Doing your NADRA CNIC online now means using NADRA’s PakID mobile app. The old Pak-Identity website at id.nadra.gov.pk now sends you to the app. This guide explains what the app can do, when you still need a NADRA center, the official fees, and how payment, delivery and tracking work, as of September 2026.
Your CNIC is your official proof of identity in Pakistan. Welfare programs, bank payments and SIM registration all need a valid one, so it is worth keeping yours up to date.
The PakID app has replaced the website
In January 2025, NADRA moved its online services from the Pak-Identity website to a mobile app. APP and ProPakistani reported on 16 January 2025 that the website would close the next day. The Interior Minister said people struggled to upload fingerprints and documents on the website, and that scammers were using fake websites.
Today, NADRA’s website says you can get your CNIC “through NADRA Centres or the PakID Mobile App”, and the account page at id.nadra.gov.pk tells you to register in the app. The app is called Pak Identity on Google Play and the App Store. Its publisher is the National Database & Registration Authority, and it is free. Install it from the store links on nadra.gov.pk to avoid fake copies.
If you live abroad, you need a NICOP instead of a CNIC; see our guide to NICOP apply online.
What you can do with NADRA CNIC online
NADRA’s PakID FAQ lists these CNIC services in the app:
| Service | In the PakID app? | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal | Yes | Your card has expired |
| Modification | Yes, for many details | You need to change a detail such as your address or marital status |
| Reprint | Yes | Your card is lost, stolen, damaged or unusable |
| First CNIC | Start only | You are 18 or older and have never had a CNIC |
| Cancellation | Yes | A CNIC holder in your family has died |
Key rules to know:
- Renewal: NADRA says you must apply no later than one month after your card expires. In April 2026, NADRA warned that it could add fees or penalties for late renewal in the new financial year after June if delays continued, Dawn reported. As of 15 September 2026, NADRA’s fee page still lists no late-renewal fee, and we found no announcement that penalties have started. Renew on time anyway: Dawn reported NADRA’s warning that bank accounts, SIMs and other services linked to an expired card may be affected or suspended.
- Reprint: NADRA calls this a duplicate card. You only need your CNIC number.
- First CNIC: it can be started in a blood relative’s PakID account, such as a parent’s or sibling’s. You and that relative, preferably a parent, then visit a NADRA center to finish it.
- Cancellation after a death: NADRA’s fee table lists this as free, with a one-day timeline.
- Biometrics: NADRA’s CNIC page says biometric verification and your photograph may need a visit to a NADRA center.
If your card is lost or stolen, our guide on lost CNIC: what to do covers the first steps, including checking your SIMs.
A valid CNIC is also required for every Punjab government job application, so renew it before you apply. See the latest openings on our Punjab Jobs page and how to apply on the Punjab Job Portal.
What you need before you start
- A smartphone with internet, and location turned on
- Your own email address and mobile number. NADRA allows one account per ID card number, and one account per email address.
- Your CNIC number, issue date and date of birth, exactly as NADRA has them
- Supporting documents for a modification, such as a marriage certificate. The app accepts up to 10 documents.
- A payment method, explained below
From your account you can also apply for your father, mother, brother, sister, spouse or children, but for no one else.
How to renew or modify your NADRA CNIC online, step by step
These steps follow NADRA’s PakID FAQ:
- Install PakID and create your account with your CNIC details, email and mobile number. NADRA emails you a 4-digit PIN.
- Verify your account by scanning your fingerprints with the phone camera. If they do not match, the app offers a face check. You cannot apply until your account is verified.
- Choose your application. For a renewal, ARY News described the path as Identity Documents, then ID Card, then the applicant, then Renewal.
- Fill in each section, including your address and card delivery details, and pick the Normal, Urgent or Executive category.
- Capture a live photo and your signature. NADRA accepts uploaded photos only for children under 3. Use a plain background and keep your full face visible. Women may wear a hijab, and men a cap or turban, if the whole face shows.
- Get attestation if asked. A blood relative or your spouse verifies your application with their fingerprints. They can do it on your phone, or in their own PakID account using your tracking ID and PIN.
- Submit and pay. NADRA checks your application first, then the app asks you to pay. The processing time starts after you pay.
First CNIC: start online, finish at a NADRA center
You can get your first CNIC once you turn 18. NADRA’s CNIC page asks for your parents’ or blood relatives’ CNIC numbers, a verified computerised birth certificate, and biometric verification by a parent or blood relative.
NADRA says it has exempted the birth certificate requirement until 31 December 2026, if family members give their ID card numbers and biometrics. Dawn reported that this covers women aged 18 and over and men aged 24 and over, with a parent’s biometric verification in each case. Dawn also reported that the parentage, date of birth and place of birth recorded this way cannot be changed later, so check them carefully.
