NADRA

CNIC status, renewal and modification

Track an existing CNIC or Smart NICOP application, apply for a renewal, or book an appointment at a NADRA Registration Centre.

Check it on the official portal

These are the only sources that hold the record.

NADRA — official website ↗
https://www.nadra.gov.pk/
Official domain, but the host blocks automated checks — it usually loads fine in a browser, sometimes only from a Pakistani connection. Live site; blocks automated requests from outside Pakistan.
Pak-Identity — apply, renew and track online ↗
https://id.nadra.gov.pk/
Official domain, but the host blocks automated checks — it usually loads fine in a browser, sometimes only from a Pakistani connection. NADRA's official online identity service.
NADRA verification services ↗
https://www.nadra.gov.pk/verification
Official domain, but the host blocks automated checks — it usually loads fine in a browser, sometimes only from a Pakistani connection.

What the process actually involves

The Computerised National Identity Card is issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to every Pakistani citizen aged 18 and above. Applications are made either in person at a NADRA Registration Centre (NRC) or online through NADRA's Pak-Identity service, which posts the card to your address.

A new card, a renewal after expiry and a modification (change of address, marital status, photograph or a correction to a name) are three different transactions with different fee categories and different turnaround times. Renewal is the most common: a CNIC is normally valid for ten years, and NADRA will not accept a renewal application through the online service if the biometric record on file is too old to match, in which case you must visit a centre.

Status tracking is done against the tracking ID printed on the receipt (the token slip) you get when the application is submitted, not against your CNIC number. If you have lost the slip, the NADRA helpline 1777 (from a mobile) can look the application up after identity questions.

PakTools does not query NADRA's database. Anyone offering an instant 'CNIC check by number' that returns a name and address is either scraping leaked data or making it up — that lookup does not exist as a public service, and using it would be an offence under the NADRA Ordinance and PECA.

Documents you need

· Existing CNIC or the B-Form / Child Registration Certificate for a first card
· Parents' or spouse's CNIC numbers for the family tree entry
· Proof of address if the address is changing
· Biometric fingerprints and a photograph, captured at the centre

Fees and charges

Fee schedules are revised by the issuing authority — confirm the current figure on their portal before paying.

Item	What applies
Normal category	Lowest fee, longest processing time
Urgent category	Higher fee, faster processing
Executive category	Highest fee, fastest processing
Fee schedule	Published on the NADRA website — categories are revised periodically, so check before you pay

Step by step

1. Decide whether the transaction is a new card, a renewal, a duplicate or a modification.
2. For online applications, register on NADRA's Pak-Identity portal with a working email and mobile number.
3. Upload scanned documents and complete the online biometric or verification step.
4. Pay the fee for the category you chose and keep the tracking ID from the receipt.
5. Track the application through Pak-Identity or the NADRA helpline until the card is dispatched.

Questions

CNIC check online kaise karein?

Naam aur address ke saath koi bhi public CNIC lookup mojood nahin hai — yeh NADRA ka mehfooz data hai. Aap sirf apni application ka status Pak-Identity par tracking ID se dekh sakte hain, ya 1777 par NADRA helpline se raabta kar sakte hain.

How long does CNIC renewal take?

It depends entirely on the fee category you pay for — normal, urgent or executive — and whether your biometric record needs to be recaptured at a centre. NADRA publishes the current turnaround alongside each fee category.

Expired CNIC par kaam ho sakta hai?

Banks, telecom operators aur government departments aksar expired card qubool nahin karte. Renewal expiry se pehle karana behtar hai, kyunki expiry ke baad kuch services rok di jati hain.