Spokesman says first-time registration option will remain effective until December 2026
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Sunday announced a conditional facility allowing citizens without birth certificates to obtain national identity cards, in what the authority described as an important step to address documentation gaps.
The facility was developed following the directive of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. NADRA’s Authority Board has approved the measure, which has been introduced under the NADRA Regulation and National Identity Card Rules and Regulations.
नादरा का है गुमानी गुमी कुवा, चुची सी चिज्ञान के देखें
birth certificate The facility of allowing the remaining 1.7 percent of the adult population to be included in the national identity system was introduced. pic.twitter.com/EDBd53oALb— NADRA (@NadraPak) 22 February 2026
According to the spokesperson, the first-time registration option will remain effective until December 31, 2026. Applicants’ identities will be verified through alternative methods.
Under the new policy, married women aged 18 or above must produce a marriage certificate. Their father or mother and husband must have valid identity cards and biometric verification of the relevant family members will be mandatory.
The statement further added that conditions relating to a man will not apply to unmarried women. For males aged 24 or over, identity cards for one parent and at least one sibling are required along with biometric verification of one parent.
Read more: NADRA launches digital services for pensioners in Karachi
“If both parents and the husband are dead but their records are available in NADRA’s database, biometric requirements can be waived,” it said.
The authority said first-time applicants will be issued a non-smart national identity card free of charge. Citizens have been urged to ensure the accuracy of their information at the time of registration as changes in parentage, date of birth and place of birth will not be permitted.
Last year, NADRA announced a comprehensive set of new rules after they were approved by the NADRA Authority Board in accordance with the relevant rules and the NADRA Ordinance.
The reforms included updated procedures for the verification and cancellation of identity documents, changes to the National Identity Card (NIC) framework, a revised regulatory structure for the Pakistan Origin Card (POC) and the introduction of a modern procurement scheme for the organisation.
The new verification provisions introduced a structured process for investigating questionable identity records.
