Pakistan to issue only e-Passports from October 23

• Passport offices nationwide and Pakistani missions abroad will stop issuing machine-readable passports.
• New applicants will receive only e-Passports from October 23, 2026.
• The switch was postponed from its original date of October 15.

Pakistan will discontinue the issuance of machine-readable passports from October 23, 2026, as passport offices across the country and Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad move exclusively to electronic passports.

The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports said all new applicants would be issued e-Passports from the revised date, ending the issuance of machine-readable passports under the new policy.

The transition was originally scheduled for October 15, 2026, but was later postponed to October 23.

Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad have also issued formal notices informing applicants of the change.