Get your first national ID card: NADRA's step-by-step process

In a country where identification is crucial for accessing essential services, NADRA's national ID card application process is designed to be straightforward, ensuring that citizens can obtain their IDs quickly and easily.

Every Pakistani aged 18 or above is eligible to apply for a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), which is essential for availing services such as banking, passport issuance, or voting.

Gadinsider has compiled all the important details on how to get a National ID card. Following the simple process, citizens can get their CNICs.

Required documents

According to NADRA, the applicants must visit the nearest NADRA centre along with these documents to initiate the first-time ID card process:

• CNIC of a parent or sibling (for biometric verification)
• Child Registration Certificate (CRC) or computerised birth certificate from the Union Council or the Cantonment Board
• Legal guardianship documents in case of adoption or orphan status
• NADRA Form verified by a gazette officer or public representative (if no blood relative is available)

Registration steps

While in the Registration Centre, applicants are required to follow these steps:

• Get a token and wait for your turn.
• Upon your turn, provide fingerprints and have a parent/sibling verify the biometric process.
• Provide personal details, fingerprints, and a photograph. Get the printout of the form, and review it for errors.
• Get the form verified by a relative or a gazette officer.
• In certain cases, any officer can ask questions about a person's family background to confirm identity.

National ID card fee structure

NADRA offers three categories based on the urgency of availing the card:

Upon approval, the authority sends applicants a confirmation SMS, and then the applicant can pay the fee online or at the NADRA office. The CNIC is collected upon showing the receipt.

How to get National ID card via PAK-ID app

NADRA has launched the Pak-Identity (Pak-ID) app for online services, including renewals, reprints, and modifications, while first-time CNICs require in-person registration.

The first time ID card process ensures every citizen is officially recognised and empowered to participate in national affairs. Notably, NADRA has made it simple for people in Pakistan to register their identities by using easy steps and online services.