Historical note: Pakistan launched its e-passport in March 2022. The then Interior Minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, announced on his official Twitter account on 29 March 2022 that Prime Minister Imran Khan would inaugurate the Pakistani e-passport on 30 March 2022; the inauguration ceremony was held in Islamabad on 30 March 2022.
Pak ID app for all Pakistanis, click here.
E Passport Pakistan benefits:
Sheikh Rashid said, the e-passport is the biggest upgradation in Pakistani passport history since 2004. It will have 29 new security features as a new electronic chip will be added to Pakistani bio-metric e-passport.
Almost all developed countries have installed e-gates at airports for a faster check-in and check-out service. Passengers must have e-passports to use E-gates. As Pakistan is also going to launch e-passport from today, so Pakistani will also able to use those e-gates at airports.
Who can Apply Pakistani E-Passport:
Update (2026): At the 2022 launch, e-passports were initially issued to government officials and diplomats only. According to the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGIP), e-passport issuance is now available all across Pakistan (announced 16 August 2023), and DGIP has announced that the e-passport will replace the ordinary passport. For the current application process, visit the official DGIP website: dgip.gov.pk.
