NADRA
Last Updated: August 2026
Three things change when you deal with NADRA from outside Pakistan, and the one people worry about is not among them. You do not need a relative in Pakistan. You do need one extra identity document on every service you apply for. And the online portal most guides still send you to has been shut down. This page covers what changes, which document you actually need, and the one NADRA service you can complete without anything being posted to you.
The Pak Identity portal has closed
Start here, because it wastes the most time. NADRA has folded its Pak Identity portal into its main website. The entire id.nadra.gov.pk domain now redirects to the NADRA homepage, checked on 28 August 2026. That includes the sign-in page, the application tracking address, and the form downloads that other guides link to.
If you followed those instructions and landed on a general homepage, nothing went wrong at your end. The routes that do work are the PakID mobile app, a NADRA registration centre abroad, and a Pakistani Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. NADRA publishes a registration centre finder at nadra.gov.pk/ngrids.
Where you can actually go
NADRA does publish a full list of its overseas locations. It is simply not on any page you would think to check. It sits on the NADRA Footprint page, filed under Statistics, and it divides overseas service into three tiers under three different names. Establishing which tier covers your city is the most useful thing you can do before booking travel or an appointment.
| NADRA’s own label | How many | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| NADRA Registration Centres, Abroad | 10 | United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar |
| NADRA Counters at Pakistani Missions | 25 | 17 countries |
| Pak Missions for Form Based Processing | 11 | 9 countries, no NADRA facility |
That is 35 staffed locations across 20 countries, plus 11 further missions in 9 more countries. Two cautions before you rely on it. NADRA does not publish what separates a registration centre from a counter, so do not assume one can do more than the other, ring ahead and ask what they process. And the third tier is the one that changes plans, because those missions have no NADRA facility at all.
The 10 NADRA Registration Centres abroad
| Country | Cities |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | London, Birmingham, Bradford, Manchester |
| Saudi Arabia | Jeddah, Riyadh, Madinah |
| United Arab Emirates | Abu Dhabi, Dubai |
| Qatar | Doha |
All ten are in the United Kingdom or the Gulf. Madinah is the only one of the ten with no website listed beside it on NADRA’s table.
The 25 NADRA counters at Pakistani missions
| Country | Cities |
|---|---|
| United States | New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago |
| Canada | Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver |
| Spain | Madrid, Barcelona |
| Italy | Milan, Rome |
| United Kingdom | Glasgow |
| Germany | Berlin |
| France | Paris |
| Norway | Oslo |
| Sweden | Stockholm |
| Turkey | Istanbul |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur |
| Australia | Sydney |
| South Africa | Pretoria |
| Oman | Muscat |
| Kuwait | Kuwait |
| Jordan | Amman |
| Bahrain | Manama |
One quirk worth knowing if you are searching NADRA’s own table: the Glasgow entry is filed with “Scotland” in the mission column and “Glasgow” in the country column, so the two are the wrong way round, and its website link points to the High Commission in London.
The 11 missions that take paper applications only
This is the tier no competing guide mentions, and it is the one that matters most if you live in one of these countries. There is no NADRA counter to visit. NADRA labels these missions as handling form based processing, meaning your application is taken on paper and forwarded rather than processed on the spot.
| Country | Mission |
|---|---|
| Iran | Tehran, Mashhad, Zahidan |
| India | New Delhi |
| Iraq | Baghdad |
| Syria | Damascus |
| Libya | Tripoli |
| Yemen | Sana’a |
| Nepal | Kathmandu |
| Nigeria | Abuja |
| Sudan | Khartoum |
If you are in one of these nine countries, plan on the PakID app doing the work and on longer timelines than a mission with a counter would quote, and confirm the current arrangement with the mission before you travel to it.
