Is Your National ID Card Ready for Online Pickup? (How to Check – 2023)

Is your National ID Card ready for online pickup? You need to check to find out. Know when your national ID card is ready for pick up online! Here is how to check if your National ID Card is ready.

National ID Card

The National Electronic Identity Card (e-ID card) is a chip-based card with multiple functions issued to those who successfully enrolled for the National Identification Number-NIN.

The National Identification Number, NIN, is a unique number issued to a successfully enrolled individual. This number is randomly generated, and it is issued for life.

The NIN is used to tie all records about an individual into the National Identity Database and is also used as a valid means of establishing or verifying individual identity.

All citizens and legal residents are eligible to enroll for their National Identification Number (NIN). Upon successful enrollment, a Transaction Slip was issued.

The applicant is informed when to come for the collection of his/her NIN. A second slip called the National Identification Number (NIN) Slip, is issued when the applicant returns to collect his/her NIN.

The NIN Slip has your 11 Digit Number at the top left corner, second row. This is the slip that contains the NIN and is valid for all legitimate transactions in Nigeria.

It usually takes between 1-5 working days for your NIN to be ready after registration.

After an individual has obtained the 11-digit NIN, a card comes next as an additional token.

The National Electronic Identity Card (e-ID card) is a chip-based card with multiple functions.

Please note that this card is a token given upon successful enrollment or registration into the National Identity System.

You can pick National e-ID Card at the ERC you enrolled in. A text message containing your details will be sent to you.

Check If Your National ID Card

Is your National ID Card ready for online pickup?

If you have enrolled for the NIN and are yet to receive your card, you can check your card’s progress. Many people are complaining that after many years of registration, they are yet to get their national ID Cards. It is quite unfortunate that the production and issuance of the NIN are quite slow.

However, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has made it possible for Nigerian citizens who registered for the NIN to check their national identity card status. There is a portal where you can log in and check if your National ID card is ready for collection or has been sent to the activation Centre.

Also See: Nigeria Drivers License: Online Application And Renewal Process 2023

This article is a quick guide on confirming if your National ID card is ready and sent to the activation center and the process involved in activation and collection of the card if it is ready. Some of the functions of the “Check If Your National ID Card is Ready” have been outlined in this article.

Who is Eligible for the National e-ID Card?

Unlike the National Identification Number (NIN), which is assignable to all Nigerians and Legal Residents without any age restrictions, the National e-ID Card can only be issued to Nigerians registered into the National Identity System and Legal Residents who have attained the age of 16 years and above.

It is important to note that the 11-digit National Identification Number (NIN) is not the same thing as the National e-ID Card, which is a physical token.

The NIN can be used on its own for digital identity verification without the e-ID card. The e-ID card cannot be used on its own for digital identity verification without the NIN first being stored within its chip. Also, note that the number printed on the e-ID card is not the NIN but the PAN (Primary Account Number) used for accessing the card’s payment feature once activated.

How To Check Whether Your National ID Card Is Ready

Checking one’s ID status was quite a hassle a few years ago. However, the NIMC has recently streamlined the process, making it easier for applicants to determine whether their e-IDs are ready.

  1. Visit the National Identity Management Commission’s (NIMC) official website.
  2. When the NIMC Website opens, click the Proceed button.
  3. Now, fill in your First name, Last name and National Identification Number.
  4. Hit the ‘check now button.’
  5. You will be able to see the status of your card.

After verifying your National ID Card status and that it is ready, you will receive an SMS containing the Batch ID Number from NIMC with instructions on how to go and collect it. To activate and collect your Card, follow the process below.

Requirements for the National e-ID Card collection and activation

The following are the requirements to access and activate your national e-ID card:

  • You should receive a Batch ID Number via SMS.
  • Applicants must have a 4-digit secret pin (only known to them) for the e-ID Card activation.
  • Applicant’s fingerprints will be used for activation (for applicants with fingers only).

National ID Card Collection and Activation Process

  • Walk into the NIMC Card Collection Centre and present the text message or email printouts received from NIMC with the batch ID.

  • The Card Operations Support Officer will use the batch ID extracted from the SMS you received to sort out your card.

