The Malawi Government has approved the extension of validity for all expired National Identity Cards to 1st January 2027, allowing citizens to continue using the documents for all official and transactional purposes across the country.
In a statement signed by its Principal Secretary, Patrick Machika, the National Registration Bureau (NRB) states that the decision will give the institution sufficient time to renew, print, and distribute approximately two million expired National ID Cards nationwide.
Machika said the move is also aimed at ensuring uninterrupted access to essential services for citizens, while preventing administrative and financial disruptions for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as private sector institutions that rely on National ID verification.
Following the extension, all MDAs and private institutions have been directed to continue accepting expired National ID Cards as valid identification until 1st January 2027.
Meanwhile, the NRB has indicated that it will implement measures to ensure all expired cards are renewed, printed, and distributed within the extended period.
The Bureau says further information on the renewal process will be communicated to the public in due course.
Principal Secretary for the National Registration Bureau, Patrick Machika, confirmed the development, describing it as a critical step towards safeguarding service delivery while strengthening the country’s national registration system.
