Pakistani passport

Pakistani passport

The front cover of a contemporary Pakistani passport.

Current Pakistani passport. (Areas containing personal information are grayed out.)
Issued by  Pakistan
Type of document Passport
Purpose Identification
Eligibility requirements Pakistani citizenship
Expiration 5 and 10 Years
Cost Rs.3,000/- 5 Years Validity Rs.5,400/- 10 Years Validity

Pakistani passport are issued to the citizens of Pakistan for the purpose of international travel. Directorate General of Immigration & Passports of Ministry of Interior[1] is responsible for issuing passports. Pakistan's machine-readable and biometric passports are currently being issued from regional passport offices and Pakistani embassies.

In 2004, Pakistan became one of the first countries in the world to issue the biometric passports, which are, according to the publisher, compliant with ICAO standards and dubbed Multi-biometric e-Passports.[2] They do not carry the "chip inside" symbol (), which is mandatory for ICAO-standard electronic passports.,[3] however Ministry of Interior is planning to start issuing E-Passport in coming years to Pakistani citizens. As of 2012, Pakistan has adopted the Multi-biometric e-Passport that is now compliant with ICAO standards.[4] More than 7 million passports have been issued until now.[5] The passports are printed by the governmental agency NADRA.[6] From January 2014, passports are being issued with 5 and 10 years validity.[7]

Pakistan forbids its citizens from going to Israel by putting the legend 'This passport is valid for all countries of the World except Israel' on Pakistani passports.[8][9][10]

Types

British Indian passport issued during the colonial days, when Pakistan was not formed but constituted as part of India

The passports are printed by the governmental agency DGI&P.

The Passport Act, 1974 and Passport and Visa Manual 1974 regulate the issuance of passports. There are three types of passports being issued in Pakistan:-[11]

Diplomatic passports are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to diplomats and other entitled categories in pursuance of Para-45 of Passport & Visa Manual, 2006..[12]


Official passports are issued to Senators, Members of the National Assembly, provincial ministers, judges of the supreme/high courts, officers serving with the governments when abroad on official assignments etc.[13]

A special Hajj passport was issued to those making a hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. They are however no longer issued, as ordinary passports may be utilised for the Hajj pilgrimage.

Security features

Pakistani passport

The key features of Pakistan passport are:

Physical appearance

Pakistani passports have a deep green cover with golden colored content. Emblem of Pakistan is emblazoned in the center of the front cover. The words 'Islamic Republic of Pakistan' (English) are inscribed above the Emblem whereas 'Urdu: اسلامی جمہوریہ پاکستان‎', 'Urdu: پاسپورٹ‎' and 'Passport' (English) are inscribed below the emblem. The standard passport contains 36 pages, but frequent travelers can opt for a passport containing 72 and 100 pages.

Passport holder identity

Until 2004, Pakistani passports had the bearers particulars written by hand, with the passport picture glued to the cover page. These older passports looked very unprofessional and the newer passports have identity information printed on both front and back cover ends. Both of these pages are laminated to prevent modification.

Passport note from President of Pakistan 

Passport note

The passports contain a note from the President of Pakistan addressing the authorities of all states, identifying the bearer as a citizen of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and requesting and requiring that the bearer be allowed to pass freely without any hindrance and be assisted and protected in any need. The note inside of Pakistani passports states:

“ Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan requires & requests in the name of President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan all those to whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.
Director General Immigration & Passports.
 ”

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.dgip.gov.pk/Files/Passport.aspx
  2. ↑ Multi-Biometric e-Passport, NADRA
  3. ↑ ICAO website Machine-Readable travel documents, specifications for electronically enabled MRtds with biometric identification capacity (doc 9303 part 3 vol 2)
  4. ↑ http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un-dpadm/unpan048580.pdf
  5. ↑ Nadra Website
  6. ↑ http://www.dgip.gov.pk/Files/Process.html
  7. ↑ Directorate General of Immigration & Passports Website
  8. ↑ Pakistan K1 Visa Processing Times
  9. ↑ Canada Immigration Info' - FAQs, Info' available as answer for the question "Are some passports better to have than others?".
  10. ↑ Article - World Security Network
  11. ↑ Types of Passport
  12. ↑ regulated by Para-45 of the Passport & Visa Manual, 2006
  13. ↑ in pursuance of Para-9 of the Passport & Visa Manual, 2006
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