Pakistani expats in UAE: E-Passports start, fees from Dh145

The Embassy of Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of Pakistan in Dubai have begun processing all passport applications as e-Passports from Friday, October 23, 2026, according to a public notice issued by the missions.

The notice said the e-Passport issuance process “has started and will continue”, covering all new applications submitted at both offices.

Pakistani nationals holding valid Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) do not need to replace them immediately. The missions said all valid MRPs remain valid until their date of expiry.

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Applicants have been advised to apply for renewal only when the remaining validity of their passport is less than six months.

The notice also said that both a first name and a last name are mandatory for the e-Passport. Applicants whose current passports carry only a single name should be prepared for this requirement when applying.

Over two million Pakistanis live in the UAE, making them the country’s second-largest expatriate community in the country.

The community includes professionals, entrepreneurs and workers across various industries, with many considering the Emirates a second home after years or generations of residence. Beyond contributing to the UAE’s development, Pakistanis play a vital role in supporting their home country through remittances.

Fees vary by the number of pages, validity period, processing type and whether the passport is being replaced after loss. All fees are in UAE dirhams.For a standard renewal, the lowest fee is Dh145 for a 36-page, five-year passport under normal processing, while the same document with a 10-year validity costs Dh215. A 72-page passport costs Dh260 for five years and Dh390 for 10 years under normal processing.

Urgent processing adds a premium across all categories. Fees also rise sharply for replacements, with a second loss of a 72-page passport under urgent processing costing Dh1,700 for five years and Dh2,540 for 10 years.