One more that is easy to miss, because NADRA lists it without explaining whose it is: One Window Facilitation Desks operate at eight international airports, at Islamabad, Lahore (Allama Iqbal), Karachi (Jinnah), Peshawar (Bacha Khan), Quetta, Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad. They are an initiative of the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman) rather than NADRA’s own, and are staffed 24 hours a day by representatives of twelve agencies, NADRA among them, to deal with problems on the spot. Any overseas Pakistani travelling in either direction can use them. Our guide to contacting NADRA covers the wider Ombudsman route, which is free and needs no lawyer.
Which document do you need?
| Document | Who it is for |
|---|---|
| NICOP | Pakistani citizens living, working or intending to stay abroad, including dual nationals |
| POC | Foreign nationals of Pakistani origin. Holders are not Pakistani citizens and cannot vote |
| CNIC | Pakistani citizens. NADRA issues it “in or out of Pakistan”, but the NICOP is the card built for living abroad |
| CRC or B-Form | Children under 18, including those born abroad |
| FRC | Proof of your family composition as NADRA records it |
If you hold dual nationality and are unsure between NICOP and POC, NADRA answers it directly in its Registration Policy: “Dual national Pakistanis are advised to keep / apply for NICOP instead of POC.” Our comparison of NICOP and CNIC and our POC guide cover the edge cases.
What actually changes when you apply from abroad
| Inside Pakistan | From abroad | |
|---|---|---|
| Who verifies you | Biometric verification by a parent or blood relative | Verification of the application form by any ID holder |
| Extra identity document | Not required | Required on every service: passport, residence permit, work permit, travel document, or undertaking “A” attested by a Mission |
| Currency | Pakistani rupees | US dollars, priced by zone |
| Quoted timelines | Days, on NADRA’s schedule | Weeks, on the mission’s own schedule |
| Delivery | PKR 165 | “Varies from country to country” |
The first row is the one that changes lives. NADRA marks biometric verification by a parent or blood relative as applying to inland offices only. For applicants abroad, the corresponding requirement is verification of the application form by any ID holder. Not a parent, not a relative, any holder of a Pakistani identity document. If you have been putting this off because nobody in your family can get to a NADRA centre, that is not the obstacle you thought it was.
The second row is the one that catches people at the counter. That identity document requirement runs through every service, whether you are applying fresh, renewing, replacing a lost card or changing an address. NADRA cites clauses (d) and (e) of Rule 8(4) for it. Have it with you regardless of what you came in to do.
Undertaking “A” and undertaking “B” are not the same thing
These get confused constantly, and asking for the wrong one wastes a trip to the Mission.
- Undertaking “A” is the non-resident identity document, attested by a Pakistan Embassy or Mission. It substitutes for a passport, residence permit, work permit or travel document.
- Undertaking “B” is for applicants with no blood relative, submitted with a biometric witness by an ID holder.
You may need one, both or neither. They answer different questions: “can you prove you live abroad” and “is there anyone to vouch for you”.
The FRC arrives by email
Worth knowing separately, because it is the one NADRA service that involves no physical delivery at all, which matters most when you are overseas.
NADRA’s Registration Policy states that for PakID, cards are delivered by courier and certificates are sent to applicants through email. The FRC is a certificate. On the fee schedule it is Executive only, which means there is no slower cheaper tier and also no waiting: PKR 1,000 for a single family type or PKR 2,000 for both, issued in one day.
The policy also makes clear that the applicant can be any blood relative, spouse or guardian, so it does not have to be you personally. Two limits: a CRC or Juvenile card holder cannot apply for an FRC, and if a minor holds a CRC without a photo, the minor’s presence or a photograph is needed. See our FRC guide for the detail.
Changing your details from abroad
The non-resident routes differ from the inland ones in ways that are entirely in your favour, and no guide sets them out.
- Address. NADRA’s policy attaches one remark to its entire address section: “No document is required for foreign addresses.” No foreign tenancy agreement, no translated utility bill. See changing your address.
- Name. An S1 Form issued by an Embassy or Mission, or a notarised name change deed, or an attested undertaking. That is a different and often easier route than the inland requirement of a corrected birth certificate. See changing your name.
