In a move towards replacing the entire passport system with electronic passports (e-Passports), Pakistan has announced that it will no longer issue new machine-readable passports (MRPs) from October 15, 2026.
The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P) has announced that from October 15, it will stop accepting applications for new machine-readable passports and will also cancel the issuance of machine-readable passports.
The revised policy will allow applicants to apply for new MRPs until October 14. From that date, onward all new applications for passports will be handled and issued for e-Passports only.
The ruling also applies to current machine-readable passports. These documents will however be valid up to the expiry date, but not after. They will be discontinued once they expire and will need to be replaced by e-Passports.
DGI&P has sent a circular to all passport offices around the country with the news of the decision. A new policy has been issued for the diplomatic missions of Pakistan abroad as well.
In June 2026, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that the government will completely replace machine readable passports and move to e-Passports.
Naqvi, who chaired the meeting at the Passport and Immigration Headquarters, said the move would enable them to put an end to forgery and fraud.
An e-Passport is a travel document that is enhanced with an electronic chip to hold biometric and personal data such as facial details, biographical data, unique identification number and digital signature.
By using the contactless NFC chip, the information can be read wirelessly by the border control systems and devices that are compatible with it.
The e-Passports of Pakistan meet the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, which means that their holders can use electronic gates at airports around the world and when in Pakistan, might not be able to face immigration formalities for long.
E-Passport Fee Structure
The normal fee for 36 page e-Passport (5 years validity) is Rs9,000 and the urgent fee is Rs15,000.
The normal fee for a 36-page passport with 10 years validity is Rs13,500 and the urgent fee is Rs22,500.
The passport will cost Rs16,500 in normal category and Rs27,000 in urgent category for a 72-page passport with five years validity.
The standard fee for a 72-page passport having a validity of 10 years is Rs24,750 and for urgent is Rs40,500.