Legal Identity, Real Dignity: How UNHCR Supports Refugee Documentation in Pakistan
Introduction: Without Papers, You’re Invisible
In today’s world, identity isn’t just about who you are — it’s about what you can access. For refugees, legal identity means the difference between belonging and being excluded.
In Pakistan, millions of Afghan refugees have spent decades in limbo — born, raised, and educated in this country, yet often lacking formal recognition. Without documents, they cannot work legally, attend school, or access healthcare.
For years, UNHCR has worked with the Government of Pakistan to ensure refugees are recognized, protected, and included — not just on paper, but in everyday life.
🔍 The Importance of Legal Documentation
Legal identity gives refugees the ability to:
- Avoid arrest, detention, or harassment
- Access health, education, and legal services
- Register births and marriages
- Travel and open bank accounts
- Seek repatriation or resettlement in the future
Without papers, refugees are stateless in practice, even if they are not officially stateless by law.
🛂 Two Key Documents for Afghan Refugees
UNHCR, in collaboration with NADRA (Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority), has helped create and distribute two primary identity cards:
1. 📄 Proof of Registration (PoR) Card
- Introduced in 2006, renewed in subsequent phases
- Issued to Afghan refugees registered with UNHCR and the Government of Pakistan
- Provides temporary legal stay and protection from deportation
- Over 1.3 million Afghan refugees currently hold valid PoR cards
- Latest PoR drive included smart cards with biometric data and mobile verification options
“The PoR card is not a passport — but for many Afghans in Pakistan, it’s the closest thing to one.”
— UNHCR Documentation Specialist
2. 📘 Afghan Citizen Card (ACC)
- For unregistered Afghans, launched in partnership with the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON)
- Over 850,000 ACCs have been issued
- Provides temporary protection, but not refugee status
- Helps the government distinguish between documented and undocumented Afghans
- Allows access to basic humanitarian services (though more limited than PoR)
🏥 Why Documentation Matters for Refugee Life
With PoR or ACC cards, Afghan refugees can:
- Enroll in public schools
- Visit government hospitals
- Access legal aid and protection from arbitrary detention
- Register children’s birth certificates
- Apply for UNHCR-supported repatriation or third-country resettlement
Without documentation, even basic rights become impossible to claim.
🧑💻 Mobile Registration and Digital Innovation
UNHCR and NADRA have:
- Launched mobile registration vans to reach refugees in remote areas
- Set up fixed registration centers in major cities (Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Karachi)
- Introduced SMS tracking and complaint systems for verification
- Used biometric technology to reduce fraud and duplication
These efforts have made Pakistan’s refugee registration system one of the most advanced in South Asia.
🧭 Ongoing Challenges
🔸 Gaps in Coverage
- Hundreds of thousands remain undocumented, especially those born after 2016
- Many live in urban areas with no access to registration centers
🔸 Fear of Reprisal or Deportation
- Some refugees hesitate to register due to mistrust or fear of being tracked
🔸 Access for Women and Marginalized Groups
- Cultural restrictions often prevent women from registering independently
- Nomadic and disabled refugees are often missed in traditional drives
💬 Voices from the Community
“My son was born in Peshawar, but without a birth certificate, he can’t go to school.”
— Zohra, Afghan refugee mother, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
“We waited years for our PoR renewal. Now we feel safe moving around again.”
— Rehman, day laborer, Quetta
🤝 UNHCR’s Policy Focus
UNHCR continues to advocate for:
- Continuous, accessible registration drives for undocumented refugees
- Legal clarity on long-term residency rights
- Access to birth registration for Afghan children born in Pakistan
- Recognition of PoR/ACC in local service delivery (schools, clinics, police)
📊 Impact Snapshot (2006–2024)
- 1.3 million+ PoR cards issued or renewed
- 850,000+ Afghan Citizen Cards distributed
- Over 1 million Afghan children now documented through family linkage
- 20+ registration centers and mobile vans in operation across the country
🧾 Final Thoughts: Identity Is Protection
For a refugee, a simple plastic card can mean everything: safety, dignity, access, and hope. In a time when displacement is growing and political pressure is rising, documentation remains the most powerful tool of protection.
Thanks to UNHCR and its partnerships in Pakistan, millions of Afghan refugees now have a name, a record, and a right to be seen.
“Without ID, a refugee doesn’t just lose services — they lose visibility.”
— UNHCR Pakistan
