- Pakistan has accelerated e-passport services for overseas Pakistanis, expanding digital renewal and courier delivery.
- 2026 guidance sets overseas passport delivery at 10 to 12 working days through DHL or EMS.
- Travelers using foreign passports should keep NICOP valid, as expired cards can cause boarding problems.
Pakistan's government is speeding passport verification for overseas Pakistanis, widening e-passport services and pushing more work into digital channels. A faster lane is opening.
On August 14, 2026, the government accelerated plans to expand e-passport facilities for Pakistanis abroad. The change aims to make passport services more accessible and efficient. The move is underway.
The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports lists onlinemrp.dgip.gov.pk for overseas applicants. It supports online renewal from abroad and courier delivery. One route now covers both.
Inside Pakistan, 2026 guidance splits service into normal, urgent and fast-track processing. The three clocks no longer match. They move at different speeds.
For overseas applicants, delivery times cited in 2026 guidance run about 10 to 12 working days through DHL/EMS. Fast-track service is offered at executive regional passport offices in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Peshawar. Those counters matter.
Processing times now split by route
The table below sets out the current routing.
| Service | Time | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Normal passport | 10 to 14 working days | Domestic processing |
| Urgent passport | 4 to 5 working days | Domestic processing |
| Fast-track passport | 2 working days | Executive regional passport offices in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Peshawar |
| Courier dispatch from abroad | 10 to 12 working days | DHL/EMS for overseas online renewal cases |
Separate 2026 guidance says Pakistanis traveling on foreign passports should keep NICOP valid. Expired cards can cause boarding problems and may require a visa before travel. That warning is specific.
The same guidance ties the warning to broader efforts to tighten identity and travel-document verification for Pakistanis abroad. It reaches beyond passports.
