You cannot change a CNIC expiry date at your bank. You first renew the CNIC with NADRA, then ask the bank to update its record with the new card. If you wait too long, the bank can block withdrawals from your account. Here are the rules, the steps, the bank options and what the sources do not confirm.
Why Banks Ask for This
Pakera (2 October 2026) says State Bank rules require every bank to hold a valid identity document for each customer. If your CNIC has expired, the bank must block debits and withdrawals after giving one month’s prior notice. It cites Regulation 2, clause 23 of the State Bank’s AML, CFT and CPF Regulations, and says the rule covers ATMs, apps, cheques, online transfers and branch withdrawals. It says banks should also send alerts at least one month before your CNIC expires.
Pakera says the rule covers debits and withdrawals only and does not mention deposits, so incoming money may still be credited. Confirm this with your bank. Pakera’s source was a copy of the regulations updated to 27 January 2021, so check for later changes.
Step 1: Renew Your CNIC With NADRA
A bank can update your record only after you have a valid card or proof that renewal is in progress. Renew with NADRA first. Pakera does not give NADRA’s fees or timelines. See NADRA’s own channels, such as the Pak ID app or a NADRA office, for the current steps and charges.
Step 2: Ask Your Bank to Update Its Record
Pakera lists these steps:
- Contact your bank by visiting a branch or calling its helpline. Ask whether it accepts the update through its app.
- Give a copy of your renewed CNIC and ask for your record to be updated.
- The bank checks the card. State Bank allows banks to use a NADRA Verisys report in place of a paper copy, according to Pakera. Verisys is NADRA’s online identity check.
- Ask for written confirmation that any block is removed, then test with a small ATM withdrawal.
Take your original renewed CNIC to a branch. If your bank asks for more, such as a signed form, follow its list.
Bank and App Options
Options differ by bank. These are the two I found.
- Bank AL Habib: Its Biometric Verification App lets customers do biometric verification on their phone instead of going to a branch. The bank’s page says you can use it to update an expired CNIC. You enter your CNIC, pick the purpose, scan the fingers of both hands with the phone’s rear camera, and check the result before uploading. You need your digital account number, your registered mobile number and a smartphone with a rear camera of at least 5 megapixels and a flash. It is for customers of the AL Habib mobile app or Netbanking, and for residents of Pakistan only. Overseas customers should contact their parent branch.
- NayaPay: The NayaPay help page says to open Settings, then Account and Privacy Settings, then Update CNIC. Enter the issue date and expiry date, then email photos of the front and back of your original CNIC to support@nayapay.com with your NayaPay ID. Its support team also has to update your details, so the app field alone is not enough. No processing time is given.
I did not find the steps for HBL, UBL, Meezan, Allied, MCB, NBP and other banks. Ask your bank’s helpline or branch. Do not send CNIC photos to an email address that you have not found on your bank’s own website or app.
What If Your CNIC Has Already Expired?
Pakera says an attested NADRA receipt or token may be accepted along with an expired CNIC for new accounts only, if a renewed copy follows within three months. Whether an existing account gets the same treatment is up to the bank.
The State Bank’s circular (BPRD Circular Letter No. 20, 29 August 2011) confirms this for opening accounts. It lets banks open accounts with an expired CNIC and a NADRA receipt or token, with attested copies of both. Banks must get the renewed CNIC within three months and should use system alerts to find CNICs that expire during the relationship. It names no penalty for missing the deadline. The circular is from 2011, so it may have been changed.
How Long Does It Take?
Pakera says the regulations set no deadline for lifting a block and that the block “shall be removed” once a valid document is verified. It advises following up the next working day, and in writing if the delay continues. If the bank does not respond in 45 days, or you are unhappy with its reply, you can approach the Banking Mohtasib, according to the State Bank’s Sunwai FAQ as cited by Pakera. I did not check the FAQ myself.
Beware of Fixers and Fake Messages
- Do not share your OTP, PIN or card number when someone calls to “update your CNIC.” Banks do not ask for these.
- Use only your bank’s official branch, helpline or app.
- Do not pay an agent to unblock your account.
These tips are general advice.
What I Could Not Confirm
- The current text of the State Bank rule. Pakera used a 2021 copy, and I did not open the regulation itself.
- Whether credits still arrive in a blocked account, and whether all banks treat this the same way.
- The steps for most banks. I found only AL Habib and NayaPay.
- Whether biometric or WhatsApp updates are offered by other banks.
- How long each bank takes.
- NADRA’s current renewal fees and timelines.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I update my CNIC expiry date directly at the bank?
No. You renew the CNIC with NADRA, then give the bank your new card.
What happens if my CNIC expires?
The bank must block debits and withdrawals after one month’s notice, according to Pakera.
Can I use my bank’s app?
Some banks allow it. AL Habib has a biometric app that can update an expired CNIC. Ask your own bank.
Do I need to visit a branch?
Not always. It depends on your bank.
Can a NADRA receipt be used instead of a card?
For new accounts, with a renewed copy to follow in three months. For existing accounts, it is up to the bank.
Where can I complain?
Try your bank first, then the Banking Mohtasib if it does not respond within 45 days, according to Pakera.
Renew your CNIC before it expires and update your bank as soon as you have the new card.
