How to get your National ID (NID) in Nepal
राष्ट्रिय परिचयपत्र कसरी बनाउने
Nepal's National ID is free for citizens 16 and over. Fill in the form online, give biometrics at a District Administration Office and get your number that day.
- Cost
- Free
- Enrolment and the first card are free. A replacement card costs Rs 500.
- How long
- Number the same day
- At a District or Area Administration Office. The card itself follows later, announced by SMS.
- Where
- District Administration Office
- Last checked
- 8 Oct 2026
- Against the official source
What it is
The National ID (राष्ट्रिय परिचयपत्र) is a smart card with a chip that holds your personal details and biometrics: all ten fingerprints, an iris scan, your photo and signature. It's issued under the National Identity Card and Registration Act 2076 and comes with a unique 10-digit National ID number.
Once the government brings it fully into force, you'll need it for almost any state service: passports, social security allowances, voting, buying or selling property, registering births and deaths, bank accounts and SIM cards. Passports already require the number.
Giving false details to get a National ID is a crime under the Act, with two to five years in prison and a fine of Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000.
Who needs it
- Every Nepali citizen aged 16 or older who has a citizenship certificate.
- Anyone applying for a passport. The Department of National ID says the National ID number is now mandatory for passports.
- Children, non-resident Nepalis and long-term foreign residents can't enrol yet. The department says they're covered in a later phase.
What you need
- Official
Original citizenship certificate
Photocopies, damaged or hand-corrected documents aren't accepted for enrolment.
- Official
Migration certificate, if your permanent address is different from the one on your citizenship
Not needed if the address only changed because local governments were restructured.
- Official
If married: a citizenship showing your spouse's name, or else your marriage registration
- Official
Proof of date of birth, if your citizenship doesn't show it
Birth registration, a school certificate, passport or pension book.
- Official
Your passport, if you have one
How it works
- 1
Fill in the online form
Go to donidcr.gov.np and open the National ID online application. Enter your details in Nepali and English exactly as they appear on your citizenship, and note down the application number.
- 2
Go to an enrolment station
Take your original documents to a District Administration Office, an Area Administration Office with an enrolment station or your ward if a National ID campaign is running there.
- 3
Give biometrics
The station records all ten fingerprints, your iris, photo and signature. Don't wear make-up, a cap, a burqa or jewellery that covers your face, because the photo has to meet international standards.
- 4
Get your National ID number
At a District or Area Administration Office station you get the 10-digit number straight away. At ward campaigns it arrives later by SMS.
- 5
Collect the card when you get the SMS
When the card is printed you get a text. Collect it in person from the place where you enrolled, because your fingerprints are checked when it's handed over.
Where to go
District Administration Office
Enrolment station, number issued the same day
Area Administration Office
Where an enrolment station has been set up
Your ward
Only during National ID enrolment campaigns
Department of National ID and Civil Registration
Online form and helpline
donidcr.gov.np
Find the nearest DAO
Straight-line distance. Directions open in Google Maps.
Cost and time
- Official fee
- Free
- Enrolment and the first card are free. A replacement card costs Rs 500.
- Processing time
- Number the same day
- At a District or Area Administration Office. The card itself follows later, announced by SMS.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Enrolment and first card | Free |
| Replacement for a lost or damaged cardPaid at any Rastriya Banijya Bank branch to the department's revenue account | Rs 500 |
| Correcting details on the cardThe National ID number stays the same after a correction | Apply at the station |
Common problems
My citizenship doesn't have my husband's surname but I want it on my National ID.
Not possible. The National ID copies your citizenship. Get the citizenship amended to add your husband's surname first, then enrol or update your National ID.
My citizenship doesn't show my date of birth.
Bring a school certificate, passport, pension book or birth registration. If you have none, the department works out a date from your age and the issue date on your citizenship.
I enrolled at a ward campaign and never got the SMS with my number.
Text N, a space and your application number to 30001. You can also message 9851316034 or 9851316035 on Viber or WhatsApp, or call 01-5970449.
I lost my National ID card.
Apply at the District Administration Office or an Area Administration Office with an enrolment station, explaining what happened. Pay Rs 500 at a Rastriya Banijya Bank branch and bring the voucher. The office checks your record and issues a copy.
There's a mistake on my card.
Apply on the set form at the District or Area Administration Office enrolment station. Your number doesn't change when details are corrected.
Does the National ID replace my citizenship certificate?
No. Both stay in use, and you need the citizenship to get the National ID in the first place.
Real experiences
Been through this recently? Tell the next person which office you went to and what they asked for. Reports are published as community notes, apart from the official information.
Share your experienceSources
Related
- AHow do I check my National ID number?राष्ट्रिय परिचयपत्र नम्बर कसरी हेर्ने?Answer · Government & documents
- GHow to get your citizenship certificate (by descent)वंशजको आधारमा नागरिकता कसरी लिनेGuide · Government & documents
- GHow to get an e-passport in Nepalई-पासपोर्ट (राहदानी) कसरी बनाउनेGuide · Government & documents
- GHow do I correct my name or date of birth on my citizenship?नागरिकतामा नाम वा जन्ममिति कसरी सच्याउने?Guide · Government & documents