Enhanced Form B introduced with security features for children aged 10+

ISLAMABAD: On the instructions of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, it was decided on Wednesday to introduce Form B with special security features for children above the age of 10 for the first time in history.

As part of these new security features, fingerprints and photographs of children aged 10 and above will now be mandatory for Form B. The issuance of the upgraded Form B registration certificate will begin in phases starting January 15. In line with directives, the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), in collaboration with the passport department, has incorporated these enhanced security measures. The interior minister said that these reforms would help prevent the theft and misuse of children’s identity information and aid in combating crimes such as fake identity cards, illegal passports, and human trafficking. He congratulated the Nadra chairman, the director general of immigration and passports, and their teams for implementing these reforms in a short timeframe.

According to a Ministry of Interior spokesperson, in the first phase, fingerprints and photographs of children aged 10 to 18 will be collected at Nadra centres starting January 15. Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, who will need to present their computerised national identity card (CNIC) and the child’s computerised birth certificate issued by the relevant union council or town committee.

Once the necessary procedures are completed at Nadra, a Form B featuring the child’s photograph will be issued. The spokesperson clarified that children aged 10 to 18 will need this new Form B, containing 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 the 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 mentioned that additional reforms will be introduced in subsequent phases. Facilities for obtaining iris scans, photographs, and fingerprints will eventually be provided at union councils.

Efforts will also be made to integrate NADRA’s identification system with the Civil Registration Management System (CRMS) of the provinces. To ensure better services, enhancements will be made to NADRA’s Pak-ID mobile app, and digital IDs will be issued to all Pakistani citizens.