To make or obtain a National ID card in Cameroon, citizens must present themselves at an identification station. More than 300 identification stations are currently operational in the Public Security Posts and the Police Commissariats.
Furthermore, Cameroon’s National Security has twenty mobile identification stations located in the major towns in each country region. This makes the production of ID cards a fast and straightforward process.
How Much Does it Cost to Make an ID card in Cameroon?
At the identification station or booth, the citizen or applicant must pay the sum of 10000 FCFA as required by the regulations. This amount was increased from 2800 FCFA, amid backlash from the population. The government has justified the increase in part due to the need to move to biometric national identity cards to fight identity theft.
Documents Required to Apply for a National ID in Cameroon
In addition to the 10000 FCFA, the applicant must provide the following documents, depending on the scenario as follows:
First-Time Issue of the National ID
- A certified copy of the birth certificate
- A certificate of nationality signed by the Head of the Court of First Instance
- A copy of the marriage certificate for men and women issued by an administrative or municipal authority;
- A document that shows proof of the profession filed by the applicant, where applicable.
Documents Required to Apply for a National ID In Case of Loss, Damage, or Theft
The user must submit the following documents:
- An attestation of loss declaration (Loss Document)
- A legible photocopy of the lost ID card;
- Certified copy of the birth certificate;
- Certificate of nationality signed by a President or Head of the Court of First Instance. This is required if the lost card was derived from the old enrollment system.
Documents Required in case of an expired National ID
- The Cameroonian citizen must provide:
- The expired National Identity Card for verification purposes
- Certificate of nationality signed by a President or Head of the Court of First Instance if the lost card was derived from the old enrollment system.
- A copy of the marriage certificate, where applicable
- Proof of the profession of the applicant
- A Certified photocopy of the birth certificate of the applicant
- Certificate of nationality signed by a Notable of a Court of First Instance. This is required if the expired card was made from the old enrollment system.
What Happens after Applying for a New Cameroonian National ID Card?
After applying or requesting a National Identity Card, a temporary identity receipt is issued to the citizen. It should be remembered that possessing a brief identity document constitutes a valid identity paper.
With the new biometric system, the new ID card can be issued in under 48 hours or 2 days.
The user holding a provisional identity card (also called a receipt) must preserve it carefully because the National Identity Card is withdrawn against the latter’s return to the identification station where the applicant dropped his file.
Validity of a National ID in Cameroon
The new ID cards according to the government, is valid for 15 years, a step-up from the previous ten-year period.
Who to Contact in case of problems associated with Cameroon National ID Cards
If you encounter any difficulty or hassle in applying for the issue or withdrawing your national identity card, you can call the public utility number via 1500. This toll-free number is accessible from any mobile network throughout the national territory, 24/7.
Furthermore, it is possible to check the status of the National ID issue online.
