The overview
Embassies rarely accept the handwritten marriage contract on its own. They want the NADRA computerised certificate extracted from the registered record, and this reference explains the three stages and what to do if yours was never registered.
The marriage contract
Every official marriage record in Pakistan starts with one document, the nikah nama signed at the ceremony, and it is executed by the Nikah Registrar who conducts the marriage. The contract records the couple, the mahr (dower), the witnesses, and the terms of the marriage, and it is what the union council and NADRA build their records from.
The three stages of a Pakistani marriage record
A marriage record moves through three stages, and each one has a different document.
- The nikah nama. Signed at the ceremony by the bride, groom, registrar, and witnesses. This is the contract itself.
- Union council registration. The registrar forwards the record so the marriage is registered with the union council. This is what makes the marriage official in the civil register.
- The NADRA computerised certificate. NADRA computerises the registered record and issues the Marriage Registration Certificate (MRC). The Family Registration Certificate issued by marriage draws on the same record.
A handwritten nikah nama that was never registered is a private record of the marriage. What governments can verify is the registered, computerised record.
Why the handwritten nikah nama is not enough
Foreign embassies ask for the NADRA computerised marriage certificate, not the handwritten nikah nama, because it is verifiable. It is an extract of the NADRA database, and the issuing authority can confirm it. For a spouse visa or a family visa, an unregistered or handwritten nikah nama is usually not enough on its own.
Attesting a nikah nama
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes the attestation of the nikah nama among its consular services. The usual sequence for a marriage document used abroad moves from the NADRA computerised marriage certificate (from the registered nikah nama) to MOFA attestation or apostille, and then the destination embassy where required. Destinations that accept the apostille, for example the UK and Canada, skip the embassy step. ulf destinations such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar are not Convention members and need the embassy stamp after MOFA.
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What if yours was never registered?
If the nikah nama was never registered or computerised, the marriage certificate cannot be produced, and attestation cannot proceed until the registration gap is fixed. If the nikah nama is lost, a duplicate can be obtained from the union council and NADRA records, and the computerised certificate is re-issued from the registered record. Fix the record first, then start the attestation chain.
Sources
- MOFA Consular Services on attestation of documents, including the nikah nama, checked 12 August 2026
- NADRA Family Registration Certificate by marriage, checked 12 August 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a nikah nama?
Who issues the nikah nama?
Is the nikah nama enough for a visa?
How do I register a nikah nama?
What if my nikah nama is lost?
About Sannan Siddique
Sannan Siddique is the founder and CEO of Attestdone. He spent about ten years in logistics and compliance in the Gulf before returning to Pakistan, where he built Attestdone around written quotes, tracked document handling, and staff who file at the authorities themselves.
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