Case Pending at NVC - Issues with Pakistani Birth Certificate

[Fahad S 0]

Hi everyone!

I am really hoping someone can help me out. I am a U.S. citizen and my wife is a Pakistani born Canadian Citizen. I submitted the DS-230 packet for the CR1 and my case is on hold as they rejected my wife's BC. I had submitted her original BC that was provided by the hospital at the time of her birth and it was in English; additionally, I submitted an original attested BC statement that was attested by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These two documents were used by the Canadian immigration a few years back while my wife was obtaining Canadian immigration and had no issues.

Does anyone has any advice for me. I am not sure what else I can obtain and submit. I called NVC and the agent told me that I need a copy that is attested by the Pakistani Ministry of Health or by the local municipality where my wife was born. Neither I nor my wife have any relatives in that area of Pakistan anymore - I really hope I won't have to spend $2k to go there to extract an official copy of her BC. This is just frustrating!!

I was born and raised here, and have no clue how I can go about obtaining this record. Any advice as to what I can do or submit in lieu of the document that U.S. immigration is requesting? Any advice you can offer will be appreciated as our case has been on hold for 8 weeks now and I just don't know what to do.

Thanks in advance for assisting me with this matter!

-Fahad

[Ling Ling 22]

Hi everyone!

I am really hoping someone can help me out. I am a U.S. citizen and my wife is a Pakistani born Canadian Citizen. I submitted the DS-230 packet for the CR1 and my case is on hold as they rejected my wife's BC. I had submitted her original BC that was provided by the hospital at the time of her birth and it was in English; additionally, I submitted an original attested BC statement that was attested by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These two documents were used by the Canadian immigration a few years back while my wife was obtaining Canadian immigration and had no issues.

Does anyone has any advice for me. I am not sure what else I can obtain and submit. I called NVC and the agent told me that I need a copy that is attested by the Pakistani Ministry of Health or by the local municipality where my wife was born. Neither I nor my wife have any relatives in that area of Pakistan anymore - I really hope I won't have to spend $2k to go there to extract an official copy of her BC. This is just frustrating!!

I was born and raised here, and have no clue how I can go about obtaining this record. Any advice as to what I can do or submit in lieu of the document that U.S. immigration is requesting? Any advice you can offer will be appreciated as our case has been on hold for 8 weeks now and I just don't know what to do.

Thanks in advance for assisting me with this matter!

-Fahad

First you need to find out EXACTLY what document NVC needs, then you need to find out how to get it in Pakistan.

NVC should be able to tell you what they need. You'll need to search the web to find out where to get Pakistani BC.

Once you know what and where, you need to find out if you can order it via mail or if you have to have an agent request it in person.

If it has to be an agent in person, find out what the agent needs, and who can be an agent (does it have to be a family member, does it have to be an attorney, etc).

If your wife has no family or friends in Pakistan, then you will need to find someone in the US or Canada that knows someone in Pakistan,

and who is willing to act as an agent for you (assuming you don't need an attorney).

That's what I'd do before I pay $2K large to get on a plane. It's a lot easier to let your fingers do the walking.

Good luck.

[Fahad S 0]

Well, over the last 8 weeks that I have been wrestling with this, I have spoken to NVC about 4 times and each time I get a different person and the answer is consistent. Your BC was rejected as it was deemed that it's not the original. The BC should be issued by the local municipality and not by the hospital or an attested copy from the Ministry of Health. It must bear the seal of the municipality. In Pakistan, BCs for foreign immigration purposes are attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and not the Ministry of Health, but I have been unsuccessful in getting my point across to NVC. I have even sent written requests that have been reviewed and then rejected and just placed in my file.

I am really hoping that someone has already traveled down this road and is able to guide me.

[Ling Ling 22]

Well, over the last 8 weeks that I have been wrestling with this, I have spoken to NVC about 4 times and each time I get a different person and the answer is consistent. Your BC was rejected as it was deemed that it's not the original. The BC should be issued by the local municipality and not by the hospital or an attested copy from the Ministry of Health. It must bear the seal of the municipality. In Pakistan, BCs for foreign immigration purposes are attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and not the Ministry of Health, but I have been unsuccessful in getting my point across to NVC. I have even sent written requests that have been reviewed and then rejected and just placed in my file.

