# Pakistani Nikkah Nama (Marriage Certificate) - To be (attested) or not to be!



## Dilemmas Dilemmas (Aug 23, 2014)

Hi, can anyone plz shed some light on this matter........

I have the original Urdu Nikkah Nama that has been stamped by the Union Council (I believe that is standard procedure). I also have the original English translated computerised version of the 'Marriage Registration Certificate' which has a silver line running along the bottom stating 'Nadra'

Are both these documents sufficient/acceptable to apply for a UK spouse visa? Or they do have to be attested in anyway by the ministry of foreign affairs???
Will the ECO refuse our application if they have not been attested?  

I could not find any threads that answered these questions so I thought I'd post my own.......


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## Dilemmas Dilemmas (Aug 23, 2014)

Someone plz help


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## u4a4ever (Jan 30, 2015)

Dilemmas Dilemmas said:


> Someone plz help


Please Help us.


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## Anxious_wife (Mar 11, 2013)

There have been several questions on this in the past. I don't think anyone has been able to give a definitive answer. When my husband applied our nikkah namah was stamped by the ministry of foreign affairs. I think it's worth doing just to be safe.

If the Gerrys centre is close by to your/ your partner's home, maybe pay them a visit and ask over there?


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## in_shock (Jan 15, 2015)

If it's relatively easy to get your marriage documents attested it may be worthwhile doing so, not necessarily for this application, as you may need it in the future. 

The rules do not specifically state whether the document needs to be attested and people may very well have gotten away with not having it attested. The question is whether you want to take the risk - what is the cost of the attestation? time and money. What is the benefit of the attestation? Comfort in the knowledge that your visa will not get refused for failing to get the document attested; convenience if in the future it becomes a requirement (for example in the UAE, a marriage certificate has to be attested (and more) in order to be valid). You never know where your life may take you.


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## Dilemmas Dilemmas (Aug 23, 2014)

Anxious_wife said:


> There have been several questions on this in the past. I don't think anyone has been able to give a definitive answer. When my husband applied our nikkah namah was stamped by the ministry of foreign affairs. I think it's worth doing just to be safe.
> 
> If the Gerrys centre is close by to your/ your partner's home, maybe pay them a visit and ask over there?



Thanks Anxious_wife...it certainly is one of those grey areas. I am getting different views from everyone. 
Thing is I have both the certificates in the UK, husband is in Saudi and we plan to apply end of this month


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## Dilemmas Dilemmas (Aug 23, 2014)

in_shock said:


> If it's relatively easy to get your marriage documents attested it may be worthwhile doing so, not necessarily for this application, as you may need it in the future.
> 
> The rules do not specifically state whether the document needs to be attested and people may very well have gotten away with not having it attested. The question is whether you want to take the risk - what is the cost of the attestation? time and money. What is the benefit of the attestation? Comfort in the knowledge that your visa will not get refused for failing to get the document attested; convenience if in the future it becomes a requirement (for example in the UAE, a marriage certificate has to be attested (and more) in order to be valid). You never know where your life may take you.



Thanks for the sound advice In_shock 

We plan on applying end of Feb so time is of the essence! It wold mean me sending back the original certificate to Pakistan. My family there will then need to get it attested by the Ministry of Foreign affairs and then send it back to me only for me to put it in the file ready to send off to my husband in Saudi :juggle: 
I think my Nikkah Nama is lucky to have travelled half way across the world before my husband! lane: 

Another idea, I keep what I have in my document folder. My family get a COPY of the English translated/computerised version, have that attested and send it direct to my husband so he can submit it along with his Passport, Eng Certificate, biometrics and all that shabang! :noidea:

Hoping Joppa or Nyclon have some views to share.....


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## Dilemmas Dilemmas (Aug 23, 2014)

Joppa, Nyclon, Shell...anyone


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Don't know anything about Nikkah.


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## u4a4ever (Jan 30, 2015)

Joppa said:


> Don't know anything about Nikkah.


It's a Marriage certificate for Muslim's


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

I know that. All I said was that I know nothing about attesting.


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## Zara2013 (Jul 18, 2013)

You said it's a marriage certificate for muslim -so it's just a religious ceremony that took place by an imam? Didn't you get married in an offical register office? if this is the only type of marriage certificate issued in Pakistan than an officail stamp surely is required??!


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## Dilemmas Dilemmas (Aug 23, 2014)

Unlike the UK, there are no registry offices for marriages in Pakistan. They are conducted by an Imam with witnesses present at your preferred venue or at home. A marriage certificate (in Urdu) is then signed by both bride & groom and the witnesses and them stamped by the Union Council (the governing body that register births/deaths & marriages etc)

The question is that does the translated version of this Marriage Certificate HAVE to be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

I guess we should somehow just try to get it attested to be on the safe side.....


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