Pakistan will discontinue the issuance of machine-readable passports (MRPs) nationwide from October 15, 2026, as part of a transition to a fully electronic passport system.
According to a public notice issued by the Consulate General of Pakistan in New York on September 25, the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P), Government of Pakistan, has decided that applicants seeking new passports on or after October 15 will be issued e-passports only.
The new system will be implemented across passport offices in Pakistan as well as Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad.
The notice clarified that existing machine-readable passports will remain valid until their stated expiry dates. They will not become invalid immediately after the new system takes effect. However, once an existing passport expires, its holder will be required to apply for an e-passport.
Read more: DGIP stops passport fee payments through IBFT, IBAN and PSID
The move is aimed at completing Pakistan’s transition to an electronic passport system and modernising passport services for citizens.
The DGI&P has also instructed passport offices and Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad to implement the new system and facilitate applicants during the transition.
What is an e-passport?
An e-passport is an electronic passport containing a chip that stores passport and identity information.
The electronic component can be read by compatible immigration systems, allowing identity and passport information to be electronically verified.
Pakistan has already been introducing e-passports, but the October 15 deadline marks the end of issuing the older machine-readable version.