I am really hoping that someone has already traveled down this road and is able to guide me.

I am sorry that you're having such difficulties.

Have you tried speaking to a supervisor at NVC?

It sounds like you need to contact the municipality, to find out if they can issue a BC.

I'm sure there IS someone here that's been down this road, and I'm sure morning will bring new light to this issue.

Best of luck.

[Todd-Leah 0]

Well, over the last 8 weeks that I have been wrestling with this, I have spoken to NVC about 4 times and each time I get a different person and the answer is consistent. Your BC was rejected as it was deemed that it's not the original. The BC should be issued by the local municipality and not by the hospital or an attested copy from the Ministry of Health. It must bear the seal of the municipality. In Pakistan, BCs for foreign immigration purposes are attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and not the Ministry of Health, but I have been unsuccessful in getting my point across to NVC. I have even sent written requests that have been reviewed and then rejected and just placed in my file.

I am really hoping that someone has already traveled down this road and is able to guide me.

NVC required an extract of birth from the relevant authority that has the seal/stamp of the issuing authority.

I don't know about Pakistan. In my country, we can have another person/agent to help with getting an extract of birth.

May be you can ask this at the regional forum, people from Pakistan may be able to tell you where and which authority/department you can get this document, and whether it's possible to pay someone to do it for you.

Leah

[Fahad S 0]

Leah -

Thanks for the advice. Will do!

-Fahad

[cmnb 0]

Hi everyone!

I am really hoping someone can help me out. I am a U.S. citizen and my wife is a Pakistani born Canadian Citizen. I submitted the DS-230 packet for the CR1 and my case is on hold as they rejected my wife's BC. I had submitted her original BC that was provided by the hospital at the time of her birth and it was in English; additionally, I submitted an original attested BC statement that was attested by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These two documents were used by the Canadian immigration a few years back while my wife was obtaining Canadian immigration and had no issues.

Does anyone has any advice for me. I am not sure what else I can obtain and submit. I called NVC and the agent told me that I need a copy that is attested by the Pakistani Ministry of Health or by the local municipality where my wife was born. Neither I nor my wife have any relatives in that area of Pakistan anymore - I really hope I won't have to spend $2k to go there to extract an official copy of her BC. This is just frustrating!!

I was born and raised here, and have no clue how I can go about obtaining this record. Any advice as to what I can do or submit in lieu of the document that U.S. immigration is requesting? Any advice you can offer will be appreciated as our case has been on hold for 8 weeks now and I just don't know what to do.

Thanks in advance for assisting me with this matter!

-Fahad

this cud very well b a dumb idea but why dont u find out from NVC exactly what they need. then maybe talk to the pakstani embassy in the US and see if there is something that they can help u with...just a thought!

[inkypinky 0]

Hi Fahad

I just searched on internet and I found this site , I hope it will help u , just give it a try

http://www.mamooninpakistan.com/default.php?id=18

[trailmix 77]

Maybe this will help: link

Birth Certificates

Available. Reporting of births is voluntary, and records are not uniformly kept, particularly in rural areas. Almost all records of vital statistics of the Karachi Municipality were burned in 1948. Where a record of birth exists, a certificate to that effect may be obtained from the Registrar of Births and Deaths or the Director of Health Services in the municipality or, in rural areas, from the union council, district council or district health officer. Caution should be used, however, in accepting such certificates, since they frequently do not match the original ledgers. Births also may be registered late. In lieu of a birth certificate, Pakistanis often use school records attested by the headmaster or principal of the school or matriculation certificates, both of which identify the father and the date of birth.

[Fahad S 0]

Thanks to all who responded. I have decided to contact the municipality office and obtain it from there. One of my dad's friends has volunteered to go retrieve it from the city office.

Thanks!

Fahad

[shakira 0]

i am a pakistani born too and my husband has applied for the same thing

u have to get it attested by the ministry of health

they do issue birth certificates now

[mikeH 0]

i am a pakistani born too and my husband has applied for the same thing

u have to get it attested by the ministry of health

they do issue birth certificates now

My motheinlaw was born in india in 1943. she is pakistani citizen living in pakistan all her life. how she can get bith certificate from karachi. my e mail is malikhusain@aol.com