NADRA
Last Updated: August 2026
The Pakistan Origin Card is issued by NADRA to foreign nationals of Pakistani origin under Section 11 of the NADRA Ordinance 2000. It gives visa-free entry to Pakistan and support with property, business and banking. It does not make you a Pakistani citizen and it does not carry a vote. Two things circulating widely about the POC are wrong, and both are worth correcting before you apply: the list of nationalities NADRA excludes, and a “lifetime POC” tier that does not exist.
Who can get a POC
NADRA lists these categories on its own POC page:
- You are not a Pakistani citizen now, but were a citizen of Pakistan at any time in your life.
- You are a foreign national and any of your parents or grandparents are Pakistani or ex-Pakistani, whether living or deceased.
- You acquired foreign nationality before the Pakistan Citizenship Act 1951 came into force.
- You are a foreigner married to a Pakistani citizen or a person of Pakistani origin.
- You are the dependent child of a foreign spouse of a Pakistani citizen or person of Pakistani origin.
The grandparent route is the one people miss. You do not need a Pakistani parent. A Pakistani grandparent qualifies you, and NADRA states this holds whether that grandparent is alive or deceased, provided you can document the link.
Who NADRA excludes, and the claim to ignore
Immediately after the spouse category, NADRA’s eligibility list sets out exclusions. In its own wording, the applicant must not be:
- A citizen or national of India or Bangladesh.
- A citizen or national of a state or country not recognised by Pakistan.
- A citizen of any enemy country.
Pages currently ranking for this topic state the excluded nationalities as India, Israel and Afghanistan. That is not what NADRA publishes. Bangladesh is named and Afghanistan is not. Israel is not named either, although a country Pakistan does not recognise would fall under the second exclusion. If your nationality is anywhere near this list, take it from NADRA’s page rather than from a summary, because the difference decides whether you can apply at all.
What a POC costs
| Service | Normal (31 days) | Urgent (23 days) | Executive (09 days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New POC | USD 150 | USD 200 | USD 250 |
| POC Renewal | USD 150 | USD 200 | USD 250 |
| POC Modification | USD 200 | USD 250 | USD 300 |
| POC Duplicate | USD 200 | USD 250 | USD 300 |
| Cancellation due to death | Not offered | Not offered | USD 25 (02 days) |
| Updating non-printable fields | USD 30 (02 days) | ||
There is no lifetime POC. Pages advertising a “lifetime” card at USD 300 to 500 are describing a tier that does not appear anywhere on NADRA’s schedule. There is also no separate child rate on that schedule, despite a widely repeated USD 80 or USD 100 figure. Some missions do apply their own concession for applicants under 18, so ask yours, but do not budget for it as a NADRA rate.
Notice that modification and duplicate cost more than a new card. If your details have changed and your card is close to expiry anyway, compare the cost of renewing against modifying before you choose.
How long a POC lasts
| Basis of your POC | Validity |
|---|---|
| Ex-Pakistani, parent based, or family of a former Pakistani | 7 years |
| Spouse based | 5 years |
The two year gap matters if you hold a spouse-based card. It expires sooner than an origin-based one, and pages quoting a flat five years for every POC will leave origin-based holders renewing two years early for no reason.
You can no longer walk into a consulate for a POC
This is the most practical thing on this page and almost nobody mentions it. Manual booking for POC has been stopped. The Pakistan High Commission in London and the Consulate General in Toronto both publish the same notice: POC applicants must apply online, and the NADRA office will not be able to serve walk-in POC applicants.
So do not book a consular appointment expecting to file a POC in person. Apply online first. If you turn up without having done so, you will be turned away regardless of what you paid for.
What a POC lets you do, and what it does not
| Right | POC holder | NICOP holder, for comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Enter Pakistan without a visa | Yes | Yes |
| Long-term stay in Pakistan | Yes | Yes |
| Own property | Yes, with conditions | Yes |
| Open a bank account | Yes | Yes |
| Pakistani citizenship | No | Yes |
| Vote in elections | No | Yes |
| Hold a Pakistani passport | No | Yes |
The POC was launched in 2002 for foreign nationals of Pakistani origin. Its holders are not Pakistani citizens and do not have the full constitutional rights of citizenship, which is the single clearest line between it and a NICOP.