  • After sorting for the Card, the Activation Officer will give you the Card to confirm the Card Envelope’s Names and Addresses.

  • After you have confirmed your Name and Address on the envelope, you are advised to open the card envelope, bring out the e-ID Card, and verify that the Name, Date of Birth, and Image on the e-ID Card is your Activation is done.

  • If you are satisfied with the information on the e-ID Card, the Activation officer will collect the e-ID Card from you for a Match-on-Card (MOC) Verification.

  • After the Match-on-Card (MOC) verification, the Activation Officer will Activate the Electronic Public Key Infrastructure (ePKI), Electronic ID (eID), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Applet and Europay-MasterCard-Visa (EMV) Applet Using a four-digit password created by you.

  • The National e-ID Card will be returned to you upon completion of activation.

Please note that only those who have received an SMS can come forward to collect their Cards as directed in the SMS. No one can collect your National e-ID Card on your behalf.

Functions of the National ID Card

There are 13 functions of the National ID card. Five of these are activated at the point of collecting the card.

The five (5) active applets are:

  1. Electronic Identity Information (e-ID)
  2. EMV Payment
  3. Verification – Match-on-Card
  4. Security – Electronic Public Key Infrastructure (ePKI)
  5. Travel – International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

These remaining eight (8) applets will be implemented in subsequent phases.

  1. e-Health Application
  2. e-Pension Application
  3. e-Voting Application
  4. e-Taxation Application
  5. e-Driver’s License Application
  6. e-Transport Application
  7. e-SIM Application
  8. e-Insurance Application

How can I obtain my national ID card in Nigeria?

One of the most often asked questions among NIN holders of legal age is ‘how to receive my national ID card.’

There are two alternative ways to obtain a Nigerian e-ID.

Method 1: Physically (You can pick up your ID in person at your ERC center)

After confirming it is ready, get to the collection center you registered in. Keep in mind that you need the Batch ID number sent via SMS and a 4-digit PIN. Simply follow the instructions provided below:

  • Head to the NIMIC ID collection centre you registered in and show the SMS or email copies you got from NIMIC. Ensure you have the batch ID.
  • An officer would look up your e-ID using the batch ID number sent to your SMS.
  • The officer would hand you an envelope that has your card after organizing and clearance. This will ensure the personal information, like names and addresses on it, is yours.
  • If all of the information is accurate, you will be afterward told to examine the envelope and ensure the names, date of birth, images, and address on the card before activating it.
  • After checking all of the information above, the agent gets the e-ID from you to carry out a Match-on-Card (MOC) Validation.
  • After verifying the information, the officer is going to turn on 5 of the 13 widgets on the card.
  • Upon finishing the activation, the officer will give you back the National e-ID card.

Method 2: Making use of the NIMC Mobile ID app

This will help you receive a national ID card in Nigeria without going to a physical location.

The National Identity Management Commission made it extremely simple to obtain an e-ID online. You can now access your National ID card via the IMC Mobile ID app. The IMC Mobile ID app is a cutting-edge mobile services platform available for both Android and iOS users.

The launch of the NIMC app by the government makes it quite easy to obtain one’s virtual e-ID. Once you’ve installed the app and entered your information, getting your virtual ID is a breeze.

To display your virtual card and verification QR code on the app, tap the ‘Show My ID’ option. Then, tap on the e-ID photo to flip it so you can see the back.

Click the ‘Full ID’ or ‘Basic ID’ buttons at the bottom of the app’s virtual e-ID to change how much of your information is displayed.

By clicking the ‘Refresh’ button in the NIMC app’s ‘Show My ID’ section, you can update your information by securely connecting to the NIMC database.

What is the meaning of the National Identification Number (NIN)?

The National Identification Number (NIN) is an 11-digit number that all Nigerian citizens and legal residents are assigned.

The NIN is used to consolidate all records about an individual into the National Identification Database, as well as to establish or validate an individual’s identification.

For the first time, the National e-ID Card is free. Following that, future replacements and renewals will incur a fee.

That is all on how to check if your National ID Card is ready. Do well to share this information with others. Thank you.

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Check out these related articles…

How to Apply for National Identity Number (NIN)

How to Check and Retrieve NIN

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