New passport rules: Online fee payment starts July 1

The government has announced major reforms in the passport system, introducing a fully digital payment method and doorstep delivery service for citizens

The government has announced major reforms in the passport system, introducing a fully digital payment method and doorstep delivery service for citizens. Starting from July 1, cash fee collection at all passport offices across Pakistan will be discontinued, and applicants will be required to pay fees through online channels.

The decision was announced during a meeting chaired by Director General Passports Muhammad Ali Randhawa. The meeting included senior officials and zonal heads, where officials reviewed measures aimed at improving passport services and making the application process faster, easier, and more efficient for citizens.

Under the new system, passport applicants will be able to make payments only through digital methods using QR codes. The Directorate General Immigration and Passports is also working on launching a passport mobile application that will allow citizens in Pakistan and overseas Pakistanis to submit passport applications from their homes.

One of the major changes introduced under the new system is doorstep passport delivery. According to officials, applicants will be able to receive their passports at their homes after completion of the process. For this purpose, courier services including TCS and DHL have been engaged to ensure secure and timely delivery.

The Director General Passports also announced that in the future only e-passports will be issued. However, existing machine-readable passports will remain valid for international travel until their expiry date and will continue to be accepted worldwide.

Officials further revealed that work on integrating passport services with NADRA centers is in its final stages. Once implemented, citizens will also be able to submit passport applications through NADRA facilities across the country, making access to passport services more convenient, especially for people living away from major cities.

The reforms are also aimed at eliminating the role of unauthorized agents around passport offices. The Director General instructed zonal authorities to coordinate with Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials and take effective action against the agent system.

Authorities have directed passport office officials to regularly visit their regions and ensure better service delivery. The focus of these reforms is to reduce waiting times, improve transparency, and provide citizens with modern digital facilities.

The shift toward online payments, mobile applications, and doorstep delivery represents a major step toward digital transformation of government services in Pakistan. The new system is expected to make passport processing more convenient while reducing administrative difficulties for citizens.