Passport system will go fully digital with e-passport rollout

Pakistan decided on Friday to upgrade its passport issuing system to a comprehensive e-passport framework as part of sweeping reforms aimed at modernizing immigration services and eliminating fraud, according to state media. PTV reported.

According to PTVa high-level meeting on passports and immigration was held at the headquarters under the chairmanship of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, during which key decisions regarding the digital overhaul of the system were approved.

A key decision was made to fully transfer passport issuance to e-passports, with the move aimed at reducing fraud and forgery in the passport system. However, no deadline has been announced for the phasing out of existing passports.

Director General of Passports and Immigration Muhammad Ali Randhawa briefed the minister on the ongoing reforms and projects. Officials said that premium service seekers will now be charged based on the actual cost of passport services.

According to the briefing, the preparatory work for doorstep delivery of passports in Pakistan and abroad has been completed and the service will be launched soon.

From July 1, a cashless payment system will be introduced at passport offices across the country, and online passport applications will also be transferred to the Pak-ID platform.

Read: Public warned about multiple passports

The meeting also decided to finalize a business passport policy in consultation with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

Officials said the reforms were part of broader efforts to make the passport system more efficient, transparent and citizen-friendly.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, the electronic passport is a highly secure travel document. It has an electronic chip embedded in one of the pages of the passport, which will be used to store biometric information about the holder.

The chip contains data that will verify the identity of the passport holder and will include the passport holder’s biometric data, personal data found on the passport data page, a unique identification number and a digital signature.

An electronic passport has a contactless chip (NFC), which means that these passports can be read electronically. The recently launched e-passports in Pakistan comply with UN ICAO standards.