NADRA
Last Updated: August 2026
A first CNIC on Normal processing costs nothing. Not reduced, not subsidised: NADRA’s published fee against “New CNIC” on Normal priority is 0. That single line is missing from most fee guides, and it is the most valuable thing on the schedule. Below is the complete list, including the services other pages leave out entirely, and the one comparison that reverses what almost everyone assumes about paying more for speed.
The complete CNIC fee schedule
| Service | Normal | Urgent | Executive |
|---|---|---|---|
| New CNIC | PKR 0, 15 days | PKR 1,150, 12 days | PKR 2,150, 06 days |
| CNIC Modification | PKR 400, 15 days | PKR 1,150, 12 days | PKR 2,150, 06 days |
| Duplicate CNIC | PKR 400, 15 days | PKR 1,150, 12 days | PKR 2,150, 06 days |
| CNIC Renewal | PKR 400, 15 days | PKR 1,150, 12 days | PKR 2,150, 06 days |
| New Smart NIC | PKR 750, 31 days | PKR 1,500, 23 days | PKR 2,500, 09 days |
| Smart NIC Modification | PKR 750, 31 days | PKR 1,500, 23 days | PKR 2,500, 09 days |
| Smart NIC Duplicate | PKR 750, 31 days | PKR 1,500, 23 days | PKR 2,500, 09 days |
| Smart NIC Renewal | PKR 750, 31 days | PKR 1,500, 23 days | PKR 2,500, 09 days |
Every figure on this page is the processing fee only. Delivery is charged separately, and is covered further down.
The cheaper card is also the faster one
Look at the two blocks side by side and the usual assumption inverts. The non-smart CNIC is not the budget compromise, it is cheaper and quicker at every single tier.
- Normal: 15 days against 31, for PKR 350 less.
- Urgent: 12 days against 23, for PKR 350 less.
- Executive: 06 days against 09, for PKR 350 less.
Non-smart Executive at 06 days beats Smart Executive at 09. It also beats Smart Urgent at 23 days while costing PKR 650 less. The extra money on a Smart card buys the microchip, the extra security features and the durability, which are real benefits worth paying for. It does not buy speed, and any guide that tells you the Smart card is the faster option has not read the schedule.
One limit on that choice. NADRA’s Registration Policy states that “reversion from SMART card to Teslin is not allowed”. If you already hold a Smart card, the lower row is closed to you and the Smart figures are your figures.
Three things NADRA does not charge for
Worth checking before you pay anything, because people routinely pay for all three.
- A first CNIC on Normal processing: PKR 0, 15 days. You only pay if you want it faster.
- Cancelling a CNIC or CRC after a death: PKR 0, one day. Bereaved families are sometimes quoted a fee for this. There is not one.
- NADRA’s own mistakes: free of cost. The fee schedule lists “Office Mistake” as free, and the Registration Policy adds that an office fault needs no documents, no attestation, can be raised at any time after you receive the card, and can be processed in the Executive category free of cost. So if the card does not match the form you submitted, you are entitled to the fastest tier at no charge.
That last one is the most useful and least known. Compare your card against your application before assuming a mistake is yours to pay for.
Certificates: CRC and FRC
| Certificate | Normal | Executive |
|---|---|---|
| CRC, all categories | PKR 50, 7 days | PKR 500, 01 day |
| FRC (Alpha, Beta or Gama family) | Not offered | PKR 1,000, 01 day |
| FRC (Both) | Not offered | PKR 2,000, 01 day |
Note that the FRC has no Normal or Urgent tier at all. It is Executive only, which means the price you see is the only price, and it arrives the next day. Our guide to getting an FRC covers who may apply, which is broader than most people expect.
The services most fee guides never list
These are all on NADRA’s published schedule and almost never appear in third-party fee tables, which is a problem if one of them is the service you actually need.
Updating non-printable fields
| Route | Fee | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| CNIC or NICOP, from a registration centre | PKR 100 | 02 days |
| CNIC or NICOP, from the PakID mobile app | USD 5 | 02 days |
| POC | USD 30 | 02 days |
These are details held in your record but not printed on the card. Note the oddity in the pricing: the registration centre route is charged in rupees at PKR 100, while the app route is charged in dollars at USD 5, which is substantially more at any recent exchange rate. This is one of the few NADRA services where going in person is the cheaper option.
Age modification
| Size of change | Inland | Abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1 year | PKR 1,000 | USD 15 |
| More than 1 and up to 2 years | PKR 2,000 | USD 25 |
| More than 2 and up to 3 years | PKR 3,000 | USD 40 |
| More than 3 years | PKR 5,000 | USD 65 |
| Second time age change | PKR 10,000 | USD 125 |
The fee scales with how far the date moves, and the existence of a “second time” row tells you something the schedule does not say outright: unlike a name change, which NADRA’s policy limits to once, a date of birth can be changed twice. It is priced to discourage it.
