ISLAMABAD (The Thursday Times) — Pakistan now issues e-passports in place of the old ordinary passport. Here is how to apply for one or renew yours, what it costs, which documents to take, and how long it takes, based on the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports’ own guidance as of 14 November 2026.
What has changed
The directorate says e-passports have replaced ordinary passports. An e-passport carries a contactless chip that stores the holder’s photograph, fingerprints, and the personal details printed on the data page. It has been available at passport offices across the country since 16 August 2023.
Under Passport Rule 6 of 2021, you can apply at any passport office in Pakistan, whatever address is on your CNIC, NICOP, or child registration certificate.
Fees for the e-passport
These are the ordinary e-passport fees the directorate lists, in rupees.
| Pages | Validity | Normal | Urgent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 5 years | Rs9,000 | Rs15,000 |
| 36 | 10 years | Rs13,500 | Rs22,500 |
| 72 | 5 years | Rs16,500 | Rs27,000 |
| 72 | 10 years | Rs24,750 | Rs40,500 |
Children under 15 are issued passports valid for five years only. If you have lost your passport, the fee doubles for a first loss and is four times the normal amount for a second; a third loss is referred to the directorate’s headquarters in Islamabad.
Passport offices are now cashless. After your token is issued, you pay by scanning its QR code with any banking app or digital wallet. The directorate also lists its Passport Fee Asaan app and e-payment portal for paying in advance with a PSID.
Documents to take
If you are 18 or older, take your original valid CNIC or NICOP with a photocopy, and your previous passport with a photocopy if you have one. Government, semi-government, and autonomous body employees also need a no-objection certificate from their department. Dual nationals bring their foreign passport and a copy, and anyone replacing a lost passport brings a police report that mentions the old passport number.
For a child under 18, take the original child registration certificate (Form B) or family registration certificate with a photocopy, and the original CNICs or passports of both parents. Children aged 10 and above need an updated child registration certificate with fingerprints and a photograph, or a juvenile card. A parent or a court-appointed guardian must come with the child. If the parents are separated or divorced, bring the court’s custody papers, and if a parent has died, bring the death certificate.
For the e-passport, the directorate says both a first name and a last name are required. The first name can be up to 50 characters, the last name up to 40, and the father’s or husband’s name up to 40.
Applying in person, step by step
- Go to the customer service counter at any regional passport office, where staff check your documents and send you to the token counter.
- Your photograph is taken and you get a token with a QR code. Check the application type, priority, and CNIC number on it before you move on.
- Your fingerprints are taken at the biometric counter.
- Your details are entered at the data entry counter. Give a working mobile number and email address so you get status updates by SMS from 9988 or by email.
- Your name is checked against the Exit Control List and the blacklist.
- An assistant director interviews you and approves the application, or asks for more documents. A child’s form is handed back to be attested by a gazetted government officer first.
- You pay the fee by scanning the QR code on your token.
- You collect the passport from the delivery counter on the date given, with your original token. Only you or a blood relative can collect it.
How long it takes
The directorate’s website lists 21 working days for a normal application and 5 working days for an urgent one, not counting courier time to remote areas and missions abroad. In April 2026 the interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, said normal delivery would be cut to 14 days; the website still shows 21.
The two-day fast-track service, which the directorate lists in 47 cities, is not available for e-passport delivery, according to its own fee page. Ask your passport office whether any faster option is open to you.
Renewing online
The directorate’s online passport portal currently takes applications from people outside Pakistan, it says. You can renew if your passport has expired or has less than a year left. You create an account, fill in the application, upload your documents and a colour photograph on a white background (350 by 467 pixels, JPEG, no larger than 3MB), and pay by credit or debit card at the end. The online fee is not refundable and cannot be transferred to another person.
Overseas Pakistanis can also use the portal for a newborn’s first passport (up to two years of age), a reprint of a damaged, exhausted, or lost passport (first and second loss only), a change of marital status or profession, and to turn a normal application into an urgent one by paying the difference. Fees for applications made abroad are shown on the portal.
Questions people ask
Can I renew before my passport expires?
Yes. The directorate says there is no restriction on renewing before expiry, and you get a passport with full five- or ten-year validity. You may be asked for a short statement explaining why you want it early.
Do I have to apply in my home city?
No. Since 2021 you can apply at any passport office in Pakistan, regardless of the address on your identity card.
Can I change my name or date of birth on my passport?
Only after you correct it on your CNIC or NICOP with NADRA. Then take the updated card and your documents to a passport office. Changes to your name, father’s name, and date of birth together are sent to the directorate’s headquarters for approval.
Which offices are open late?
The directorate lists round-the-clock processing at its regional passport offices in G-10/4 Islamabad, Garden Town Lahore, and Awami Markaz Karachi, and at several NADRA Mega Centers in Lahore and Karachi. Most other offices issue tokens from 9am to 3pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 12:30pm on Friday.
How do I track my application?
Inside Pakistan, status updates come by SMS from 9988 if you gave your mobile number. Overseas applicants get emails. The directorate’s helpline is 051-111-344-777.
Fees and rules change, so check the directorate’s website before you go. More guides are on our guides page.