- Marital status. A foreign marriage certificate is accepted alongside the Union Council and Cantonment options, so a marriage abroad does not have to be re-registered in Pakistan first. See CNIC after marriage.
What it costs
NICOP is priced in US dollars by zone: USD 39, 57 and 75 in Zone A, covering the USA and Europe, and USD 20, 30 and 40 in Zone B, covering the Middle East and Africa, on Normal, Urgent and Executive processing. New, modification, duplicate and renewal all cost the same within a zone.
What you hand over at a Mission will be more than that. Missions add delivery and their own charges, and NADRA’s schedule states plainly that delivery abroad varies from country to country. London, for example, publishes GBP 51.50, 64.50 and 79.50 including a bank surcharge and delivery, and quotes 6, 4 and 2 weeks rather than NADRA’s 31, 23 and 09 days. Our NICOP fees guide has what individual missions publish, and how to apply for a NICOP covers the application itself in full.
Common mistakes
- Trying to sign in at the old Pak Identity portal. The domain redirects to a homepage. Use the PakID app, a centre abroad, or your Mission.
- Assuming you need a relative in Pakistan. From abroad, any ID holder can verify the form.
- Arriving without a passport or permit. The extra identity document applies to every service, not just new applications.
- Confusing undertaking “A” with undertaking “B”. They answer different questions.
- Budgeting from NADRA’s zone fee. Missions add delivery and their own charges.
- Planning against NADRA’s day counts. Your Mission’s week counts are the ones that apply.
- Chasing paperwork for a foreign address. None is required.
If it is a renewal you need, see renewing a NICOP from abroad, and note that NADRA’s rules set a deadline of one month after expiry to apply.
The requirement differences, undertakings, the foreign address remark, the email delivery of certificates and the advice on NICOP over POC are taken from NADRA’s Registration Policy, version RP-6.0.1, issued 15 October 2025 and its NICOP page. Fees and timelines are from the official fee structure. All read on 28 August 2026, along with the redirect behaviour of the id.nadra.gov.pk domain. Mission figures were read on 27 August 2026 and can change without notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about this topic.
Can I still apply through the Pak Identity portal?
No. NADRA has folded it into its main website and the entire id.nadra.gov.pk domain now redirects to the NADRA homepage, checked on 28 August 2026. Use the PakID mobile app, a NADRA registration centre abroad, or a Pakistani Embassy, High Commission or Consulate.
Do I need a relative in Pakistan to apply from abroad?
No. NADRA marks biometric verification by a parent or blood relative as applying to inland offices only. For applicants abroad the requirement is verification of the application form by any ID holder, meaning any holder of a Pakistani identity document.
What extra document do I need when applying from abroad?
A Pakistani or foreign passport, a residence permit, a work permit, a travel document, or an undertaking “A” attested by a Pakistan Embassy or Mission. NADRA cites clauses (d) and (e) of Rule 8(4), and it applies to every service, not just new applications.
What is the difference between undertaking A and undertaking B?
Undertaking “A” is the non-resident identity document attested by a Pakistan Embassy or Mission, standing in for a passport or permit. Undertaking “B” is for applicants who have no blood relative, and is submitted with a biometric witness by an ID holder.
Which NADRA document can I get without anything being posted to me?
The FRC. NADRA’s Registration Policy states that certificates are sent to applicants by email, unlike cards which go by courier. The FRC is Executive only at PKR 1,000 or PKR 2,000 and is issued in one day.
Should I apply for NICOP or POC if I have dual nationality?
NICOP. NADRA’s Registration Policy states that dual national Pakistanis are advised to keep or apply for NICOP instead of POC. A POC holder is not a Pakistani citizen and cannot vote.
Do I need to prove my foreign address?
No. NADRA’s Registration Policy attaches a single remark to its address section stating that no document is required for foreign addresses.
Why does my consulate charge more than NADRA’s published fee?
Missions add delivery and their own charges on top of the zone fee, and NADRA’s schedule states that delivery abroad varies from country to country. Missions also quote timelines in weeks rather than NADRA’s days.