Clearance of multiple identity cards
| Situation | Region | Normal | Executive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same particulars, or a slight difference | Zone A and B | USD 10 | Not offered |
| Different particulars | Zone A | USD 250 | USD 500 |
| Different particulars | Zone B | USD 120 | USD 200 |
| Same particulars, or a slight difference | Inland | PKR 1,000 | PKR 20,000 |
| Different particulars | Inland | PKR 10,000 | PKR 20,000 |
This applies if more than one identity record exists in your name. The spread is enormous, from USD 10 to PKR 20,000, and it turns entirely on whether the duplicate records carry the same particulars or different ones. If this is your situation, establish which category you fall into before you commit to a priority tier.
Succession certificates
| Application | Assets of PKR 100,000 or more | Assets under PKR 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| New or fresh | PKR 20,000, or PKR 22,000 in Sindh | PKR 10,000 |
| Duplicate | PKR 5,000 | PKR 5,000 |
| Amended | PKR 5,000 | PKR 5,000 |
| Decline on a processed application | PKR 15,000 | PKR 15,000 |
| Office mistake | Free | Free |
Delivery is charged separately
| Destination | Charge |
|---|---|
| Within Pakistan | PKR 165 |
| Abroad | Varies from country to country |
NADRA publishes no single figure for overseas delivery, in its own words it varies by country. That is the official reason why the amount an overseas Pakistani is charged at a mission exceeds the zone fee on the schedule, and why it differs between missions rather than being one global surcharge.
If you are overseas
Overseas Pakistanis are charged in US dollars by zone rather than in rupees. New, modification, duplicate and renewal are all priced identically within a zone.
| Zone | Normal (31 days) | Urgent (23 days) | Executive (09 days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A, USA and Europe | USD 39 | USD 57 | USD 75 |
| Zone B, Middle East and Africa | USD 20 | USD 30 | USD 40 |
Cancelling a NICOP after a death is free and takes one day, the same as inland. Missions add delivery and their own charges on top of these figures, so see our NICOP fees and processing time guide for what individual missions actually charge, and how to apply for a NICOP for the process itself.
Making sure you pay the right amount
- Ask which card the quoted fee is for. PKR 400 and PKR 750 are both correct, for different cards.
- Check whether your service is free. A first CNIC on Normal, a cancellation after a death, and any office fault are all PKR 0.
- Do not pay a modification fee for NADRA’s typo. Ask for it as an office fault, free and at Executive speed.
- Add delivery. PKR 165 inland, and a variable amount abroad.
- Do not expect a Smart card faster than a non-smart one. It is slower at every tier.
- Do not try to bundle a data change into a renewal. NADRA’s policy allows no change in data on a renewal or duplicate, so that is a second, separate fee.
Once you have paid, you can check your CNIC status online. For the individual services, see our guides to applying for a new CNIC, renewing, getting a duplicate, and changing your name or address.
Every fee and timeline on this page is taken from NADRA’s official fee structure, read on 28 August 2026, site version V3.1.2, last updated 07-07-2026. The office fault terms and the restrictions on card reversion and on data changes during a renewal are from NADRA’s Registration Policy, version RP-6.0.1, issued 15 October 2025. Fees are set by NADRA and can change without notice, so confirm the current figure before paying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about this topic.
How much does a new CNIC cost in 2026?
On NADRA’s published schedule a New CNIC on Normal processing is PKR 0, delivered in 15 days. You pay only if you want it faster: PKR 1,150 Urgent or PKR 2,150 Executive. A New Smart NIC is PKR 750, PKR 1,500 or PKR 2,500.
Why do I see two different CNIC prices?
Because NADRA lists two cards. The non-smart CNIC is PKR 400 for a modification, duplicate or renewal, and the Smart NIC is PKR 750 for the same services. Both figures are correct, so ask which card a quoted fee refers to.
Is the Smart CNIC faster?
No. It is slower at every tier. Non-smart processing is 15, 12 and 06 days against the Smart card’s 31, 23 and 09. The extra fee buys the chip, security features and durability, not speed.
What does NADRA not charge for?
Three things: a first CNIC on Normal processing, cancelling a CNIC or CRC after a death, and correcting NADRA’s own error. The schedule lists office mistakes as free of cost, and the Registration Policy says they can be processed in the Executive category free of charge.
How much is CNIC delivery?
PKR 165 within Pakistan. For delivery abroad NADRA publishes no single figure and states that it varies from country to country, which is why overseas totals differ between missions.
How much does an FRC cost?
PKR 1,000 for an Alpha, Beta or Gama family FRC and PKR 2,000 for Both, each issued in one day. The FRC has no Normal or Urgent tier, so Executive is the only option and the only price.
What does it cost to change my date of birth?
It scales with the size of the change: PKR 1,000 for up to a year, PKR 2,000 up to two years, PKR 3,000 up to three, and PKR 5,000 beyond that. A second age change costs PKR 10,000. Abroad the equivalents are USD 15, 25, 40, 65 and 125.
Can I change my details while renewing my CNIC?
No. NADRA’s Registration Policy states that no change in data is allowed on a renewal or a duplicate. A change of name, address or any other detail is a separate modification at a separate fee.
