, the embassy and attestation

Overseas Pakistanis can use NADRA's PakID app, which NADRA says offers provincial civil registration of birth, death, marriage and divorce. Paperwork in Pakistan can be handled by a relative with a power of attorney, as below.

The Foreign Office attestation page sets clear rules. A divorce certificate must be issued by the Arbitration Council chairman or the union council secretary. For a divorce deed, a computerised divorce certificate is compulsory. Either former spouse must get it attested in person, and a relative or friend cannot do it for them.

People living abroad are the exception. They can send a power of attorney, signed at a Pakistan embassy or consulate, so a blood relative or friend can attest it for them. Divorce notices must be attested by the Arbitration Council, and court papers go through the court.

The Foreign Office says it charges no fee for attestation, only revenue stamps. Apostille, used by some countries, costs Rs 3,000 for a personal document and Rs 4,500 for a legal one. The page still carries a 5 March 2026 notice that the online Apostille booking portal is suspended until further notice.

Your family registration certificate lists marriages, so ask NADRA how a registered divorce will show before you apply for a new one.

Common questions

Does NADRA issue a divorce certificate directly?

No. The union council registers the divorce in NADRA's system and issues the computerised certificate. In Punjab, e-Khidmat Markaz also issues it.

How long after talaq can I get a divorce certificate?

Not before 90 days from the day the chairman received the notice. If the wife is pregnant, it waits until the pregnancy ends if that is later.

What is the fee for a divorce certificate in Punjab?

Rs 200 in cash at e-Khidmat Markaz, with delivery in 7 working days. We found no official fee for other provinces.

Can I get a divorce certificate after khula?

Yes. The family court sends the decree to the union council chairman, who treats it like a talaq notice. The certificate follows once it is effective.

Can an overseas Pakistani get a divorce certificate?

Yes. NADRA's PakID app lists divorce registration, and a relative can act for you using a power of attorney signed at a Pakistan embassy or consulate.

What if my nikah was registered before 2001?

e-Khidmat Markaz only accepts cases where the nikah was registered from 2001. Go to the union council that holds the record and ask how it can be computerised.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 28 September 2026. We read sections 2, 7 and 8 of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961 on Pakistan Code, updated to March 2022, and the Punjab version and Family Courts Act 1964 on the Punjab Code. The fee, documents, 2001 limit, timings and delivery time are read on the e-Khidmat Markaz divorce certificate page. Attestation and Apostille rules are read on the Foreign Office consular page, and the PakID line on NADRA's overseas services page. Punjab's Dastak services page did not load, so it is not relied on. We did not apply for a certificate.