Family Registration Certificate 2026 — Easy Step-by-Step Guide to Types, Fee & How to Apply

This is not an official NADRA or BISP website. This guide is independent, general information about the Family Registration Certificate. For official information, confirm on NADRA’s official website or at your nearest NADRA centre. For BISP matters, always use the 8171 portal at 8171.bisp.gov.pk or the BISP helpline on 0800-26477.

Quick answer: The Family Registration Certificate (FRC) is NADRA’s official document showing the members of your family exactly as recorded in NADRA’s database — parents and siblings (by birth), or spouse and children (by marriage). It costs Rs 1,000 for one family type or Rs 2,000 for both families combined, usually issued in one day, and you apply through the Pak ID app, the NADRA portal at id.nadra.gov.pk, or a NADRA centre. Remember: the Family Registration Certificate only prints what NADRA already knows — children appear on it only if they already have a B-Form, and a spouse appears only if the marriage is recorded.

What Is the Family Registration Certificate?

The Family Registration Certificate (FRC) is an official document issued by NADRA that shows the members of an applicant’s family, exactly as they are recorded in NADRA’s national database. It is proof of who belongs to your family — your parents and siblings, or your spouse and children — printed on one certificate, with each person’s name, CNIC or B-Form number, and relationship to you.

Think of it this way: your CNIC proves who you are. The Family Registration Certificate proves who your family is. Embassies, courts, immigration offices and government departments often need more than your word that a person is your father, your wife, or your son. The FRC is the document they accept, because it comes directly from NADRA’s own database rather than from a statement you write yourself.

The FRC is issued under Rule 19 of the National Identity Card Rules, 2002, as proof of the family composition data NADRA already holds. That last part matters more than anything else in this guide: the FRC only prints relationships NADRA already has in its system. It does not create a relationship, add a missing family member, or correct a wrong record. If your child has no B-Form, or your spouse is not linked to you in NADRA’s record, the FRC will simply not show them — and you must fix the underlying record first, then apply for the FRC.

This is also what separates the FRC from the B-Form. The B-Form registers one child under 18. The FRC summarises a whole family for one adult applicant. The two documents work together: children appear on a parent’s FRC only if they already have a B-Form, so a family that keeps its B-Forms current will have no trouble getting an FRC.

Who Needs a Family Registration Certificate?

Most people never need an FRC — until one day an office asks for it, and the application cannot move forward without it. The common situations are:

• Visa and immigration applications. Embassies often ask for an FRC to confirm family relationships — for example, when sponsoring a parent, a spouse or a child, or when applying for a family visa.
• Family reunion and sponsorship abroad. Immigration authorities in another country want proof that the people you are sponsoring are genuinely your family. The FRC is the standard proof.
• Inheritance and succession. After a parent passes away, courts and banks may ask for an FRC to establish who the legal heirs are.
• Children’s passports abroad. A parent applying for a child’s passport from outside Pakistan may be asked for an FRC showing the child as part of the family.
• School and official records. Some institutions ask for an FRC to confirm a child’s family details.
• Welfare and programme checks. Some government verifications ask for family composition proof, and the FRC is the document that provides it.

Example — sponsoring a parent’s visa: Ahmed lives abroad and wants to sponsor his elderly mother’s visit visa. The embassy asks for proof that she is his mother. His own CNIC shows his father’s name, but the embassy wants the family relationship on one official document. Ahmed applies for a Family Registration Certificate by birth, which lists his parents and siblings, and submits it with the visa application.

Example — inheritance after a father’s death: After their father passes away, three brothers need to divide his property. The court asks for proof of who the legal heirs are. One brother applies for an FRC by birth, which lists the father, the mother and all the siblings from NADRA’s record. The certificate settles the question of who the heirs are, and the case moves forward.

Example — a mother applying for her children’s passports: A mother living abroad needs passports for her two children. The passport office asks for proof of the family unit. She applies for a Family Registration Certificate by marriage, which lists her, her husband and both children. The passport applications are accepted without further questions about the family relationship.

Example — a missing member on the certificate: A father applies for an FRC by marriage expecting to see his wife and three children. The certificate arrives showing only his wife and two children — his youngest daughter is missing. The reason is simple: the youngest daughter never had a B-Form made, so NADRA’s database does not link her to the family. He must first make her B-Form, wait for the record to update, and then apply for the FRC again. This is the most common FRC disappointment, and it is entirely avoidable if the children’s B-Forms are made first.

Family Registration Certificate Types

NADRA issues the Family Registration Certificate in three types, depending on which family you need to show. Since the 2025 reform, these are also called the Alpha, Beta and Gamma families. You must choose the right type, because an office that asked for one type will not accept another.

