NADRA
Last Updated: October 2026
When the Pak ID app cannot match your fingerprints, NADRA has a set order of fallbacks. The app gives you several attempts, then offers face matching, and if that also fails you can apply through a relative’s Pak ID account or ask NADRA to reset your attempt count. Since the 3 September 2026 release, the app also has appointment booking for fingerprint and facial verification failures.
You cannot skip verification. NADRA’s FAQ says biometric verification “is mandatory for activation of the user account; unverified users cannot process any application”.
What NADRA says to do, in order
- Try again, properly. NADRA says “you will be given multiple attempts for biometric verification through fingerprints”. The capture tips below are NADRA’s own.
- Verify by face. If the fingerprints do not match, “you will be given the option to verify through facial”. NADRA’s short version: “In-case of fingerprint matching failure, you can verify your user account through facial matching.”
- Look for the appointment option. The app’s release notes for version 5.7.6 (3 September 2026) say it “added appointment booking for Fingerprint/Facial Verification failures”. NADRA’s FAQ has not caught up with this, and we could not test it, so treat it as something to look for in the app after a failure, not a promise of a slot.
- Use a relative’s account. If face matching fails too, NADRA says to apply through the Pak ID account of a relative: “father, mother, sister, brother or children above 18 years”, and another answer adds a spouse. Their NADRA record must already be linked with yours in the family tree.
- Ask NADRA to reset the attempts. NADRA’s alternative is to “inform us through NCCMS for refreshing the count of fingerprints verification attempts”. NCCMS is NADRA’s complaint system, at complaints.nadra.gov.pk.
If none of that works, the last resort is a NADRA centre. NADRA’s own steps for app applications end with “Visit a NADRA Registration Centre (if required)”, and it states that “biometric verification and photograph may require a visit”. Our guide to biometric verification at NADRA explains what happens there, and the office locations guide covers finding a centre.
How to capture your fingerprints so they match
The app scans fingerprints through the phone’s camera, so the conditions matter more than they would at a counter. NADRA’s guidance is specific:
- Line the fingerprints up with the box on the screen.
- Use a plain background or a white sheet of paper.
- Capture in a well-lit place.
- Keep the hand and fingers still by resting them on a fixed, solid surface.
- Leave an appropriate gap between the fingers.
- Do not hold the hand too far from or too close to the camera.
- Do not tilt or curl the fingers.
- Follow the on-screen guidance.
If the photo is the problem
NADRA says the “upload photograph” option “is only available for minors of age below 3 years”. Everyone else has to take a live photo in the app, and NADRA lists what to do:
- Use a plain or white background, keep a straight posture and look straight at the camera.
- Do not wear a hat, artificial lenses or glasses, or anything that hides the face.
- Avoid shadows on the face and hair across the eyes.
- Women may take the photo in a hijab or abaya if the forehead and the whole face, including the chin, are clearly visible. Men may wear a cap or turban if the whole face is clearly visible.
Other verification errors, and NADRA’s answers
| What you see | What NADRA says |
|---|---|
| “Citizen Number not verified” | It happens if your card is DUP-marked (you were issued several cards with different numbers) or cancelled through DUP cancellation, if your card is marked for verification, or if the citizen number, issue date or date of birth you entered is invalid. NADRA’s answer is to visit a NADRA centre. |
| “Citizen Number already associated with another account” | Only one account is allowed per ID card number. Log in to the account you already made, and use “Forgot password” if needed. |
| “Email already registered with another account” | An email can be used for only one account. |
| No verification PIN by email | A 4-digit PIN is sent to your email. Check the spam or junk folder. |
| A location permission error | Turn on location services before you open the app, or allow the permission when it asks, and check your internet connection. |
| Registered with the wrong email or mobile number | Re-register with the correct details. You must give a new email address. |
| Application rejected | Tap the tracking ID in the app to see the reasons and guidance. If you do not get them, contact NCCMS or call 1777 (or +92 51 111 786 100) with your tracking ID and citizen number. |
The app’s release notes also mention an “OTP reset option provided during verification”, added in version 5.7.0 on 7 August 2026, if you are stuck at the code step.
When a relative verifies your application
A second fingerprint check comes later in the process. NADRA says an application can be attested by biometric verification from a blood relative or by a gazetted officer, but “only biometric verification is available through PakID mobile app”. The relative can be a father, mother, brother, sister, son or daughter, a grandparent, or a spouse. At the attestation stage the app lists your relatives, and if the relative is not with you, you can share your application’s tracking ID and PIN so they can log in to their own account and open the attestation icon. The same capture rules apply to them: keep the hand within the frame, keep a distance at which all fingers are visible, steady the hand on a table, and follow the on-screen instructions.
