Proof of Registration Card is an identity document for Afghan refugees that entitles you to legally remain in Pakistan. The card is valid throughout Pakistan. It is important that registered Afghans carry their PoR cards at all times and present it to law enforcement agencies on demand.
PoR cardholders have the right to reside in Pakistan and cannot be arrested under the 1946 Foreigners Act or other preventive laws. However, the PoR card does not give immunity from criminal prosecution if bearers are involved in criminal activities or breach the law of Pakistan. The PoR card is not a travel document and does not allow you to cross international borders, including between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Verification of PoR card
PoR cards must be verified by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to enable you to open a bank account, rent a home, obtain a SIM card, etc. Advice and Legal Aid Centres (ALACs) can facilitate the verification of your PoR card in coordination with NADRA. To make this request, please provide a valid PoR card number to ALAC. It will take approximately one week for the request to be processed.
Lost PoR card
In case of loss of an identity document such as the PoR card, identity document of the country of origin and passport, if any, ALAC can prepare an affidavit and lodge a report in the police station, which is essential for reapplying to secure these documents. In case of loss of a PoR card, ALAC can also obtain a verification letter from the Ministry for Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) of the Government of Afghanistan in Pakistan, which needs to be submitted to the closest NADRA Proof of Registration Card Modification (PCM) center for issuance of a duplicate PoR card.
In order to verify the legal status of an individual in Pakistan and provide replacement documentation, it is helpful to provide the reference/card number. The lack of a reference/card number may cause delays as a profile check about the applicant will be required before any legal assistance can be extended. For this reason, it is highly recommended that you retain a copy of your documents in your home for reference should the original be lost.
Additional information on PoR cards
From which age are already registered children entitled to their own PoR card?
Children who have reached the age of five years, who are already registered with their parents and whose parents hold a valid PoR card are entitled to receive their own individual PoR card in the PCM centres.
To receive their PoR cards, the parent holding the valid PoR card on the back of which the child is registered has to accompany the child to the PCM centre in order to record the child’s photograph and biometric information.
The PoR card of the parent on which the child’s registration information was recorded will also need to be modified and re-issued.
What needs to be done if a valid PoR card contains incorrect data or was lost/stolen?
An application for a modified or duplicate (in case of loss or theft) PoR card can be made at any of the PCM centres.
In case of a lost/stolen PoR card, a First Information Report (FIR) from the police or MoRR Attestation (with the applicant’s name and PoR card number) has to be presented at any PCM centre in order to obtain a new PoR card. The individual who has lost the card will need to attend in person.
The FIR from the police should include the applicant’s name, father’s name, province and district of residence in Pakistan and province and district of origin in Afghanistan, PoR card number, police station’s telephone number and address and name of the person who issued the letter.
How long will it take to receive the new/modified PoR card?
New, duplicate or modified cards should be available for collection at the PCM centre within two weeks of the application.
Applicants can send their PoR card number per SMS to the number 7000 to check the availability of their card.
Is it still possible for Afghans holding PoR cards which were issued in 2010 and carry a validity date of 31 December 2012 to benefit of any of the services described above?
No, Afghans holding cards that expired on 31 December 2012 or before are no longer considered as persons of concern to the Government of Pakistan and UNHCR. They are hence no longer entitled to any assistance provided by UNHCR and its partners, including voluntary repatriation assistance.
Can unregistered Afghans apply for a PoR card?
Afghans who never held a PoR card, including family members of PoR cardholders who were never registered with NADRA are not entitled to the issuance of PoR cards. However, they may wish to approach NADRA during the upcoming registration exercise for undocumented Afghans residing in Pakistan. Information on this exercise will be shared by the Government of Pakistan as UNHCR is not involved in this activity.
They may also apply for refugee status with UNHCR if they are able to establish in a comprehensive interview that they cannot return to Afghanistan because they fear for their life or liberty. Information on how to access the refugee status determination procedure and the applicable criteria for being granted refugee status is available from UNHCR and its partners.