Guides

NADRA marriage certificate vs Nikah Nama

Pakistani couples usually have two marriage papers. The Nikah Nama is the handwritten Urdu contract signed at the nikah. The NADRA marriage registration certificate (MRC) is the computer-printed certificate the union council issues after it registers that Nikah Nama. They are not the same document, and visa offices often want both. People also call the MRC the "computerized Nikah Nama" or "NADRA Nikah Nama"; it is the same certificate.

The difference at a glance

Why visa files ask for both

The MRC proves the marriage is on record; the Nikah Nama shows its terms. Pakistani applicants to the US report that the National Visa Center asks for the Urdu Nikah Nama, its certified English translation and the NADRA certificate together (VisaJourney). A Canadian refugee board research note also records that a signed Nikah Nama is a valid marriage under Pakistani law, with registration done through the union council (IRB Canada).

How to get each one

• Nikah Nama copy: from the Nikah Registrar or the union council where it was registered. Ask for an attested copy if yours is damaged or unclear.
• NADRA MRC: from the union council, once the Nikah Nama is registered. Check the details against the Nikah Nama before you leave; spelling differences between the two are a common problem.

This site is unofficial and not connected to NADRA or any union council. For the official process, go to your union council or nadra.gov.pk.