How to Apply for Nepal's National ID Card (Rastriya Parichaya Patra) Online: DoNIDCR Step-by-Step Guide

The National Identity Card, known in Nepali as the Rastriya Parichaya Patra (NID), is a polycarbonate smart card carrying an embedded microchip that stores the holder's demographic and biometric data. It is issued by the Department of National ID and Civil Registration (DoNIDCR), an agency under Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA). The card and the wider civil registration system are governed by the National Identity Card and Civil Registration Act, 2076 (2019).

Every cardholder is assigned a unique National Identity Number (NIN) that is intended to serve as a single, permanent digital identity across government, banking and service platforms. The card displays the holder's photograph, name and personal details, and the chip links the person to the centrally stored biometric record. The project began rolling out in fiscal year 2018/19, with the production contract awarded to French identity firm IDEMIA, and distribution has been expanding district by district since then.

Any Nepali citizen aged 16 or above who holds a valid citizenship certificate (Nagarikta) is eligible to enrol. The citizenship certificate is the anchor document for the entire process: the NID is issued on the basis of it, so the details entered during enrollment must exactly match what appears on the citizenship certificate.

Before starting, applicants should have their original citizenship certificate ready, along with accurate details of close family members (typically father, mother, grandfather and, where applicable, spouse), because these are required by the application form. A Nepali mobile number registered in the applicant's own name is also needed, as the online portal verifies users by sending a one-time password (OTP) to that number.

The first stage is done entirely online at the official DoNIDCR pre-enrollment portal, enrollment.donidcr.gov.np. Choose the option to log in as an individual, enter your Nepali mobile number and verify the OTP sent to it. New applicants then select 'New Enrollment' to open the application form, while returning users can resume from their dashboard.

The pre-enrollment form is organised into sections covering personal information, contact and address details, family details and the appointment booking. You enter your name (in both Nepali and English), date of birth, gender and citizenship details; your permanent and temporary addresses and contact information; and your family members' particulars. The form takes only around 10 to 15 minutes to complete once your documents and details are at hand.

Within the same form, you select an enrollment centre and an available date for biometric capture. Enrollment is carried out at District Administration Offices (DAO) and Area Administration Offices, and after submitting the form you can print the token or appointment slip to bring with you.

On the appointment day, attend in person with your original citizenship certificate and the printed slip. Staff verify your details against the citizenship record and then capture your biometrics. This is a mandatory in-person step that cannot be completed online — the biometric data is what binds your physical identity to the chip and the National Identity Number.

Initial enrollment and the first issuance of the National ID Card are free of charge — a zero-fee policy DoNIDCR has maintained to remove cost barriers and speed up population coverage. A replacement card, required if the original is lost, damaged or needs updating, costs NPR 500; for a lost card a police report is generally required before a duplicate can be issued.

The National Identity Number is designed to be the citizen's primary identifier across public and private services. It is increasingly required for, or linked to, applications such as the e-passport, opening and operating a bank account, buying a mobile SIM card, accessing a range of government services, and social security and benefit programmes. The card is intended to have lifetime validity for the holder.

After enrolling, you can track your application through the Citizen Portal at citizenportal.donidcr.gov.np, where you log in or enter your request/reference details to see whether your card is being processed, ready or distributed. The portal also supports OTP verification linked to your registered mobile number.

Once issued, an electronic version of the card (eNID) can be accessed digitally — for example, through the Citizen Portal and the government's Nagarik App using your National Identity Number — so you can view or use a digital copy even before collecting the physical card. Personal data captured during enrollment is stored within secure government infrastructure managed under the Ministry of Home Affairs.