What should you do if you lose your NID?

The first step is to file a general diary at a police station. This is not mere formality — the GD copy is the evidence that the card left your possession from a stated date, and the reissue application needs it.

Then you apply for a reissue from your online account. If you do not already have one you will need to open it first; the account can be opened with the number even without the card in hand, which is why noting the number down somewhere separately is worth doing.

On misuse, this is where the GD matters most. If someone uses the card after you lost it, the date on the diary shows it was not in your keeping at that time. So file it immediately after the loss, not later.

While you wait you can download the online copy of your ID from the account, which many places accept. Whether an online copy will do, or the physical card is required, is worth asking the institution concerned.

Sources:

• National ID services portal