Pakistani Document Translation for UK Asylum Claims

Pakistani documents we translate for asylum

Most Pakistani cases include a mix of identity, family and legal documents. The table shows the common ones.

Some Pakistani documents are already partly in English. The CNIC, for example, has English field labels. We still translate every Urdu word on the page, including stamps, handwritten notes and the back of the card, because a caseworker needs the whole document, not only the printed English parts.

How Pakistani documents are issued

Knowing where a document comes from helps us translate its titles, stamps and reference numbers correctly.

NADRA identity and family records

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) issues the CNIC, the NICOP for Pakistanis living abroad, Form B (also called the Child Registration Certificate, or CRC) and the computerised Marriage Registration Certificate. These records are linked by a 13-digit CNIC number. We copy every number exactly, digit for digit, so that the same person can be matched across all your documents.

Union Councils and the Nikah Nama

A marriage in Pakistan is recorded on a Nikah Nama, which is registered with the local Union Council. NADRA then issues a computerised MRC. The Nikah Nama is a long form with many numbered columns, witness details and handwritten entries. We translate every column, even ones left blank, and mark them "[blank]" so nothing looks missing.

Police stations and the FIR

An FIR (First Information Report) is the police record that opens a criminal case, usually with offences listed under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Many FIRs are now computerised, for example in Punjab, but older and rural FIRs are often handwritten in Urdu. We translate section numbers exactly as written and add the offence name in a translator's note where it helps the reader.

Courts

Pakistani court papers include summons, warrants, bail orders and judgments. Lower-court orders are often in Urdu, while higher-court judgments are commonly in English. If a judgment is already in English, you may only need the Urdu stamps or endorsements translated. Tell us and we will quote for that part only.

Languages used on Pakistani documents

Urdu is the main language of Pakistani official papers, written right to left in the Nastaliq style. Our Urdu asylum document translation page explains how we handle the script, handwriting and legal vocabulary in depth.

Some documents and letters are in other languages. Letters from Punjab can be in Punjabi written in Shahmukhi script, and papers from Sindh may be in Sindhi. See our Punjabi asylum document translation page for more. Documents from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can include Pashto. We match each document to a translator who reads that language and script.

Dates and names on Pakistani documents

Pakistani official documents normally use Gregorian dates, usually written day, month, year. If a religious or community document also shows an Islamic (Hijri) date, we translate it as written and add the Gregorian equivalent in a clearly marked translator's note. We never replace the original date.

Names cause more problems than dates. One name can be spelled several ways in English, such as Muhammad, Mohammad or Mohd. We use the spelling from your passport or CNIC for every document, so the Home Office sees one consistent name. Please send us your passport or CNIC even if it does not need translating. Tell us if your family uses a different spelling. If your documents show different names or dates, our statutory declaration service page explains one way people deal with this.

Pakistan document translation for asylum: price and delivery

Most single documents are priced per page. A CNIC or Form B is usually one page. An FIR or court order may run to two or three pages. A full case file is quoted as one bundle.

• Certified translation: from £18 per page (a CNIC, Form B or single certificate from £15 per document)
• Bundles of 10 or more pages: from £14 per page
• Standard delivery: 1 working day for ID cards and certificates, 2–3 working days for longer documents
• Urgent delivery: same day or within 24 hours, from £10 extra per document

Prices shown are starting prices and include VAT. We confirm your exact price in a written quote before any work starts.

If your interview or hearing is close, see our urgent asylum document translation service. For all fees, see our translation prices page.

What you receive

Each translation comes with a signed certificate. It follows GOV.UK's guidance on certifying a document (opens in a new tab): the translator confirms it is a "true and accurate translation of the original document" and gives the date, their full name and contact details. We also add the translator's signature and our credentials, as the Immigration Rules expect for leave-to-remain applications: we are members of the ITI, CIOL and ATC. You get a PDF by email, and paper copies on request.

Sample

Certified translation

Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC)

Urdu → English

Full name

redacted

Father's name

redacted

Gender

redacted

CNIC number

redacted

Date of birth

redacted

Date of issue

redacted

Date of expiry

redacted

Permanent address

redacted, redacted district

• [Photograph]
• [Fingerprint]
• [Translator's note: both sides of the card are translated.]

Translator's statement

I confirm that this is a true and accurate translation of the original document.

Date

DD/MM/YYYY

Translator

Full name

Signature

How to order

1. Photograph or scan every page, including the back and any stamps.
2. Upload them and tell us what the translations are for.
3. We send a fixed quote and a delivery date, usually within 1 hour (8am–10pm UK time, 7 days a week).
4. You approve, and we translate, check and certify.
5. We send the certified PDF to you or your solicitor.

Your files are handled under UK GDPR, uploaded through an encrypted link and deleted after delivery. We translate only. For advice on your claim, speak to a solicitor or an adviser regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA).