Pakistan to transition exclusively to e-passports

Pakistan is set to discontinue the issuance of Machine Readable Passports (MRP) and transition entirely to electronic passports (e-passports) within a month. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhary informed the National Assembly that while new issuances will shift to the electronic format, all existing machine-readable passports will remain valid until their current expiry dates.

The new e-passports feature an embedded electronic chip containing biometric and personal data, a move intended to enhance security, strengthen identity verification, and prevent forgery or fraudulent use.

Accompanying this transition is a significant increase in costs. The standard fee for a five-year, 36-page passport is rising from Rs. 4,500 to Rs. 9,000, while the urgent processing fee will double from Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 15,000. Final costs may vary based on the specific passport category, page count, and selected processing speed.