National Identity Card (NID/NIN) Registration in Nepal: Free Pre-Enrolment and Biometric Capture

The National Identity Card (NID), known in Nepali as the Rastriya Parichaya Patra (राष्ट्रिय परिचयपत्र), is a federal-level biometric smart card that assigns each Nepali citizen a unique National Identity Number (NIN). It records biometric and demographic data and serves as a single, government-recognised proof of identity that links to other public services through its number.

The card is issued by the Department of National ID and Civil Registration (DoNIDCR), an agency under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA). The project began in fiscal year 2018/19, and the contract to process and produce the cards was signed in 2018 with the French identity-technology firm IDEMIA. Early distribution started in districts such as Panchthar and Rupandehi and to government employees before expanding nationwide.

The legal foundation is the National Identity Card and Registration Act, 2076 (the bill was endorsed by the House of Representatives in August 2019), supplemented by the National Identity Card and Registration Regulations, 2077. The Act establishes the DoNIDCR as the apex body for national identity and civil registration and provides that citizens aged 16 and above should obtain a National ID Card.

Eligibility is tied to Nepali citizenship. Any Nepali citizen who is 16 years of age or older and holds a valid citizenship certificate may enrol. There is no upper age limit. The 16-year threshold aligns with the age at which a citizen is eligible for a citizenship certificate, so applicants are expected to already hold that foundational document.

A valid Nepali citizenship certificate is mandatory for enrolment, because the NID record is built from and verified against citizenship and civil-registration data.

Registration is a two-step process, and the first step is online pre-enrolment. The applicant creates an account on the DoNIDCR enrolment portal (enrollment.donidcr.gov.np) using a mobile number, verifies it via a one-time password (OTP), and starts a new enrolment.

During pre-enrolment the applicant enters demographic details — full name, date of birth, citizenship certificate details, parents' details, permanent and temporary address and contact information — and uploads a copy of the citizenship certificate. The applicant then selects an enrolment centre (typically the nearest DAO) and an appointment date, and prints the token/appointment slip to carry to the biometric appointment.

Pre-enrolment by itself does not produce a card or a National Identity Number; it only registers the demographic data and books the in-person appointment. The Citizen Portal (citizenportal.donidcr.gov.np) provides related citizen-facing services.

On the booked date the applicant attends the chosen DAO or enrolment centre with the original citizenship certificate and the token slip. Staff verify the documents and capture biometrics. The card carries a unique number, a photograph, personal information and the bearer's ten fingerprints; enrolment centres also capture supporting biometrics such as the photo and signature during this visit.

After biometric capture and back-end verification, a National Identity Number (NIN) is generated and the physical smart card is printed and distributed in phases. Because printing and distribution capacity is limited, the gap between enrolment and receiving the physical card can be several months.

Initial enrolment and issuance of the first National Identity Card is free of charge. The DoNIDCR has maintained this zero-fee policy for first-time enrolment to remove cost barriers and accelerate population coverage. Corrections of errors caused by the authorities during enrolment are also processed free of cost.

Fees may apply for re-issuance — for example, replacing a card that is lost or damaged, or updating it after a change such as name or address — but the foundational first card is issued without a fee.

The NIN is designed as a single, authoritative identity reference that links to other services, including a centralised Know-Your-Customer (KYC) system for banks. Over time the government has made the NID/NIN a prerequisite for a widening set of public and financial services.

Notably, the National Identity Number has been made a compulsory pre-requisite for applying for the biometric e-passport: applicants obtain their NID number from the DoNIDCR and then use it when applying through the e-passport portal. The NID/NIN is also used for tax/PAN registration via the Inland Revenue Department, and an electronic NID can be accessed through the government's Nagarik App after a citizen links their existing NIN.

After enrolment, applicants can track progress through official DoNIDCR channels. The most common route is the Citizen Portal (citizenportal.donidcr.gov.np), where a user logs in with their mobile number and OTP, or searches using their request/reference number or NIN together with a captcha, to see the application stage (for example pre-enrolled, biometrics captured, printed, or ready for collection).

Once a NIN has been generated, the digital card can also be retrieved by entering the NIN in the Nagarik App. Always rely on the official DoNIDCR portals (donidcr.gov.np, citizenportal.donidcr.gov.np and enrollment.donidcr.gov.np) rather than third-party sites for enrolment and status checks.