NICOP Renewal in USA: Washington Embassy NADRA Desk, $26 Charge and Processing Times
NICOP renewal in the USA is done online on Pak ID; the Washington NADRA desk helps by appointment for US$26. See processing times, verifiers and papers.
In the USA, you renew a NICOP online on NADRA's Pak ID app or website, and the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington only helps by appointment, for an extra US$26 service charge per application. NADRA has no permanent office at the embassy. The desk is there for people whose online application is stuck. The processing times, documents and the two-verifier rule below decide how fast your card arrives.
We read the NADRA Facilitation Desk page of the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington on 31 October 2026. It sets out who the desk serves, what it charges and how long NADRA takes. It is the only US mission page we read, so consulate rules may differ.
NICOP renewal in the USA starts online, not at the embassy
The embassy says all NICOP, CNIC, POC and FRC applications must be submitted through id.nadra.gov.pk or the Pak ID mobile app on iOS or Android. The embassy desk is for applicants who face difficulties with online processing, and only by appointment.
That changes how you plan. Start the application at home. If the app rejects your photo, your fingerprints or your documents, book the desk and bring your login details, so staff can pick up the same application rather than start a new one.
The steps and the dollar fees for the online route are in applying for or renewing a NICOP on Pak ID. The embassy page says NICOP fees are paid directly to NADRA in Pakistan, by debit or credit card. It advises telling your bank in advance so the international payment is not blocked.
The Washington desk adds a US$26 charge to each application
The embassy charges an extra US$26 service charge on every application it handles, on top of NADRA's own fee. All fees are non-refundable. Payment is online, by debit or credit card only. Biometric verification for a succession certificate also costs US$26.
| Service at the Washington desk | Embassy charge | NADRA processing time |
|---|---|---|
| NICOP, executive | US$26 plus NADRA fee | 14 days |
| NICOP, urgent | US$26 plus NADRA fee | 3 to 4 weeks |
| NICOP, normal | US$26 plus NADRA fee | 4 to 6 weeks |
| POC, executive | US$26 plus NADRA fee | 2 weeks |
| POC, urgent | US$26 plus NADRA fee | 4 weeks |
| FRC | US$26 plus NADRA fee | 3 to 4 days |
| Cancellation of NICOP, CNIC or POC | US$26 plus NADRA fee | 7 to 10 days |
| Succession certificate biometrics | US$26 | Not stated |
The embassy says the times are subject to approval by NADRA headquarters. In other words, they are targets, not promises. If you need the card for a flight to Pakistan, pick executive and apply at least three weeks ahead.
Why does the timing matter so much? An expired card can now stop you boarding a flight to Pakistan, which we explained in the rule on expired NICOPs at boarding. Renew well before your trip.
Two verifiers must back a NICOP application in the USA
The embassy lists two verifiers with copies of their CNIC or NICOP and their phone numbers. Verifiers cannot be your parents, children, spouse or siblings. Pick two Pakistani friends or colleagues who will answer their phones.
The full list for a first card, a renewal or a modification is the same on the embassy page:
- Your existing NICOP, CNIC or manual NIC, if you have one.
- Your Pakistani passport, valid or expired.
- Proof of legal US status, or a US passport and a state-issued photo ID.
- A birth certificate, B-Form, matric certificate or a Pakistani degree.
- Copies of your parents' CNIC, NICOP or manual NIC.
- Your spouse's card and your marriage certificate, or divorce certificate if that applies.
- Your siblings' cards, if available.
- An S-1 form for children born abroad, attested by a Pakistani embassy or consulate.
- Two verifiers with card copies and phone numbers.
The S-1 form is the birth registration form for a child born outside Pakistan. If your child was born in the USA and has never been registered, do that first. The six month rule for it is explained in registering a birth abroad with a Pakistani mission.
Succession certificate biometrics can be done in Washington
If you are a legal heir to property in Pakistan, the desk can take your fingerprints for a NADRA succession certificate. The application must already be started in Pakistan. Bring your CNIC or NICOP and the tracking ID of that application, and pay US$26.
This saves a trip home for many heirs. The certificate itself, its fee and the 14 day public notice are covered in how to get a succession certificate from NADRA.
An FRC is quicker still, at three to four days. But the embassy warns that family records must already be linked and updated in NADRA's database. If they are not, verification can take four to seven working days before the FRC request can even be submitted.
Book the desk only after the online route fails
The desk works strictly by appointment, and walk-ins are not accepted except in emergencies. Call 202-243-6500, extension 3242, to reach the NADRA desk. Have your Pak ID login, tracking ID and documents ready before the call.
A few habits save a second visit. Scan documents in colour and in full. Use the same email address you used to open the Pak ID account. And keep the payment receipt from NADRA, because the embassy charge is separate and cannot be refunded.
Common questions
Can I renew my NICOP at the embassy in Washington?
Only with help, by appointment. The embassy says applications must be submitted online through Pak ID, and the desk assists people who get stuck.
How much does the embassy charge?
US$26 per application, on top of NADRA's own NICOP fee.
How long does a NICOP take in the USA?
Fourteen days executive, three to four weeks urgent and four to six weeks normal, subject to NADRA approval.
Can my brother be my verifier?
No. Verifiers cannot be parents, children, spouse or siblings.
Are the fees refundable?
No. The embassy says all fees are non-refundable.
What is the NADRA desk phone number in Washington?
202-243-6500, extension 3242.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 31 October 2026. The service list, US$26 charge, processing times, document list, verifier rule and phone number come from the Embassy of Pakistan Washington's NADRA Facilitation Desk page on mofa.gov.pk, which we read on 31 October 2026. We did not read the pages of the Pakistani consulates in other US cities, so their arrangements may differ. We could not read NADRA's website, which refuses automated requests, to confirm NADRA's own dollar fee for a NICOP, and we did not book an appointment.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
