Pakistan is set to discontinue the issuance of new Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) from October 15, 2026, according to the information provided.
From that date, applications submitted for new passports will reportedly be processed only for e-passports. The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports has directed passport offices across Pakistan and abroad to stop processing new MRP applications.
Citizens who still want to apply for a machine-readable passport will reportedly have until October 14, 2026 to submit their applications. Applications received from October 15 onward will fall under the e-passport system.
The move is aimed at modernising Pakistan’s passport system and strengthening security through the use of electronic passport technology. E-passports contain an embedded electronic chip that can store identity and biometric information, helping support more secure verification during international travel.
The transition represents another step toward digitising Pakistan’s travel-document system. For citizens planning to apply for or renew their passports around the transition date, checking the latest instructions from the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports would be important before submitting an application.
The change is expected to gradually make e-passports the standard travel document issued to Pakistani citizens, both domestically and through Pakistani missions abroad.
Are you planning to apply for a Pakistani passport before the October 15 deadline?
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