POC or NICOP: which one applies to you
It is decided by your citizenship, not your preference. If you are still a Pakistani citizen living abroad, you need a NICOP, and it is far cheaper at USD 39 or USD 20 against USD 150. If you have given up Pakistani citizenship, or never held it but have Pakistani parents or grandparents, or you married a Pakistani, the POC is your document. The full comparison is in our guide to NICOP versus CNIC, which also covers where the POC sits.
Card formats
NADRA lists three POC formats, mirroring the NICOP range. The Teslin POC is the original and NADRA states new Teslin based POCs are no longer being issued. The Smart POC carries a secure microchip with enhanced security and improved durability. The POC with QR code is a newer version carrying a machine-readable QR code for faster verification.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Booking a consular appointment to file a POC. Manual booking has stopped. Apply online or you will be turned away.
- Budgeting for a “lifetime” POC. No such tier exists on NADRA’s schedule.
- Assuming a child pays less. NADRA publishes no separate child rate. Ask your mission rather than assuming.
- Renewing an origin-based card at five years. It runs seven. Only spouse-based cards expire at five.
- Modifying when renewing would be cheaper. Modification costs USD 200 against USD 150 to renew.
- Ruling yourself out over nationality. The excluded list is India and Bangladesh, plus unrecognised and enemy states. It is shorter than most summaries claim.
- Applying for a POC when you are still a Pakistani citizen. You want a NICOP, and it costs a fraction as much.
Eligibility, exclusions, card formats, fees, timelines and validity periods are taken from NADRA’s Pakistan Origin Card page and its official fee structure, both read on 27 August 2026, where the site reported version V3.1.2 last updated 07-07-2026. The notice that manual POC booking has stopped is published by the Pakistan High Commission in London and the Consulate General in Toronto. The rights comparison draws on NADRA and the FAFEN explainer of 14 February 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about this topic.
How much does a Pakistan Origin Card cost?
A new POC is USD 150 on Normal processing, USD 200 on Urgent and USD 250 on Executive, and renewal costs the same. Modification and duplicate are higher at USD 200, 250 and 300. Cancellation due to death is USD 25 on Executive only. Updating fields not printed on the card is USD 30. These are NADRA’s published figures; your mission may add its own charges.
Is there a lifetime Pakistan Origin Card?
No. Pages advertising a lifetime POC at USD 300 to 500 are describing a tier that does not appear anywhere on NADRA’s fee schedule. POC validity is seven years for origin-based cards and five years for spouse-based cards.
How long is a POC valid?
Seven years for a POC based on being an ex-Pakistani, on parentage, or as family of a former Pakistani. Five years for a spouse-based POC. Guides quoting a flat five years for every POC are wrong, and following them means origin-based holders renew two years earlier than they need to.
Which nationalities cannot get a POC?
NADRA’s published exclusions are citizens or nationals of India and Bangladesh, citizens or nationals of a state or country Pakistan does not recognise, and citizens of any enemy country. Several ranking pages state the list as India, Israel and Afghanistan, which does not match NADRA. Bangladesh is named and Afghanistan is not.
Can I get a POC through a Pakistani grandparent?
Yes. NADRA states that a foreign national qualifies if any parent or grandparent is Pakistani or ex-Pakistani, whether that person is alive or deceased, provided the relationship can be documented. You do not need a Pakistani parent specifically.
Can I apply for a POC at a Pakistani consulate in person?
No. Manual booking for POC has been stopped. The Pakistan High Commission in London and the Consulate General in Toronto both publish notices stating that POC applicants must apply online and that the NADRA office cannot serve walk-in POC applicants. Apply online before booking anything.
Can a POC holder vote in Pakistan?
No. A POC holder is a foreign national of Pakistani origin, not a Pakistani citizen. They cannot vote, cannot hold a Pakistani passport, and do not have the full constitutional rights of citizenship. They do get visa-free entry, long-term stay, banking access and property rights subject to conditions.
Is a POC cheaper than a NICOP?
No, considerably more expensive. A NICOP is USD 39 in Zone A or USD 20 in Zone B, against USD 150 for a new POC. But the choice is not yours to make on price. If you are still a Pakistani citizen you need a NICOP; the POC exists for people who are not Pakistani citizens.
