Spokesperson says first-time registration facility will remain in place until December 2026
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) on Sunday announced a conditional facility that will allow citizens without birth certificates to obtain national identity documents, in what the authority described as an important step to address documentation gaps.
The facility was developed on the directive of Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The NADRA Authority Board approved the measure, which was introduced under the NADRA Ordinance and the national identity card rules and regulations.
نادرا کا اہم قومی اقدام، شناختی کارڈ سے محروم شہریوں کے لیے خصوصی سہولت
پیدائش سرٹیفکیٹ نہ ہونے کی صورت میں بعض شرائط پوری کرنے پر شناختی کارڈ جاری ہوگا۔ بالغ آبادی شناختی نظام میں شامل کرنے کے لیے مقررہ مدت کی سہولت متعارف کرا دی گئی۔ pic.twitter.com/EDBd53oALb— NADRA (@NadraPak) February 22, 2026
According to the spokesperson, the facility for first-time registration will remain in force until December 31, 2026. The identities of applicants will be verified through alternative methods.
Under the new policy, married women aged 18 or older must present a marriage certificate. Your father or mother and your husband must have valid identity documents, and biometric verification of relevant family members will be mandatory.
The statement further added that the conditions relating to the husband will not apply to unmarried women. For men 24 years of age or older, the ID card of one parent and at least one sibling will be required, along with biometric verification of one parent.
Read more: NADRA launches digital services for retirees in Karachi
“If both parents and the husband are deceased but their records exist in the NADRA database, the biometric requirements may not apply,” he said.
The authority said first-time applicants will be issued a non-smart national ID card free of charge. Citizens have been urged to ensure the accuracy of their information at the time of registration, as changes to paternity, date of birth and place of birth will not be permitted.
Last year, NADRA notified a comprehensive set of new regulations 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 verification and cancellation of identity documents, amendments to the National Identity Card (NIC) framework, a revised regulatory structure for the Pakistan Origin Card (POC) and the introduction of a modern procurement regime for the organisation.
The new verification standards introduced a structured process for examining questionable identity records.
