Azam Ali

Dear experts.

I born in Pakistan, and both my parents and In Laws migrated from India. They do not have any birth certificates for themselves and did not bother to register any of their children’s birth anywhere.

Previously there was not proper registrations system in Pakistan, most of delivery taken place at home so no one bother to register with governments. (I am talking about before late 70s)

Now we are facing problem as :-
1. Have no birth certificate for ourselves, plus different date of births mentioned different official documents.
2. My high school certificate date of birth does not tally with my passport.
3. No date of birth for our parents as well, all we know estimated year of birth.
4. No date of birth for our In Laws.
5. Most of our family members also has estimated date of births as well.
6. Worst situation as this even our marriage certificates has wrong dates.

As I am business class applicant, would easily pass through on base of my business profile ,so these discrepancies would not be so crucial for us to gain points, but still important to keep the record straight.

Our lawyers who sitting on this files for past 2 years, suggesting Statutory Declaration to solve this. I am not sure it would work.

Any suggestion would be appreciated.

Best regards.

amancharan

a real tough one! i am not sure, but i think that ur lawyers would be the best to sort this out!! any expert comments from Jim or Andrew????

orazone

you better start correcting them. This is like an irresponsible type of attitude. I mean ,how come its possible that I am getting married and dont know what date of birth is getting printed on my marriage certificate or passport.
Talk to Passport and marriage registrar's office.

Azam Ali

Thanks for your reply.

I know it is stupid!

But that's how things happened at that time, any Pakistani or Indian who exposed to old way of doing things would be able to understand it.

There was no proper requirement register birth that time, even today very large portion of Pakistan population who are staying in rural area's does not have any identity card (although in cities situation has changed considerably).

Back in 1970s there was major exercise to issue identity cards, and peoples were asked to fill family information on that time (not required to support by any documentary evidence at all).

My parents has fill these forms and put whatever dates they thought, but by that I was in school and my date of birth given to school record was different as well.

In Pakistan it is very munch understandable not to have birth cert specially, but you always could use your high school cert issued by Department of Education, they would accept these dates.

But my problem started when I reach the age of getting Identity card on base of my parent’s registration the date come out different then my school cert date. There is nothing I can do it now.

Now come to marriage cert,
It was arranged marriage, we were not required to visit any registrar office. Someone who is authorized to my wife’s house to solemnize it.

I was 20 years old that time, and checking information filled in the file was never crossed my mind (I must admit at I am the one who sign it).

Everything was prepared by (bride’s family) they did not bother to even put correct age of their own daughter (my wife) so how to speak about my age. Now after 23 years of marriage I doubt if there is any avenue left for me to correct it.


Anyway I could live with these all documentary contradiction without any problems in Pakistan and never dreamt of migrating that time.

Lets see if Andrew or Jim has any idea to address it.

orazone

Azam bhai, I am also from Pakistan . I know what you are talking about. I was raised in Islamabad and never got into these things and later moved to US so i dont have much info about these things. I hope you will get some help from Andrew and other experts.
But I have also heard that in India/pakistan there are lots of agents who can help you get any type of certificate provided that you pay some fees to them. Is that true? I mean i am not encouraging you to use illegal meanas but this is your birth certificate so if somebody can get it fixed then there should'nt be anything illegal about it.

Azam Ali

Dear Orazone Bhai

Thanks for your advice. I am from Karachi, stayed more then one country.

I think it is not good option; this kind of things if they found it during verification process my application would be doomed.

Easiest thing could be done is apply to NADRA to change your date of birth in Identity Card and Passport according, Matriculation Cert as altering date of birth in Matriculation Cert is difficult thing, I heard that they do not entertain these kind of requests.

But how about other documents which are currently showing my date of birth according to Identity Card /Passport?

Even If they have doubts about marriage cert? but they could not challenge the fact that I am staying with my wife for 23 years and have happy family with 4 children eldest of them is 21 year.

It seems I have to live with these discrepancies and just try to explain in proper and acceptable way, CHC Islamabad would be able to understand it as they know the country and culture well.

I am sure most they would call for an interview which would delay the proceeding.

One more thing, I am applying in business category and these discrepancies would affect only my education points plus there may be an implication if I would like to sponsor my parents in Canada. But that could be taken care by DNA. Otherwise my business profile is good enough to qualify in this.

Thanks for your concern and advice.

Azam Ali

Dear Orazone

Sorry forget to explain you somthing.

I did went to registaration office to check, since the birth was not registered there is no way they can issue me a cert.

All the agents could is using illegal means to get certificate issued, that could be easily traced as no one could alter record after 40 years.

It is better to stick to what you have, anyway it is only technical issue not substantial one.

Best regards.

orazone

Good luck Azam Bhai. You are right. CHC Islamabad should understand country's culture and NADRA option might work.
Regards,
Faisal.

Azam Ali

Dear Faisal

NADRA option might work to certain extent but would not solve my problem, as I stayed more then one country for substantial period of time, I am currently working Singapore. I am permanent resident of this country, even my son is serving in Singapore Armed Forces as all male citizen and permanent residence are required to serve in the army for two years.

Even Singapore has accepted my date of birth issue on base of affidavit, plus my wife's one even does not have date of birth. Her IC is only showing 00/00/1965.

Since more then one country involved it is better to clear things in proper way.

I am hoping to find a legal and official way to explain this to CIC, my lawyers suggested to give one Statutory Declaration to clarify this. I do not know if this could work.

Anyway see if Andrew or Jim has anything to say.

Best regards.

Azam Ali

bhalerao

Hey,

I am not an expert in these matters since I have not faced any probs. coz I am in Europe. I think what you could do is to apply on the basis of your Singaporean papers. Since you are saying that you son is serving in army it seems that he is a citizen of that country. Now, going further it seems that you are citizen of that country too as you have stayed in that country for a long time. I think that you should have a resident card or a passport that shows your DOB and Nationality. Since you and ur wife are having a document of a country that shows ur DOB why the hell do you want to go to Pak. for getting nothing. I hpe that u r getting my point. I dont know how the system works for Muslims but I have heard that you can get a marriage cert from a mosque whaot they is is Nikaa Naama I think that should work. Correct if I am wrong and no hard feelings pls.

Regards

Azam Ali

Thanks for suggestion.

I am not citizen of Singapore but permenant resident, according to system here even permenant residents are also liable for compulsory military service.

My documents from Singapore would help me for sure, but i still required to submit birth certs, plus education certs from Pakistan that is the reason i need to make sure I cover everything before application.

Getting merriage cert again is not an option as no one could solomize marrige now which happend 23 years ago.

I must find a legal way to explain these all rather then trying to find easy way out and end up with nothing.

I hope Andrew, Jim and PMM would have something to say about it.

Regards.

newlooks

Hi Azam,

I am sorry to hear all these problems but may be my story can help u

I was born in Karachi in 1974 and we moved to RawalPindi when i was 3 months old. Because my dad was living in Gulf at that time so no one was there to get birth certificate for me.

I started my education in a private school and they just put as date of birth wat my grand father told them But when i went for matric exams they asked for Birth certificate. I went to local council office and they have issued me birth certificate with late registeration date mentioning on the birth certificate.

I think if u visit Pakistan, u should be able to resolve this problem.

Regards

Newlooks