The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports has extended the deadline for the mandatory issuance of electronic passports (e-passports), announcing that the new system will come into effect across Pakistan on October 23, 2026.
Under the revised policy, all passport offices nationwide and Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad will issue only e-passports to applicants applying for new passports from October 23.
Authorities have clarified that the issuance and renewal of existing machine-readable passports (MRPs) will continue until October 22, 2026, ahead of the transition to the new system.
The government has also reassured citizens that machine-readable passports issued before October 23 will remain valid until their expiry dates. Holders of valid MRPs will not be required to replace them before expiry.
The shift to e-passports is aimed at modernising passport services, strengthening document security and bringing Pakistan’s travel documents in line with international standards. The new passports feature advanced security technology, although their fees are considerably higher than those charged for traditional machine-readable passports.
Under the revised fee structure, a normal 36-page machine-readable passport valid for five years previously cost Rs4,500, while the fee for an e-passport of the same category is Rs9,000.
Similarly, the urgent MRP fee was Rs7,500, compared with Rs15,000 for an e-passport. The fast-track fee has also increased from Rs12,500 for an MRP to Rs22,000 for an e-passport.
The transition means applicants seeking new passports from October 23 will have to pay the applicable e-passport fees, while existing MRP holders can continue using their documents until they expire.