FRC type	Who appears on it	Typical use
By birth (Alpha)	You, your father, your mother and your siblings	Visas for parents or siblings, succession of a parent’s estate, school records
By marriage (Beta)	You, your spouse and your children	Spouse and family reunion visas, children’s passports abroad, inheritance by a widow or children
By adoption (Gamma)	You, your guardian and adopted family members	Cases where the applicant’s family relationship is by adoption or guardianship
By all (combined)	Both your birth family and your marriage family on one certificate	Processes that specifically ask for both families together

A few practical points about choosing. If you are unmarried, you almost always need the FRC by birth — it is the only family you have in NADRA’s record. If you are married with children, you almost always need the FRC by marriage — it shows your own household. The combined certificate, showing both families, is needed only when the office asking for it specifically requires both; do not pay extra for it unless you have been told to.

The FRC by marriage is the one most commonly required, because it establishes the immediate family unit — the applicant, the spouse and the children — which is what visa and immigration offices usually want to see. The FRC by birth is the one most commonly required for inheritance matters, because it shows the parent and the siblings who are the heirs.

One more thing to note: the FRC shows only what NADRA’s database already holds. If your marriage was never updated in NADRA’s record, an FRC by marriage will not show your spouse. If a sibling’s record is missing, an FRC by birth will not show that sibling. Before applying, make sure your own family record is complete — and if a child’s B-Form is missing, make it first, because a child without a B-Form cannot appear on an FRC. The B-Form is the document used to register children for the Taleemi Wazaif education stipend as well, so keeping it current helps your family in more than one place.

Family Registration Certificate Fee 2026

The fee for a Family Registration Certificate is straightforward, and it is the same regardless of which single family type you choose.

Certificate	Fee	Processing time
FRC, one family type (by birth, by marriage or by adoption)	Rs 1,000	1 day
FRC, both families combined on one certificate	Rs 2,000	1 day

A few things to understand about this fee table. First, NADRA’s fee page lists the FRC only in the Executive category, with a one-day timeline — there is no cheaper normal category and no extra charge for speed, because FRCs are usually issued quickly once the family record is verified and no discrepancy is found. Second, the combined certificate costs double because it covers two families on one document. Third, some older guides list different timelines — 30 days for normal, 12 days for urgent, 7 days for executive — and one source lists a combined FRC at Rs 1,500. Those figures do not match NADRA’s fee page as checked in September–October 2026, which lists Rs 1,000 for a single family type and Rs 2,000 for both families, with one-day processing. This guide follows the fee page figures, but fees can change, so confirm the current fee on NADRA’s official website or at your nearest NADRA centre before you pay, and always keep your receipt.

For overseas Pakistanis, the fee and processing time may differ by mission, and overseas applicants pay in their local currency. If you are applying from abroad, confirm the fee at your nearest Pakistani mission or NADRA overseas office before applying.

Family Registration Certificate: Documents Required

The FRC application needs far fewer documents than most people expect, because NADRA already holds the family data. What it needs is proof of who you are and which family you want shown.

• Your original CNIC or NICOP. The applicant must be a CNIC or NICOP holder. NADRA verifies your identity against its own database before issuing anything.
• Your children’s B-Forms. Every child under 18 who should appear on the certificate must already have a B-Form. A child without a B-Form cannot appear on an FRC.
• Your spouse’s CNIC. For an FRC by marriage, your spouse must hold a CNIC and your marriage must be recorded in NADRA’s system.
• Your parents’ CNIC numbers. For an FRC by birth, your parents must be in NADRA’s record. If a parent has passed away, their record still appears if it was registered.
• Guardianship or adoption documents. Only for an FRC by adoption, where the family relationship is by guardianship rather than birth or marriage.

Before applying, check your own record. If your marriage is not yet updated in NADRA’s system, or your address or mobile number has changed, fix that first — it is the same record the FRC is printed from. If you need to correct your details, read our guide on how to update your CNIC, mobile number and address in BISP records, and for NADRA itself, visit your nearest NADRA centre with the supporting documents. You can also confirm your CNIC record through our guide to NADRA CNIC number verification online.

How to Apply for a Family Registration Certificate

You have two ways to apply: online through NADRA’s Pak ID app, or in person at a NADRA Registration Centre. Both are official, and the online route is now the one most people use, because the FRC is usually issued quickly once the record is verified.

Applying Online Through the Pak ID App

1. Download the official Pak ID app — listed as “Pak Identity” on Google Play and the App Store. Only use the app published by NADRA. Never download it from a random website or an APK link sent on WhatsApp.
2. Create an account or log in with your CNIC, mobile number and email. The app will verify your identity, which may include a fingerprint check.
3. Select Family Registration Certificate (FRC) from the services list on the dashboard.
4. Choose the FRC type — by birth, by marriage, by adoption, or both families combined. Pick the one the office asking for it actually needs.
5. Review the family members shown. The app displays the family members NADRA has on record for the type you chose. Check them carefully — if someone is missing, do not proceed; fix the underlying record first.
6. Pay the fee — Rs 1,000 for one family type, or Rs 2,000 for both families combined — through the app’s payment options, such as a debit or credit card, JazzCash or Easypaisa. Keep the digital receipt.
7. Download your FRC. Once issued, the certificate is available in the app. Save a copy and print it if the office asking for it needs a paper copy.

