How to Apply for Pakistan Citizenship for a Minor Child on Form M: Rs 200 at DGI&P
A Pakistani parent applies on Form M for citizenship for a child under 21. Fee Rs 200, four copies, DGI&P Islamabad. See the papers, offices and timing.
Short answer: A Pakistani parent or guardian applies for citizenship for a child under 21 on Form M, under Section 11 of the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951. The application goes in four copies to the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P) in Islamabad, a zonal office or the Ministry of Interior. The fee is Rs 200. You attach an affidavit, four photographs and proof that you are a citizen.
Most parents never meet this form. A child born to a Pakistani parent usually gets a birth certificate, a B-form and then a CNIC, with no citizenship application at all. Form M exists for the cases where that path does not apply and the child needs a citizenship certificate in their own name.
We read the DGI&P page on the grant of Pakistan citizenship, the immigration process page and its FAQ on 12 October 2026. The DGI&P page does not explain who must use this route. It lists only the category, the form and the papers. We say below where that leaves gaps.
Form M is the route for minor children of a Pakistani citizen
DGI&P lists four categories for grant of citizenship. The fourth is "Minor Children (below 21 years of Age) of Pakistan Citizen", under Section 11 of the Act, read with Rule 17 of the Pakistan Citizenship Rules, 1952.
The applicant is not the child. The application comes from the Pakistani parents or guardians, on Form M.
The other three categories are a foreign wife of a Pakistani man, a Commonwealth citizen who transfers Rs 5 million in foreign exchange, and a holder of a naturalization certificate. If you are the foreign wife, the Form F route for a foreign wife is a different file.
You need five things in the file
The page lists the papers beyond the form itself. They are short, but each must be right, because the application goes in four copies.
| Item | What DGI&P lists |
|---|---|
| Application form | Form M, in four copies, from the Pakistani parents or guardians |
| Photographs | Four photographs |
| Affidavit | From the Pakistani parent or guardian, stating the facts of the case |
| Proof of citizenship | Documentary evidence that the parents or guardians are citizens of Pakistan |
| Fee | Rs 200 |
The page does not name the exact proof of citizenship. A parent's CNIC and a citizenship certificate, where one exists, are the kind of proof the page points to. Ask the DGI&P facilitation desk if your case is unusual.
Where to submit and what happens next
You can submit directly to DGI&P in Islamabad, to one of its zonal offices in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Quetta, or to the Federal Government, meaning the Ministry of Interior.
DGI&P's FAQ says that once the relevant security agencies clear a grant of nationality case, it takes less than two months. It adds that the time depends on each case. The FAQ says to ask about the status after three months by email to immigration@dgip.gov.pk. The immigration section's listed number is 051-9107076.
That timing is stated for grant of nationality cases in general. It is not a promise for Form M specifically.
Check whether your child needs this route at all
DGI&P's immigration overview says there are three kinds of citizens: by birth, by descent and by migration. A child who is already a citizen by birth or descent may not need a Section 11 grant. The page does not say which children fall where, so do not guess.
The simplest check is to see what documents the child can already get. The first step is registration. NADRA B-form requirements list what a parent needs, and how to get a birth certificate in Pakistan covers the first step. If NADRA or a mission refuses to register the child because citizenship is in question, that is when a Form M file may be the answer.
For a child born abroad, DGI&P's process page says the birth of a child of a Pakistani citizen may be reported by the parents or guardians on Form S to the Pakistan mission abroad within six months. It also says citizens abroad must register with their mission each year.
How to prepare the application
- Confirm with DGI&P or the nearest zonal office that Form M is the right route for your child.
- Get Form M from DGI&P, which keeps its immigration forms on a downloads page, and fill four copies in full.
- Write the affidavit stating the facts: the child's details, the parents' citizenship and the reason for the application.
- Collect the parents' or guardian's proof of citizenship and four photographs of the child.
- Pay the Rs 200 fee the way DGI&P directs, and keep the receipt.
- Submit at DGI&P Islamabad, a zonal office or the Ministry of Interior and keep a stamped copy.
On its visa page, DGI&P says cash should not be handed to staff in any case and that fees go to the bank. We read that note for visas, not for citizenship, but it is a sound rule to follow. If anyone asks you for cash, call the helpline, 051-111-344-777.
What this does not cover
A passport is a separate step after citizenship is settled. How to get a passport for a child in Pakistan sets out the passport papers. A parent who later gives up citizenship follows a different form, set out in renouncing Pakistani citizenship with Form X.
Common questions
Who signs the Form M application?
The Pakistani parents or guardians apply on the child's behalf. DGI&P lists the form as coming from them.
What age limit applies?
DGI&P's category is minor children below 21 years of age of a Pakistani citizen.
How much is the fee?
Rs 200, as listed on the DGI&P page on 12 October 2026. Ask DGI&P how to pay it before you submit.
How many photographs and copies do I need?
Four photographs, and the form in four copies, as DGI&P lists.
How long does the decision take?
DGI&P's FAQ says grant cases take less than two months after security clearance, but it depends on the case. Ask after three months by email.
Can I submit at my city's passport office?
DGI&P lists Islamabad and the zonal offices in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Quetta, or the Ministry of Interior. Confirm before you travel.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
We read the DGI&P page on grant of Pakistan citizenship, its immigration FAQ and process page on 12 October 2026. Fee, forms and offices can change, so confirm them with DGI&P at 051-111-344-777 before you file.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
