Pakistan has stopped issuing machine-readable passports (MRPs). The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGIP) set 14 October 2026 as the last day to apply for one, and from 15 October passport offices in Pakistan and Pakistan's missions abroad began issuing e-passports only. On 16 October the Interior Ministry told the National Assembly that the complete changeover would take about a month, and the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs warned that operational problems at passport offices could cause some delay.
So the decision is final, but the rollout is still settling. If you hold a Pakistani passport and live in Britain, here is what changes, what does not, and what to do about it.
The Short Version
Your MRP is still valid. It stays valid until the expiry date printed in it, so there is nothing to replace today.
Your next passport will be an e-passport. Once an MRP expires, it cannot be renewed as an MRP.
E-passports cost about twice as much. The government fee roughly doubles in every category.
The UK side is still catching up. On 17 October, DGIP's online renewal portal still listed MRP fees, and the Pakistan High Commission's website still described MRP services.
What Was Announced, and When
20 July 2026: Pakistan's embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai moved to e-passports only, the first large overseas switch.
Late September: DGIP told passport offices and missions abroad that 14 October would be the last day to apply for an MRP.
15 October: e-passports only, at passport offices in Pakistan and at missions abroad.
16 October: the Interior Ministry told the National Assembly that MRP issuance would end "within a month", with only e-passports issued after that.
The likeliest reading of the two dates: 14 October was the last day to apply for an MRP, and the month is how long the government expects every office and mission to take to finish the move.
Is My MRP Passport Still Valid?
Yes. DGIP's notice is explicit that MRPs issued before the cut-off remain valid until their stated expiry dates. You can keep travelling on yours as normal, subject to the usual rule that many countries want at least six months of validity left when you arrive.
There is also no advantage in replacing a valid passport early. When the UAE missions switched in July, Pakistan's embassy in Abu Dhabi advised passport holders to apply only once their passport was within six months of expiring. Replacing yours early now simply means paying the higher fee sooner.
What Is Different About an E-Passport?
An e-passport looks like the passport you know, but it carries a contactless chip that stores your personal details, your facial image and a digital signature, to the international ICAO standard. The point is security: the chip makes the passport far harder to forge, and immigration systems can check it electronically.
One thing it will not change is your arrival at a UK airport. The UK's eGates are open to British and Irish citizens and to nationals of the EU and a short list of other countries (Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and the USA). Pakistan is not on that list, chip or no chip, so Pakistani passport holders still use the staffed desks.
What E-Passports Cost
These are DGIP's official fees for passports issued in Pakistan, e-passport against the old MRP:
5 years, 36 pages: Normal Rs.9,000 (MRP Rs.4,500), Urgent Rs.15,000 (MRP Rs.7,500)
10 years, 36 pages: Normal Rs.13,500 (MRP Rs.6,700), Urgent Rs.22,500 (MRP Rs.11,200)
5 years, 72 pages: Normal Rs.16,500 (MRP Rs.8,200), Urgent Rs.27,000 (MRP Rs.13,500)
10 years, 72 pages: Normal Rs.24,750 (MRP Rs.12,400), Urgent Rs.40,500 (MRP Rs.20,200)
On the passport most people choose, 10 years and 36 pages on Urgent, the government fee rises from Rs.11,200 to Rs.22,500: about £30 more at today's exchange rate. DGIP's e-passport schedule also has no 100-page option, which the MRP offered.
Applying from abroad costs more again. For online applications DGIP adds an overseas service charge of Rs.2,500, plus taxes and courier delivery, and Pakistan's missions set their own fees in local currency. On 17 October, DGIP's online portal was still charging overseas applicants the MRP rate: Rs.13,700 for the 10-year, 36-page passport on Urgent, before taxes and delivery. Once the portal moves to e-passports, expect overseas fees to rise in line with the table above.
What It Means for You in the UK
How much this matters depends on which passport you travel on.
British citizens of Pakistani origin: if your Pakistani passport is only for visiting Pakistan, you may not need one at all. A valid NICOP lets you enter Pakistan without a visa on your British passport.
Living here on a Pakistani passport: it is your only travel document, so do not let it lapse. Renew in good time, and expect the next one to be an e-passport.
Passport expiring within the next year: renew as normal. The fee is not coming down, and the online renewal route from the UK is still open.
A first passport for an adult, or for a child over two: this still means an appointment at the High Commission in London or a consulate in Birmingham, Bradford, Manchester or Glasgow. Babies under two can still apply online.
If the NICOP route suits you, renewing a NICOP from the UK is entirely remote, with biometrics done on your own phone.
One UK step people forget: when your new passport arrives, update your UKVI account so your eVisa is linked to it. GOV.UK warns that an account that is not up to date can mean delays when you travel. It takes a few minutes on GOV.UK.
Your NICOP Still Comes First
Every Pakistani passport, MRP or e-passport, is issued against a valid NADRA identity card. If your NICOP has expired, the passport application is blocked until the card is renewed, and that remains the most common delay we see. Check your NICOP's expiry date before anything else; our guide to the expired-NICOP problem explains why.
DGIP's e-passport instructions add one detail worth knowing: an e-passport needs both a first name and a last name (up to 50 and 40 characters). If your current documents show your whole name as a single block, check how it will split before you apply.
How We Are Handling the Changeover
We file passport renewals from the UK every week, so we are watching this switch from the inside: which fee the portal charges, what DGIP asks for, and how long the first e-passports take to reach UK addresses. We will update this article as the changeover completes.
If you would rather not deal with a system in transition, our passport renewal service handles it for you: the application, the photo, the Pak ID fingerprints and DGIP's follow-ups, tracked to your door. Your documents stay on our own private server under UK GDPR and are deleted once your application is approved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to replace my MRP passport now? No. MRPs issued before 15 October 2026 stay valid until they expire. You move to an e-passport when you next renew.
Can I still travel on my MRP? Yes, until its expiry date, as long as it meets the validity rules of the country you are travelling to.
How much does a Pakistani e-passport cost? In Pakistan, from Rs.9,000 for a 5-year, 36-page passport on Normal to Rs.40,500 for 10 years and 72 pages on Urgent. Applications from abroad add an overseas service charge, taxes and delivery.
Can I renew my Pakistani passport online from the UK? Yes. DGIP's online renewal portal is still open to overseas Pakistanis. On 17 October it was still showing MRP fees.
Will an e-passport let me use the eGates at UK airports? No. The UK's eGates are not open to Pakistani passport holders, with or without a chip.
Do I need to tell the Home Office about my new passport? If you hold an eVisa, update your UKVI account with the new passport details, so your immigration status is linked to the passport you travel on.