You can also apply through NADRA’s web portal at id.nadra.gov.pk, which offers the same FRC application process in a browser instead of the app. Use only the official portal — never apply through a third-party website that claims to process NADRA documents.

Applying In Person at a NADRA Registration Centre

1. Visit any NADRA Registration Centre or Mega Centre with your original CNIC. Take a token at the entrance.
2. Tell the counter staff which FRC type you need — by birth, by marriage, by adoption, or combined.
3. The staff will check your family record on the system and show you the members who will appear. Check the list before it is printed.
4. Pay the fee at the counter — Rs 1,000 for one family type, or Rs 2,000 for both — and keep the receipt.
5. Collect your FRC. In most cases the certificate is issued the same day, once the record is verified and no discrepancy is found. If a discrepancy is found — for example, a family member whose record does not match — the staff will tell you what needs to be corrected first.

The in-person route is the right choice if the app cannot verify your fingerprints, if your record has a discrepancy that needs explaining, or if you simply prefer to deal with staff face to face. It is also the route to take if a family member is missing from the certificate and you need to understand why.

What the Family Registration Certificate Cannot Do

The most important thing to understand about the Family Registration Certificate is its limit. The FRC is a printout of what NADRA already knows. It cannot do any of the following:

• Add a missing family member. If your child has no B-Form, the FRC will not show that child. Make the B-Form first.
• Add a spouse whose marriage is not recorded. If your Nikah was never updated in NADRA’s record, the FRC by marriage will not show your spouse. Update the marriage record first.
• Correct a wrong name or date of birth. If a family member’s name is spelled wrongly in NADRA’s database, the FRC will print the wrong spelling. The correction must be made in the underlying record first.
• Prove a relationship NADRA has never recorded. The FRC is not evidence you create; it is evidence NADRA already holds.

This is why the “missing member” problem is so common. A family applies for an FRC, the certificate arrives without someone, and the family assumes the FRC process failed. In almost every case, the FRC process worked exactly as designed — the underlying record was incomplete. The fix is always the same: find out which record is missing, fix that record, then apply for the FRC again.

If a family member is missing from your FRC, ask the NADRA staff or check the app to see which record is incomplete. Common causes are a child without a B-Form, a marriage not updated in the system, or a parent whose CNIC was never made. Each has its own fix, and each fix happens before the FRC application, not during it.

Family Registration Certificate vs B-Form

People often ask whether they need an FRC or a B-Form. The answer depends on what you need to prove.

	Family Registration Certificate (FRC)	NADRA B-Form (CRC)
Who it is for	An adult applicant and their family members	One child under 18
What it proves	The composition of a family	One child’s identity, birth and parentage
Main uses	Visas, immigration, inheritance, sponsorship	School admission, passport, Taleemi Wazaif
Who applies	A CNIC or NICOP holder	A parent, for their child
Fee (2026, as listed)	Rs 1,000 for one family type / Rs 2,000 for both	Rs 50 normal / Rs 500 executive
Processing	Usually 1 day once the record is verified	7 days normal / 1 day executive
Depends on	The family record already being complete in NADRA’s system	The Union Council birth certificate

In short: the B-Form builds the record, and the FRC prints it. Make the B-Forms first, keep your marriage record updated, and the FRC becomes a ten-minute job.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying for an FRC before the family record is complete. Check first that every child has a B-Form and that your marriage is recorded. An FRC printed from an incomplete record wastes the fee.
• Choosing the wrong FRC type. An office that asked for an FRC by marriage will not accept an FRC by birth. Ask the office which type it needs before you apply.
• Paying for the combined certificate when you only need one family. The combined FRC costs Rs 2,000. If only one family type is needed, Rs 1,000 is enough.
• Using a fake or lookalike app. Only the official Pak ID app published by NADRA, or the official portal at id.nadra.gov.pk. Never pay through a link sent on WhatsApp or Facebook.
• Paying an agent. The official fee is Rs 1,000 for one family type. Agents outside NADRA centres who charge far more are not NADRA staff.
• Not checking the printed names. Read every name on the certificate before you leave the centre or submit it. A wrong spelling means the office may reject it, and a correction means starting again.
• Applying from a third-party website. Only NADRA’s own app, portal and centres issue the FRC. Any other website claiming to do so is not authorised.

