Pakistan doubles passport fees as e-passports become mandatory

ISLAMABAD: Getting a new passport in Pakistan has become significantly more expensive after authorities discontinued the issuance of traditional machine-readable passports and shifted to an e-passport-only system for new applications nationwide.

Under the revised fee structure, the cost of a normal five-year, 36-page passport has doubled from Rs4,500 to Rs9,000, while the urgent processing fee has increased from Rs7,500 to Rs15,000.

The change applies nationwide, including Lahore, marking a major shift in Pakistan’s travel-document system. However, citizens holding existing machine-readable passports will not need to replace them immediately, as their documents will remain valid until their expiry dates.

The transition is part of the government’s efforts to modernise passport services by introducing electronic travel documents equipped with advanced technology.

E-passports bring higher costs for travellers

According to the revised rates cited in the report, the fast-track fee for a five-year, 36-page e-passport has increased to Rs22,000, compared with Rs12,500 for the previous machine-readable document. Fees for 72-page passports are also expected to rise in the same proportion.

Passport and Immigration Department sources said the higher charges reflect the increased cost of producing electronic passports, which incorporate modern technology and security features.

The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports has installed 10 additional modern printing machines and six laminators to support the transition. The department has also introduced round-the-clock services at 232 offices, while 93 window counters at Pakistani missions abroad are operating day and night.

Millions of passports issued annually

Official figures cited in the report show that Pakistan issued 5,572,130 passports in 2025. These included 3,275,263 normal machine-readable passports, 1,839,487 urgent passports and 276,789 documents issued through the fast-track service. Nearly 180,000 e-passports were also issued during the year.

The report also records 6,596,520 passports issued in 2024 and 6,717,938 in 2023, indicating sustained demand for travel documents.

Passport fees have also generated substantial revenue for the national exchequer. Collections reached approximately Rs50 billion in 2023, while the department reported Rs47.65 billion in revenue in 2024.

The report estimates that passport issuance contributes between Rs40 billion and Rs50 billion annually to government revenue, excluding federal excise duty collected by the Federal Board of Revenue.

With the traditional passport system no longer available for new applications, travellers must now pay the revised rates when applying for an e-passport. Existing passport holders, however, can continue using their current documents until they expire.

For citizens planning international travel, the transition means that obtaining a new passport will require a considerably larger budget, particularly for those who need urgent processing.