Pakistan’s e-passport Pakistan launch date has been revised again: the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGIP), the federal body that issues passports, will begin the nationwide switch on October 23, 2026, instead of the earlier plan of October 15.
From that day, passport offices across the country and Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad are to issue only e-passports to people applying for a new passport. An e-passport is a travel document with an electronic chip that stores biometric and biographical data, meant to speed up checks and reduce document fraud compared with older booklets.
What changed and who confirmed it
The new timeline appears in public notices from Pakistani missions overseas. The Consulate General of Pakistan in New York announced the revised date on October 14. Separately, the Embassy of Pakistan in Doha said it will begin issuing e-passports on October 25, while continuing to issue machine-readable passports (MRPs)—the current chip-free style booklet—until October 22.
That means the e-passport Pakistan launch date is not identical in every post: the national cut-over is October 23, while Doha’s first e-passport day is two days later.
What happens to existing passports
Machine-readable passports issued before October 23 will remain valid until each booklet’s own expiry date. Holders of a valid MRP do not have to replace it early solely because of the switch. Anyone who needs a new passport on or after the cut-over date should expect an e-passport instead of an MRP.
DGIP frames the move as part of a broader effort to modernise passport services and make travel documents more efficient. This update does not spell out fee schedules, online forms, or step-by-step application flows; applicants should follow instructions from DGIP or their local passport office or mission when they apply.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- October 14, 2026: The Consulate General of Pakistan in New York publicly announced the revised nationwide start date of October 23.
- October 15, 2026: Original planned start of the nationwide e-passport transition (now superseded).
- Through October 22, 2026: The Embassy in Doha continues to issue machine-readable passports.
- October 23, 2026: Nationwide rollout: new passport applications at offices in Pakistan and missions abroad are to receive e-passports only.
- October 25, 2026: The Embassy in Doha begins issuing e-passports.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan mein naya e-passport ab 23 October 2026 se shuru hoga, pehle 15 October ka plan tha. Us din ke baad naya passport mangwane walon ko e-passport milega. Purana machine-readable passport expiry tak chalega, jaldi badalne ki zarurat nahi. Bahir ke kuch missions ki dates thodi alag ho sakti hain, jaise Doha 25 October se e-passport dega.
