Pakistani citizens living in the UAE will be able to apply for e-passports from July 20, 2026, as Pakistan moves all new passport applications submitted in the country to the electronic passport system.
The announcement was made through a public notice shared by the Pakistan Consulate General Dubai. The new e-passport system follows standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
From July 20 onwards, all passport applications submitted at the Embassy of Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of Pakistan in Dubai will be processed under the e-passport category.
Existing passports
The embassy clarified that current machine-readable passports (MRPs) will continue to remain valid until their expiry dates.
Pakistani nationals holding passports with more than six months of validity have been advised to renew their documents only after the remaining validity period falls below six months.
The government also confirmed that online passport application services will continue to be available for Pakistanis living abroad through the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGIP).
E-passport fees
The authorities have announced the fee structure for e-passports, with options available for five-year and ten-year validity periods.
For a 36-page e-passport with five-year validity, the standard processing fee is Dhs145, while urgent processing will cost Dhs235.
A 72-page passport with five-year validity will cost Dhs260 under the normal category and Dhs425 for urgent issuance.
For applicants choosing a ten-year validity period, a 36-page e-passport will cost Dhs215 under the standard category and Dhs355 for urgent service.
A 72-page ten-year passport will be issued for Dhs390 under normal processing and Dhs635 through urgent service.
The announced fee schedule also includes separate charges for replacement of lost passports. Higher fees will apply for first and second loss cases.
The Embassy of Pakistan has advised community members to check the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports website and follow official embassy channels for further updates on the new system.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
