NADRA Allows CNIC Registration Without Birth Certificates Under Special Facility

• NADRA has introduced a temporary registration facility for eligible women aged 18 and above and men over 24 who do not have birth certificates.
• Applicants can obtain their first CNIC through alternative documentation, family records and biometric verification.
• The special arrangement will remain available until December 31, 2026, with strict conditions regarding personal information.

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has announced a special registration facility for Pakistani citizens who have been unable to obtain their Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) due to the absence of birth certificates.

The temporary initiative aims to help previously unregistered individuals obtain their first identity cards by allowing them to complete the registration process through alternative documents, family verification and biometric authentication.

According to NADRA, the facility is available to eligible women aged 18 and above and men over 24 who have never been issued a CNIC. The arrangement will remain in effect until December 31, 2026.

Under the revised requirements, married women aged 18 or older can apply without presenting a birth certificate, provided they have a computerized marriage certificate issued by their respective Union Council.

Such applicants must visit a NADRA registration center accompanied by their husband and either their father or mother. The accompanying family members must possess valid CNICs or National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOPs) to complete the required biometric verification.

NADRA has also introduced flexibility for applicants whose husband or parent has passed away. In these circumstances, registration may still be permitted if the deceased family member’s information is already available in NADRA’s database and the applicant successfully answers verification questions asked by registration officials.

Unmarried women aged 18 and above can also benefit from the facility. However, they are not required to fulfill the husband-related documentation or verification conditions applicable to married applicants.

The authority has extended a similar arrangement to men above the age of 24 who have never previously obtained a national identity card.

To qualify, male applicants must have at least one parent and one sibling whose identity information is registered in NADRA’s records.

Eligible men are required to visit a NADRA registration center with either their father or mother for identity verification. If both parents are deceased, applicants may instead be accompanied by a brother or sister holding a valid CNIC or NICOP.

The special registration process relies on existing family records and biometric verification to establish applicants’ identities where birth certificates are unavailable.

NADRA has also issued an important warning regarding the personal information submitted under this facility.

According to the authority, the details provided during registration, including the names and particulars of parents, date of birth and place of birth, will be entered into the applicant’s official identity record.

NADRA has stated that these particulars will be treated as permanent and cannot be modified at any stage in the future. Applicants have therefore been advised to ensure that all information is accurate before completing the registration process.

The facility is limited to eligible first-time applicants who meet the prescribed conditions and must be used before the December 31, 2026 deadline.