Pakistan begins issuing chip-based e-passport, immigration directorate says

Pakistan has begun issuing a new electronic passport carrying a chip, biometric security features and laser engraving, the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports said, in a change it says brings the country's travel document in line with international standards.

The directorate said the new e-passport went into issuance on 23 October 2026 and was announced publicly on its social media account on 28 October. According to the directorate, the booklet incorporates a modern electronic chip and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which it says improves the protection of holders' personal and biometric information.

The document also has an updated design and laser engraving intended to make it more difficult to forge, the directorate said.

ARY News reported that the electronic features are designed to support automated verification at e-gates, potentially allowing eligible travellers to pass through immigration more quickly and spend less time in conventional queues. The Nation also carried the introduction of the upgraded passport.

The directorate said the passport uses data encryption in line with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the body that sets specifications for machine-readable travel documents. It said the measures are intended to improve the security and reliability of Pakistani passports and to make it easier for the authorities to check a holder's personal and biometric details.

The directorate's announcement did not give the fee for the new booklet, say whether the application process or the list of issuing offices has changed, or set out what happens to passports already issued under the previous design.

It also did not specify which airports or border crossings currently operate e-gates, or when automated clearance would be open to travellers.

Pakistan issues passports through the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports and its network of regional passport offices, and the document is required for most foreign travel. Changes to its design and security features are watched by overseas Pakistani workers, pilgrims, students and the travel industry, for whom processing times and appointment availability are a recurring concern.