Document Checklist

What to Collect Before Day One

Every household hiring domestic staff should hold a small file on each staff member, gathered before they start rather than assembled after something has gone wrong. It takes twenty minutes and it is the difference between having recourse and having nothing.

Ask for originals to examine and keep clear photocopies or photographs. Never keep a staff member original CNIC. It is their legal identity document, they need it for their own affairs, and holding it is both impractical for them and inappropriate.

• CNIC copy, front and back, with the number legible
• A recent photograph, separate from the CNIC image
• Police Character Certificate, dated within roughly the last year
• Contact details for at least two previous employers
• Permanent home address and a next-of-kin contact number
• Driving licence copy, for driver roles, checked for validity and category
• Any relevant qualification certificate, for nurses and specialist roles
• A signed copy of the employment agreement

Checking the CNIC Properly

Look at the physical card, not just a photocopy someone hands you. Compare the photograph against the person in front of you, and read the number digit by digit against anything else they have provided, particularly the Police Character Certificate.

Mismatches are the single clearest warning sign in this whole process. A number that does not match across two documents, or reluctance to let you examine the original card closely, is meaningful information regardless of how convincing the explanation sounds.

Why the Next-of-Kin Contact Matters

This is the item households most often skip, and the one they most regret skipping. If a live-in staff member falls seriously ill, has an accident, or simply does not return from leave, you need to be able to reach their family.

It is also a quiet accountability measure that works in both directions: a candidate who will not provide any family contact at all is worth asking more questions of, and a staff member whose family knows where they work is safer for it.

Verifying the Police Character Certificate

Check the CNIC number on the certificate against the actual card. Look at the issuing station and confirm it corresponds to an address the candidate has actually lived at, since a certificate from an unrelated jurisdiction covers the wrong records.

Treat anything older than roughly a year with caution. The document only reflects the police record on the day it was issued, and a certificate from three years ago says nothing about the three years since.

Storing These Documents Responsibly

You are holding copies of someone identity documents, which carries a genuine obligation. Keep them somewhere secure rather than loose in a drawer or in an unlocked phone gallery, and do not share them with anyone who does not have a direct reason to see them.

When employment ends, the reasonable thing is to destroy the copies once any outstanding matters are settled, rather than retaining someone personal documents indefinitely for no purpose.

What Not to Ask For

Do not hold original documents, particularly the CNIC or a passport. Retaining someone identity papers restricts their freedom to leave the arrangement and is not a legitimate security measure, whatever the intention behind it.

Do not ask for documents that have no bearing on the role. Medical records, family financial details and similar are not yours to collect, and requesting them signals a relationship that starts on the wrong footing.

Common Questions