Pakistan has now moved to e-passports only, and the old machine-readable passport is no longer issued for new applications or renewals. The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports first set the change for mid-October 2026, then extended the machine-readable window until 22 October, and e-passport-only issuance began from 23 October 2026. The change also doubled many fees: a five-year, 36-page e-passport now costs Rs 9,000 on normal processing, up from Rs 4,500 for the old passport, while urgent processing costs Rs 15,000. Citizens who already hold a machine-readable passport do not need to worry, because already-issued passports remain valid until their printed expiry dates.
E-passport type
Normal fee
Urgent fee
Note
5 years, 36 pages
Rs 9,000
Rs 15,000
Most common passport for travellers
5 years, 72 pages
Rs 16,500
Rs 27,000
For frequent travellers who need more pages
10 years, 36 pages
Rs 13,500
Rs 22,500
Long validity with standard pages
10 years, 72 pages
Rs 24,750
Rs 40,500
Long validity with extra pages
What Changed and When
The switch to e-passports only is one of the biggest passport changes in recent years, because it ends the machine-readable system that most Pakistanis have used for decades. The new passport carries an electronic chip that stores biometric and personal data, which helps border systems verify the holder faster and makes forgery much harder. The fee change is equally important: normal fees roughly doubled from the old levels, so a family applying for several passports should budget carefully before visiting a passport office or starting an online application.
Old system closed: Machine-readable passports are no longer issued for new applications or renewals.
E-passport only: All new passports and renewals are now issued as e-passports only.
Change date: E-passport-only issuance began from 23 October 2026 after an extension to 22 October.
Chip benefit: The e-passport chip stores biometric and personal data for faster and safer verification.
Existing passports safe: Already-issued machine-readable passports stay valid until their expiry dates.
New Fee Schedule in Detail
The new fee schedule covers four main combinations of validity and pages, each with a normal and an urgent price. The cheapest option is the five-year, 36-page passport at Rs 9,000 normal and Rs 15,000 urgent, which suits most first-time travellers and families. Frequent travellers should consider the 72-page options, while long-term travellers can save repeat visits with a ten-year passport. The most expensive option is the ten-year, 72-page passport at Rs 40,500 on urgent processing, so travellers should choose validity and pages based on real travel needs rather than the longest option by default.
Five-year 36 pages: Normal Rs 9,000 and urgent Rs 15,000, the most common choice for travellers.
Five-year 72 pages: Normal Rs 16,500 and urgent Rs 27,000, for frequent travellers who need more pages.
Ten-year 36 pages: Normal Rs 13,500 and urgent Rs 22,500, for long validity with standard pages.
Ten-year 72 pages: Normal Rs 24,750 and urgent Rs 40,500, the most expensive combination.
Old fee comparison: The five-year 36-page normal fee doubled from Rs 4,500 to Rs 9,000.
Urgent comparison: The five-year 36-page urgent fee doubled from Rs 7,500 to Rs 15,000.
E-passport applications are made through passport offices and the official fee payment channels of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports. Applicants should carry their original CNIC, old passport if renewing, and the fee payment record, and they should book their visit or token as per the local office system. Biometric capture is part of the e-passport process, because the chip must carry the holder’s biometric data, so the applicant must appear in person for enrolment in most cases.
Documents needed: Original CNIC, old passport for renewals, and the fee payment record.
In-person enrolment: Biometric capture is needed for the e-passport chip, so personal appearance is usually required.
Fee payment: Pay the fee through the official payment channels before or at the office as directed.
Choose wisely: Pick validity and page count based on travel frequency, because fees differ sharply.
Check before visit: Confirm the current token and office timing system before travelling to the passport office.
E-Passport Renewal Through NADRA Centres
A useful expansion for citizens is e-passport renewal and reprint through NADRA centres across the country, which began from 7 September 2026. This route helps applicants who live far from a passport office, because NADRA centres are present in many more towns and cities. Applicants should note one limit reported for this route: fast-track processing is not available for e-passports through this channel as per the Directorate, so urgent travellers should use the passport office route instead.
NADRA route: E-passport renewal and reprint are available through NADRA centres from 7 September 2026.
Wider reach: NADRA centres cover many more towns than passport offices alone.
Fast-track limit: Fast-track processing is not available for e-passports through the NADRA route.
Urgent need: Urgent applicants should use the passport office route for urgent processing.
Documents same: Carry the same CNIC and old passport documents for the NADRA centre visit.
The scale of passport demand explains why the fee and system change matters to so many families. In 2025, Pakistan issued 5,572,130 passports in total, including 3,275,263 normal machine-readable passports, 1,839,487 urgent passports and 276,789 fast-track passports. Those numbers show that passport demand is counted in millions every year, and even a small fee change affects household budgets across the country. Travellers planning Umrah, work abroad, study abroad or family visits should therefore check the new fee table before applying.
Total in 2025: 5,572,130 passports were issued across Pakistan in 2025.
Normal share: 3,275,263 normal machine-readable passports were issued in 2025.
Urgent share: 1,839,487 urgent passports were issued in 2025.
Fast-track share: 276,789 fast-track passports were issued in 2025.
Budget tip: A family of four applying for five-year passports should budget at least Rs 36,000 on normal fees.
Situation
What to do
Fee hint
First passport
Apply for an e-passport with your CNIC and fee payment
From Rs 9,000 normal
Renewal before expiry
Apply for an e-passport renewal; old passport stays valid until replaced
As per new fee table
Old passport still valid
Keep using it until its printed expiry date; no forced switch
No fee until renewal
Urgent travel
Choose urgent processing at a passport office
Up to Rs 40,500 for 10-year 72-page
Living far from office
Use NADRA centre renewal and reprint route
Normal processing only
Conclusion
Pakistan now issues e-passports only, with new fees from Rs 9,000 to Rs 40,500 depending on validity, pages and processing speed, and the change took effect from 23 October 2026. Already-issued machine-readable passports remain valid until expiry, so holders do not need to rush for a replacement. New applicants and renewing citizens should pick the right validity and page count, pay through official channels and, where possible, use the NADRA centre route for simple renewals.
Shahzad Sahil is the editor of lahorejobs24.com, covering government jobs, private jobs, bank jobs, results and education news for Lahore and Punjab, with information verified from official sources.