At the center, you take a token, give your photo and fingerprints, get attestation from a parent, sibling or gazetted officer, have a short interview, and pay. NADRA’s fee table lists a new standard CNIC in the Normal category at Rs 0, so your first card can be free. If you need a birth certificate first, see our guide to the birth certificate online in Punjab.
NADRA CNIC fee and delivery time
As of September 2026, NADRA’s fee structure page lists these fees and processing timelines:
| Card and service | Normal | Urgent | Executive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart NIC: new, renewal, modification or duplicate | Rs 750, 31 days | Rs 1,500, 23 days | Rs 2,500, 9 days |
| Standard CNIC: new | Rs 0, 15 days | Rs 1,150, 12 days | Rs 2,150, 6 days |
| Standard CNIC: renewal, modification or duplicate | Rs 400, 15 days | Rs 1,150, 12 days | Rs 2,150, 6 days |
Points to note:
- NADRA’s PakID pages talk about Smart ID and Smart NIC applications, so expect the Smart NIC fees if you apply in the app.
- The fee page also lists a delivery charge of Rs 165 for ID cards delivered within Pakistan.
- For PakID applications, the timeline starts after you pay. Incomplete applications take longer.
- An adult’s CNIC or Smart CNIC is valid for 10 years, the fee page says.
- Changing the age on your card has separate charges, from Rs 1,000 for up to one year to Rs 5,000 for more than three years.
Fees can change, so check the fee page before you pay, and keep your receipt.
How to pay the fee
NADRA’s payment guidelines list these options for a CNIC in the app:
- Visa or Mastercard debit or credit card, with an OTP. You can use someone else’s card with their consent.
- Raast: tap Pay Now next to your tracking ID in the app’s Inbox, generate a Raast QR code, and scan it in your banking app within 30 minutes.
- Easypaisa or JazzCash: pay in the wallet app with your PakID tracking ID.
- e-Sahulat franchise: give the agent your tracking ID and pay there.
There is no cash on delivery.
Delivery and tracking
NADRA sends your card by courier to your address. The courier calls you first. If they cannot reach you for 3 days, the card goes to your nearest NADRA office.
To track, open the PakID app, tap Tracking on the home screen, and enter your tracking ID and PIN. Both are listed under Applications. NADRA also sends emails, and an SMS when you submit and when your card is printed. If your application is rejected, tap its tracking ID to see why. You can also check your status on 1777.
ProPakistani reported in September 2026 that a PakID update added digital CNICs to the app, alongside printing and delivery.
For every way to track, and what to do if your card is late, see our NADRA tracking ID check guide.
Common problems and fixes
- Fingerprints and face check both fail: apply through the PakID account of a blood relative whose record is linked to yours, or ask NADRA on its complaint portal to reset your attempts.
- “Citizen Number not verified”: first check your CNIC number, issue date and date of birth. If they are right, NADRA says you must visit a center. This can happen when a record is marked for verification or a person holds more than one ID card.
- “Citizen Number already associated with another account”: you already have an account. Log in, or tap Forgot password.
- Paid, but no card yet: NADRA says this usually happens when a document is missing or wrong. A case officer will contact you by email or phone.
- Mistake on the new card: complain on NADRA’s complaint portal with your tracking ID and a photo of the error.
Where to go in person
NADRA’s CNIC page lists registration centers, Mega Centers, mobile registration vans, e-Sahulat franchises and overseas centers. As of 31 August 2026, NADRA counted 963 inland registration centers, 14 Mega Centers and 234 mobile vans. Use the Find Nearest NRC button on nadra.gov.pk to find one. If you live in a remote area, you can ask NADRA to schedule a mobile van visit.
If you need a passport after renewing your CNIC, our passport fee guide lists DGIP’s official 2026 fees and how to pay them.
Stay safe from fraud
- Apply only in the PakID app or at a NADRA center. NADRA says any website outside nadra.gov.pk is not an official NADRA website.
- In May 2026, NADRA said it has no authorised consultants, agents or dealers for identity documents or online applications, ProPakistani reported.
- Pay only the official fee through the app, keep your receipt, and never share your OTP or password.
- Report anyone who asks for extra money on NADRA’s complaint portal or the Pakistan Citizen’s Portal.
Contact NADRA
- Helpline: 1777 from a mobile (24/7), or +92 51 111 786 100
- Complaints: complaints.nadra.gov.pk
- Email: csd@nadra.gov.pk
- Website: nadra.gov.pk
GoPunjab is an independent information website. We are not NADRA, and we cannot issue a CNIC or see your records. We only explain how the official process works so you can apply correctly.
Related guides
To check how NADRA has recorded your family, see NADRA FRC online. To see which SIMs are registered on your CNIC, read our CNIC SIM check guide. For papers NADRA may ask for, see the marriage certificate online in Punjab and the death certificate online in Punjab. The e-Khidmat Markaz handles Punjab services such as the domicile. You can also try our free eligibility checker.