There are certain documents that are deemed mandatory for every Pakistani citizen, such as National Identity Card (NIC), Driver’s License (in case you drive), Passport (in case you want to travel to another country), and the necessary legal documentation if you own a vehicle or movable or immovable property. However, if you plan to move or work as an expat overseas, then you will need a National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis.
What is NICOP?
Wondering what is NICOP? As the name suggests, NICOP (National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis) is an identity card that is exclusively issued to Pakistani citizens who are planning to move or are already working/living abroad. Moreover, if a Pakistani citizen also has a nationality of some other country, then they only need to have a NICOP to travel to Pakistan whenever they want without needing a visa.
NICOP can also be applied for children who are born abroad, but in such cases, the children’s passport number is a mandatory requirement, which can be obtained from a Pakistani embassy in your country of stay.
Validity of NICOP
Every National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis that gets issues carries an expiry date with it, clearly mentioned on the card itself. However, the validity of NADRA NICOP may vary from person to person. In case you are applying for a NICOP for a minor, then the NICOP is going to be valid either for 10 years or until that person reaches 18 years of age.
How to Apply for NICOP?
There are two main ways to apply for a National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis. You can either visit a NADRA Registration Centre (NRC) or Mega Centre in your city or apply online at NADRA’s web portal.
Applying Through NADRA Centres
Here’s what you need to know when applying for a NICOP through a NADRA Registration Centre. The following is a summarised view of the procedure:
- Upon visiting the NRC, get a token from the counter
- Wait for your token number to be called out
- They will click your pic at the booth
- They will fill your form and enter the data in their system as per the information provided by you. Once done, you will be asked to review and verify the information
- The next part is getting the form attested. Once you have it attested from a gazette government officer, you will be required to submit it to the NRC.
Note: You can ask a blood relative to accompany you while you are applying for NICOP since their biometrics can be used as verification instead of getting your form attested by a government officer.
In order to find your closest NADRA Registration Centre, you can always visit their website. However, if you reside in Karachi, then here are the addresses for the three Mega Centres located in the city that remain open 24 hours, seven days a week.
NADRA Mega Centre (DHA Karachi):
Address: UC Office, Old KDA Building, Phase 1, Defence Housing Authority
NADRA Mega Centre (North Nazimabad, Karachi)
Address: Block L, North Nazimabad Town
NADRA Mega Centre (SITE Industrial Area, Karachi)
Address: Estate Avenue, SITE Industrial Area, Karachi
Applying at NADRA’s Online Portal
For the convenience of locals as well as Pakistani citizens living abroad, the government of Pakistan has launched an online portal of NADRA. The online portal can be used to apply for a National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) online.
Whether you are already an identity card holder or a new applicant, you can easily apply online at the portal. Here’s the step-by-step process to apply for a NICOP online:
- First of all, have your photographs, supporting documents, and Debit/Credit Card ready.
- Select the option of ‘Identity Holder’ if you are already an identity holder or ‘No Previous Identity’ if you are a new applicant
- You will be asked to choose your country of stay and create a 4-digit smart card pin (the same thing we do for our ATM cards)
- Submit the information as per the requirements along with a scanned copy of your recent passport sized photograph
- After you have entered your Credit/Debit Card number, you will be redirected to a screen where the status of your payment will be confirmed. This is the final step of the process, after which your card will be delivered to you in a few days
- Tracking of NADRA NICOP is also available. Moreover, you will also be notified via email and SMS about the status of your card
Note: The form on the website is also available in the Urdu language for better understanding.
Additional Information
All applicants must thoroughly review all the submitted information. In case any error is found in the data, it can be corrected manually on the printed form. Capturing the fingerprints of their four fingers (as shown on screen) and submitting them is among key NICOP requirements to complete the application process.
Time Required to Submit An Application for NICOP Online
It requires a lesser amount of time and effort to apply for a National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis online as compared to going to the NRC. Please take a look at the chart below to get a better understanding of the time required for every step involved in the process of applying for a NICOP:
| Steps | Time Required |
| User Registration | 2 min |
| Select application category | 0.5 min |
| Give card delivery details | 1 min |
| Pay fee | 2 min |
| Give personal details | 10 min |
| Upload photograph | 1 min |
| Upload supporting documents | 1 min |
| Print,scan and upload urdu form | 5 min |
| Submit application | 0.5 min |
| Total Time Required | 23 min |
NICOP Fee Details:
Whether you are a new applicant or want to modify or edit data, payment at the beginning of the process is one of the important NICOP requirements. One more thing to bear in mind here is that countries around the world are divided into two zones by the government of Pakistan (please refer to NADRA’s official website to fetch complete details regarding the zonal division of countries). The fee structure when applying for NICOP may also vary for the two zones.
NICOP Fee For ‘Zone A’ Countries
| Application Categories | Normal Fee (PKR) | Urgent Fee (PKR) | Executive Fee (PKR) |
| NICOP Reprint/Lost | 5,400 | 8,100 | 10,800 |
| NICOP Cancellation | N/A | N/A | 2,250 |
| New Smart NICOP | 5,850 | 8,550 | 11,250 |
| Smart NICOP Modification | 5,850 | 8,550 | 11,250 |
| Smart NICOP Reprint/Lost | 5,850 | 8,550 | 11,250 |
| Smart NICOP Renewal | 5,850 | 8,550 | 11,250 |
NICOP Fee For ‘Zone B’ Countries
| Application Categories | Normal Fee (PKR) | Urgent Fee (PKR) | Executive Fee (PKR) |
| NICOP Reprint/Lost | 2,550 | 4,050 | 5,550 |
| NICOP Cancellation | N/A | N/A | 2,250 |
| New Smart NICOP | 3,000 | 4,500 | 6,000 |
| Smart NICOP Modification | 3,000 | 4,500 | 6,000 |
| Smart NICOP Renewal | 3,000 | 4,500 | 6,000 |
| Smart NICOP Reprint/Lost | 3,000 | 4,500 | 6,000 |
Fee For Modification in Age
| Type of Modification in Age | Fees (PKR) |
| Difference in Age is less than or equal to 1 year | 1,000 |
| Difference in Age is greater than 1 BUT less than or equal to 2 years | 2,000 |
| Difference in Age is greater than 2 BUT less than or equal to 3 years | 3,000 |
| Difference in Age is greater than 3 years | 5,000 |
| Request for modification in Age for a 2nd Time | 10,000 |
Fee For Delivery to Applicant’s Address
| Location | Fees (PKR) |
| Pakistan | 100 |
| Overseas | 1,000 |
NICOP Delivery Time (Physical and Online Application)
The delivery time for a NADRA NICOP varies based on how you applied for it. Please have a look below to get an idea about when you can expect your NICOP to be delivered:
Through NRC
- Normal – 30 days
- Urgent – 15 days
- Fast Track – 7 Days (Priority at NRCs for immediate processing with executive fee charges)
Through Online Application
- Processing – 7 days
- Local Shipping in Pakistan – 2 days
- International Shipping – 5 Days
You now know all the necessary details to apply for a NICOP and the finances involved in the entire process. The application processes for CNIC and NICOP have been now simplified than before, thanks to the recent improvements and digitization of NADRA’s system.
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