Common mistakes
- Stopping after the first failed attempt. NADRA gives multiple attempts and then a face option.
- Scanning on a patterned table or in poor light. NADRA asks for a plain or white background and good lighting.
- Holding the hand in the air. Rest it on a solid surface so it stays still.
- Creating a second account. One ID number, and one email, allow one account.
- Using a relative’s account before their record is linked to yours. NADRA requires the family tree link first.
- Trying to upload a photo. The upload option is for children under 3 only.
- Waiting for an app fix on a “Citizen Number not verified” error. NADRA says to go to a centre.
Sources: every quotation and answer above is from NADRA’s PakID FAQs (site version V3.1.3), except the process step “Visit a NADRA Registration Centre (if required)” and the biometric caution, which are from its CNIC page, and the app release notes, which are from the Pak Identity listing on the App Store (versions 5.7.0, 5.7.6 and later). NADRA’s complaint system is at complaints.nadra.gov.pk. All read on 30 September 2026. The iris and facial-recognition statements are from ProPakistani, 28 September 2026, and the faded-fingerprint certificate from NADRA’s video announcement of e-Sahulat services, read on 6 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about this topic.
Why does Pak ID fingerprint verification fail?
NADRA does not publish a cause. The app scans fingerprints through the phone’s camera, and NADRA’s guidance lists the conditions that matter: fingers lined up with the box, a plain or white background, good light, a still hand resting on a solid surface, a gap between the fingers, the right distance from the camera, and no tilting or curling of the fingers.
What should I do if Pak ID fingerprint verification fails?
Try again, as NADRA gives multiple attempts. If the fingerprints still do not match, the app offers face matching. If that fails too, apply through the Pak ID account of a linked blood relative or spouse, or ask NADRA through NCCMS to refresh your count of fingerprint attempts. A NADRA centre is the last resort.
Can I verify my Pak ID account without fingerprints?
Yes, through facial matching. NADRA says that in case of fingerprint matching failure you can verify your user account through facial matching. Verification of one kind or the other is mandatory, because unverified users cannot process any application.
What if my fingerprints are too worn to scan at all?
Inside the app, NADRA’s own answer is facial matching. Separately, NADRA was reported on 28 September 2026 to be offering iris scans, at more than 5,000 counters, as an alternative for elderly people, manual workers and others whose fingerprints cannot be captured because of illness or skin conditions, and to have told financial institutions that a person can be verified through facial recognition where fingerprints cannot be obtained. Those statements come from ProPakistani’s report, are not on NADRA’s website, and concern counters and banks rather than the app. NADRA’s video announcement of services at e-Sahulat franchises also lists a biometric certificate for faded fingerprints, but we found no NADRA page that explains it. If the app will not pass you, NADRA’s published route is a relative’s account or a visit to a centre.
Can I use my relative’s Pak ID account?
Yes, if your own account cannot be verified. NADRA lists a father, mother, sister, brother, children above 18 and a spouse, and their NADRA record must already be linked with yours in the family tree. Applications can only be processed for those relatives.
How do I reset the number of fingerprint attempts?
NADRA says to inform it through NCCMS, its complaint management system at complaints.nadra.gov.pk, for refreshing the count of fingerprint verification attempts.
Is there an appointment for fingerprint verification failures?
The Pak Identity release notes for version 5.7.6, dated 3 September 2026, say the app added appointment booking for fingerprint and facial verification failures. NADRA’s FAQ does not describe it yet, so check the app after a failed verification.
Do I have to go to a NADRA centre?
Not always, but NADRA says biometric verification and photograph may require a visit, and its steps for app applications end with visiting a Registration Centre if required. For the error “Citizen Number not verified” NADRA’s answer is to visit a centre.
What does “Citizen Number not verified” mean?
NADRA says it happens if the card is DUP-marked or was cancelled through DUP cancellation, if the card is marked for verification, or if the citizen number, issue date or date of birth entered is invalid. You need to visit a NADRA centre.
Can I upload a photo instead of taking one in the app?
Only for children under 3. Everyone else must take a live photo in the app, against a plain or white background, without a hat, glasses or anything covering the face.
