The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports has pushed back the mandatory switch to e-passports, allowing machine-readable passports (MRPs) to be issued and renewed until October 22.
Under the revised schedule, all passport offices across Pakistan and Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad will issue only e-passports to new applicants from October 23, 2026. The changeover had earlier been planned for mid-October.
The directorate said all MRPs issued before October 23 will remain valid until their expiry date. Citizens holding valid MRPs are not required to replace them early.
Officials said the transition is aimed at modernizing passport services and bringing the security and efficiency of Pakistan’s travel documents in line with international standards.