Eligibility quiz
Was one of your parents a Pakistani citizen when you were born?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Pakistani passport and ID
Pakistani citizens can hold a Pakistani passport and an identity card.
An ordinary passport lasts five or ten years, but no more than five years for children under 15.
Citizens can renew it or get one from a Pakistani mission abroad, whatever their residence status there.
Live in Pakistan for life
Pakistani citizens can enter, live in and leave Pakistan without a Pakistani immigration visa.
Citizenship has no routine expiry or renewal date.
Citizens are equal before the law and can move, gather, form groups and use the courts, within legal limits.
Attend school for free
Children aged five to sixteen have a right to free education in Pakistan.
What is available and who can attend a particular school can depend on the province, age and school.
Work in Pakistan
Pakistani citizens can work and run a business in Pakistan.
Some jobs and professions have special requirements or restrictions.
Get help abroad
Pakistani citizens can seek help from Pakistani missions abroad, including emergency travel documents and help returning to Pakistan.
They can also seek help if detained or without money, legal aid and registration of a Pakistani child’s birth abroad.
Own property in Pakistan
Pakistani citizens have a right to property, with legal limits and special restrictions on some property.
Vote in elections
Pakistani citizens can register to vote from age 18 if they live, or are treated as living, in an electoral area.
A person declared by a court to be unable to make sound decisions cannot register, and only registered citizens can vote.
How to apply
Applying at a provincial officeApplying at a provincial office
Find your provincial office
Find the provincial government for your domicile of origin, the province that counts as your original home under Pakistan’s rules.
Find your provincial officeSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I find the provincial government for my domicile of origin to apply for Pakistan citizenship by descent?”
Download the application form
Download Form B for your citizenship application.
Download the formFill in the form
Fill in and sign the citizenship by descent part of Form B, crossing out the parts that do not apply to you. Follow the form’s instructions for having it signed by a witness.
See how to fill itSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in and sign Form B for Pakistan citizenship by descent?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the provincial government.
See required documentsHand in your application
Submit three copies of your completed Form B with your documents to the provincial government for your domicile of origin. Ask the office how it accepts applications before sending original documents.
Find submission detailsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I submit Form B to the provincial government for Pakistan citizenship by descent?”
Wait for the decision
Wait for the government to decide your application, and answer any questions or requests for more documents. Your application may be sent to the federal government for a decision.
See how long it takesSearches DuckDuckGo for “How long does a Pakistan citizenship by descent application take at the provincial government?”
Receive your citizenship certificate
After approval, ask the citizenship office how to receive your certificate. You can use it as proof of your Pakistani citizenship.
Find certificate detailsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I receive my Pakistan citizenship by descent certificate after approval?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Proof of parentage
Provide documents showing your relationship to your Pakistani parent, such as your birth certificate naming them.
Parent's citizenship certificate
Provide the Pakistani citizenship certificate granted to your Pakistani parent.
Birth registration certificate *
Provide the certificate showing that your birth was registered at the Pakistani mission or consulate in your country of birth. If there was none there, provide the certificate from the designated or nearest Pakistani mission or consulate.
* Only if you were born outside Pakistan, your parent's citizenship certificate says they are Pakistani by descent only, and you use this instead of proof of their government service.
Considerations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Limits on public office
Having another citizenship can limit which public offices a Pakistani citizen can hold.
Citizenship can be lost
Pakistani citizenship can be given up or taken away in certain cases, including cases involving fraud or other actions that break the rules.
Getting another citizenship may affect Pakistani citizenship, depending on the other citizenship.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
r/pakistan
English Reddit group for people interested in Pakistani local life
Join on Redditr/PakistanAsks
English Reddit group for people interested in Pakistani local life
Join on Redditr/Bahawalpur
English Reddit group for people interested in Pakistani local life
Join on RedditConsultation
Talk to a professionalTalk to a professional
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