Family Registration Certificate and BISP — What Beneficiaries Should Know

The Family Registration Certificate is a NADRA document, not a BISP document, and BISP does not ask for an FRC in its normal processes. BISP registration and payments run on your CNIC and your NSER or dynamic survey record. If you are a BISP beneficiary, you do not need an FRC to receive your payment.

But the FRC matters to BISP families in two indirect ways. First, if your family record is incomplete — a child without a B-Form, a marriage not updated — the same incompleteness can cause problems elsewhere, including in surveys and verifications. Keeping your NADRA record complete helps every government process, not just the FRC. If you are due for a re-survey, read our guide to the BISP dynamic survey (NSER) 2026 so you know what to expect.

Second, if your BISP status ever shows “under verification” or a payment is delayed, the cause is sometimes a record mismatch — and the same mismatch would show up on an FRC. Checking your BISP status on the 8171 portal at 8171.bisp.gov.pk, or by checking your BISP registration by CNIC, tells you where you stand. And if a payment problem turns out to be a record problem, fixing the NADRA record first — B-Forms, marriage record, CNIC details — is usually the fix for both.

The Kafaalat payment itself is Rs 14,500 per quarter for the Oct–Dec 2026 cycle, per the government’s June 2026 announcement, rising to Rs 18,000 planned from January 2027 — check the exact amount for your cycle on the 8171 portal. That payment does not depend on an FRC, and no one should ever ask you for an FRC — or any fee — to release a BISP payment. Anyone who does is committing fraud.

Family Registration Certificate: Common Questions

What is the Family Registration Certificate fee in 2026? As listed on NADRA’s fee page as checked in September–October 2026, the fee is Rs 1,000 for one family type (by birth, by marriage or by adoption) and Rs 2,000 for both families combined on one certificate, with one-day processing. Fees can change — confirm the current fee on NADRA’s official website or at your nearest NADRA centre before you pay.

Which Family Registration Certificate type do I need? It depends on who is asking. For a spouse or family visa, you usually need the FRC by marriage. For a parent’s visa or an inheritance matter, you usually need the FRC by birth. Ask the office that requested it which type it wants — the wrong type will not be accepted.

Can I apply for a Family Registration Certificate online? Yes. Apply through NADRA’s Pak ID app, or through the web portal at id.nadra.gov.pk. You can also apply in person at any NADRA Registration Centre with your original CNIC.

Why is a family member missing from my Family Registration Certificate? Because NADRA’s database does not link that person to your family yet. The most common cause is a child without a B-Form, or a marriage that was never updated in NADRA’s record. Fix the underlying record first, then apply for the FRC again. The FRC cannot add a missing member by itself.

How long does an FRC take? Usually one day once the family record is verified and no discrepancy is found. If a discrepancy is found, the certificate waits until the record is corrected, so fixing your record first is the fastest route.

Is the FRC the same as the B-Form? No. The B-Form is for one child under 18 and proves that child’s identity. The FRC is for an adult applicant and shows the whole family as recorded in NADRA’s database. Children appear on an FRC only if they already have a B-Form.

Do I need an FRC for BISP payments? No. BISP registration and payments run on your CNIC and your survey record. No one should ever ask you for an FRC — or any fee — to release a BISP payment.

Before You Apply: Checklist

• ☐ I know which FRC type I need — by birth, by marriage, by adoption, or combined — and I have confirmed it with the office that asked for it.
• ☐ Every child who should appear has a B-Form already made.
• ☐ My marriage is recorded in NADRA’s system (for an FRC by marriage).
• ☐ I have my original CNIC or NICOP ready.
• ☐ I know the fee — Rs 1,000 for one family type, Rs 2,000 for both — and I will confirm it before paying.
• ☐ I am applying only through the official Pak ID app, the id.nadra.gov.pk portal, or a NADRA centre — never through an agent or a third-party website.
• ☐ I will check every name on the certificate before I submit it anywhere.
• ☐ I will keep the payment receipt safe.

Conclusion

The Family Registration Certificate is a simple document with a strict rule: it prints exactly what NADRA already knows about your family, nothing more. That is its strength — embassies, courts and immigration offices trust it precisely because it comes from the national database — and it is also its trap, because an incomplete family record produces an incomplete certificate.

The work, then, is not in the FRC application itself. It takes one day and costs Rs 1,000 for one family type. The work is in the record behind it: B-Forms for every child, a marriage record that is up to date, CNIC details that are correct. Do that work first, choose the right FRC type, apply only through NADRA’s own app, portal or centre, and check every name before you submit it. And remember that no BISP payment ever depends on an FRC — if anyone tells you otherwise, they are trying to defraud you. Check your BISP status by CNIC online or on the 8171 portal at 8171.bisp.gov.pk, and keep your family record complete so that every document — B-Form, FRC, CNIC — tells the same true story.