The National Database and Registration Authority, NADRA, has shared a simple procedure for Pakistani citizens who want to change their current or permanent residential address on their Computerised National Identity Card, the CNIC. In an informational video on its official social media platform, the authority explained the documents needed and the steps citizens must follow at a NADRA Registration Centre.
According to NADRA, applicants can update their address by providing proof of residence, completing biometric verification and paying the applicable CNIC modification fee. The process involves six steps, from obtaining a token to collecting the updated card, and it is one of the most common reasons people visit a NADRA centre, whether they have moved house, married, or need the address on their card to match where they actually live.
Documents Required to Change Address on CNIC
NADRA has identified three types of supporting documents, and applicants need to provide any one of them. The first is the CNIC of a blood relative, showing the address the applicant wants to register, which is the option most often used by people who have moved in with family. The second is residential property documents showing that the property at the requested address is registered in the applicant's name. The third is a utility bill, for electricity, gas or water, issued in the applicant's name and showing the requested address.
The choice matters, because the document has to prove a genuine connection to the new address. A utility bill in someone else's name will not do, and neither will a property document for a house the applicant does not own. Citizens should check before travelling that the document is in their own name, or in the name of a blood relative whose CNIC they can produce, and that the address on it matches the one they want on their card.
How to Change Current or Permanent Address on CNIC
NADRA has outlined a six-step procedure worth knowing before arriving. The first step is to visit a nearby NADRA Registration Centre with the existing CNIC and the relevant address verification document, approach the reception counter and obtain a token for the CNIC modification service, then wait until the number is called.
Once the turn arrives, the applicant proceeds to the registration counter, where a NADRA representative completes biometric verification. According to the authority, this includes fingerprint verification, photograph capture and iris verification, which together make sure the person at the counter is the person named on the card. The registration officer then enters the requested address into NADRA's system, and applicants must carefully review the information on the screen, checking that the house number, street, area, city and other details are correct, because a mistake will be printed on the new card.
The next stage is approval by the office in-charge, after which the application moves to payment. Applicants must then pay the CNIC modification fee for the processing category they selected; NADRA's video explains that citizens can use the QR code on their token to pay, following the instructions at the centre and keeping the payment confirmation safe.
The final step is collection: applicants receive a receipt, and can collect their updated cards from the same Registration Centre after the processing period. Citizens should keep the receipt safe until they collect the card, because the tracking number on it is what the centre uses to find the application.
NADRA CNIC Address Change Fees
NADRA charges a modification fee for changing information printed on a CNIC, and the amount depends on the card type and processing speed. A standard CNIC modification costs Rs400 for normal processing, Rs1,150 for urgent and Rs2,150 for executive. For a Smart CNIC, the fees are Rs750, Rs1,500 and Rs2,500. Normal service takes around fifteen days, urgent around twelve and executive around six, although applicants should confirm the current fee and timing in the app or at the centre before paying, because NADRA revises its schedule from time to time.
Some of this can now be done from home. In a statement in October 2026, NADRA said citizens can change their identity card photograph and their permanent address through the PakID mobile application, which is the same system as the Pak Identity web portal, and for those two fields the visit to a registration centre is optional. The app route is not available for every change, and name, date of birth and family tree changes carry their own rules, with a visit still needed in some cases for biometric verification and photographs. But for a straightforward address change, the online option is worth trying first.
Keeping the address on a CNIC up to date matters for more than the card itself. Banks, government offices, utility companies and election rolls all rely on it, and an old address can cause problems ranging from a blocked bank account to a voter registration in the wrong constituency. NADRA handles millions of modifications every year, and the address change is among the most routine. The authority's advice is simple: bring the right document, check the details on screen before approving them, pay only through the official channels, and keep the receipt until the new card is in hand.
