The government has made a National Identity card (NID) mandatory to buy a new SIM card in Nepal among many others. Issuing a notice in Nepal Gazette (Rajpatra) on Tuesday, Ashar 11, the government made NID necessary for various essential services such as banking and financial, telephone and SIM card, social security fund, property buying and selling, etc.
The government said that the National ID card must be produced for buying SIM cards and other services mentioned above from Magh 01, 2081. The government introduced the ruling in accordance with Section 3 and Section 10 of the National Identity Card and Vital Registration Act, 2076 BS.
It’s stated that National Identity cards will be necessary in the place of citizenship to provide or demand public services from government or private organizations. Likewise, just a National ID number would also suffice equally in this case. This makes it easy for those who have got their unique NID number but not the physical document.
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Soon, you will need to have a National Identity Card to buy a SIM card in Nepal
As of now, submitting a copy of a citizenship would help get a SIM card. Click/tap here for details: How to Buy a SIM Card in Nepal for Locals and Tourists? However, the new ruling seems to replace the need for a citizenship copy with a smart National ID card to buy a SIM card in Nepal.
![Ncell SIM card](https://www.nepalitelecom.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Ncell-SIM-card.jpg.webp)
![National ID Card](https://www.nepalitelecom.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/National-ID-Card.jpg)
![Ntc prepaid SIM](https://www.nepalitelecom.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Ntc-prepaid-SIM-card.jpg.webp)
In the notice, the government stated that National ID cards will be necessary across Nepal for banking and financial services, telephone and SIM cards, social security fund, and property buy/sell.
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Will mandatory NID make life hard for the citizens?
And while this seems to be a new way of life for Nepalese, it could cause difficulty for many. Still, the majority of the citizens don’t have their National Identity Card. In such a scenario, making it mandatory for various essential services could pose a problem or two.
The government though is making it flexible for citizens that they could just have a NID number if they can’t produce a physical copy. That is still a good gesture from the government.
How do you perceive the Nepal government making National Identity Card a must to get a SIM card? Is it justifiable in the current scenario? Do offer your opinion in the comment section below.