Passport offices nationwide and Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad will issue only e-passports from October 23, 2026, while existing machine-readable passports remain valid until expiry.

ISLAMABAD, October 24, 2026: Pakistan has discontinued the issuance of traditional machine-readable passports (MRPs), with passport offices across the country and Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad now issuing only electronic passports (e-passports) from October 23, 2026.

According to the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, the 22-year-old machine-readable passport system has been phased out, completing the transition to the modern e-passport system.

Citizens who already hold machine-readable passports can continue using them until their expiry dates. However, once these passports expire, they will no longer be eligible for renewal, and holders will have to apply for e-passports instead.

Pakistan began issuing e-passports in March 2022, initially introducing the facility for diplomats and residents of Islamabad. In August 2023, the government expanded the option to all Pakistani citizens, allowing them to choose between machine-readable passports and e-passports.

The latest move ends the dual-issuance arrangement, making e-passports the sole option for new passport applications and renewals following the expiry of existing MRPs.

Before machine-readable passports were introduced, Pakistan issued handwritten passports, a practice dating back to the country’s independence in 1947.

A week earlier, the Ministry of Interior informed the National Assembly that machine-readable passport issuance would be discontinued within a month. The statement came in response to a question from MNA Malik Shakir Bashir Awan during the house’s question-and-answer session.

The ministry said passport offices and Pakistani missions abroad would thereafter issue only e-passports, signalling the completion of the planned transition.