Islamabad: On the instructions of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, for the first time in history, it was decided to introduce Form B with special security features for children above 10 years of age.
As part of these new security features, fingerprints and photographs of children aged 10 years and above will now be mandatory for Form B. Issuance of upgraded Form B registration certificate will begin in a phased manner from January 15. As per the guidelines, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) along with the Passport Department have added these enhanced security measures. The Home Minister said these reforms will help prevent the theft and misuse of children’s identity information and help tackle crimes such as fake identity cards, illegal passports and human trafficking. He congratulated NADRA Chairman, Director General Immigration and Passport and their teams for implementing these reforms in a short span of time.
According to the Home Ministry spokesperson, in the first phase, fingerprints and photographs of children aged 10 to 18 years will be collected at NADRA centers from January 15. Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, who must present their computerized. National Identity Card (CNIC) and computerized birth certificate of the child issued by the Union Council or Town Committee concerned.
After completing the necessary procedures at NADRA, a Form B containing the photograph of the child will be issued. The spokesperson clarified that children between the ages of 10 and 18 will need the new Form B, which includes fingerprints and a photograph, when applying for a new passport. The older version of Form B, which lacks these features, will no longer be accepted for this age group. Parents or legal guardians are encouraged to obtain updated Form B from NADRA for their children.
During the passport application process, the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports will verify the child’s photograph and fingerprints using NADRA’s database. The spokesperson also said that additional reforms will be introduced in the next phases. Facilities to obtain iris scans, photos and fingerprints will eventually be provided in union councils.
Efforts will also be made to integrate NADRA’s ID system with the Civil Registration Management System (CRMS) of the provinces. To ensure better services, NADRA’s Pak ID mobile app will be enhanced, and digital IDs will be issued to all Pakistani citizens.