PAKISTAN · CERTIFIED TRANSLATION
Certified Translation of Pakistan Documents for USCIS
Translating Pakistani documents for USCIS turns on one distinction: modern computerized "NADRA" certificates are bilingual Urdu/English with a QR code, while older civil records are handwritten registers kept entirely in Urdu (Nastaliq script). Even the bilingual ones still require a complete English translation, because USCIS wants every Urdu seal, stamp, marginal note and registrar remark rendered — not just the pre-printed English columns. Pakistani naming is another trap: documents frequently list a father's name rather than a Western-style surname, so consistent transliteration across a whole family's papers matters. Since Pakistan joined the Apostille Convention in 2023, authentication is now a single MOFA apostille, but that step is separate from the certified translation USCIS actually reads.
Updated July 11, 2026 · Reviewed by Victor Luján, Founder — certified translations since 2018
DOCUMENTS FROM PAKISTAN
Pick Your Document
Pakistani Birth Certificate →
Pakistani Marriage Certificate →
Pakistani Divorce Decree →
Pakistani Death Certificate →
Pakistani Diploma →
Pakistani Academic Transcript →
Pakistani Police Record →
Pakistani Single Status Certificate →
GOOD TO KNOW
Issuing Authority & Authentication
Civil records in Pakistan are issued by the یونین کونسل / NADRA — local Union Councils, Cantonment Boards & TMAs, with records maintained by the National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) through its Civil Registration Management System (CRMS) · official language(s): Urdu, English. Pakistan acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention, in force since 9 March 2023, so Pakistani civil documents are authenticated with a single apostille from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) rather than US embassy/consular legalization. Educational records normally need IBCC (school boards) or HEC (university degrees) attestation before the MOFA apostille is issued.
We also certify Pakistani documents written in Punjabi, Pashto and Dari.
Every document above is translated by a native specialist, reviewed by a second linguist, and delivered with a signed Certificate of Accuracy that USCIS accepts under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) — or we fix it free and cover your resubmission fee.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
My NADRA certificate is already bilingual — do I still need a certified translation for USCIS?
Usually yes. Even when a NADRA certificate shows English, USCIS requires a complete English translation of the entire document, including every Urdu seal, stamp, heading and handwritten note, with a signed Certificate of Accuracy. We translate the whole page so nothing is left untranslated, meeting 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3).
My birth record is an old handwritten Union Council register entry in Urdu. Can you translate that?
Yes. Our native Urdu specialists handle handwritten and older civil-register entries, transcribing registrar remarks, margin notes and faded Nastaliq script, then certify the translation for USCIS. Send a clear photo or scan and we'll return a free 250-word sample first.
Do I need a MOFA apostille and a translation, or just one of them?
They do different jobs. The apostille from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (available since 2023) authenticates where the document came from, while USCIS separately needs a certified English translation of what it says. Most family-based petitions ask for the translation; check your specific filing instructions for whether an apostille is also requested.
How do you handle Pakistani names and the Nikah Nama?
We preserve name order exactly as printed — many documents list a father's name rather than a Western surname — and transliterate consistently across all your papers so names match. For a Nikah Nama we translate every column, including the mahr (dower) amount and any conditions, so the marriage details are fully legible to USCIS.